Nevin Manimala

Med Biol Eng Comput. 2025 Jul 17. doi: 10.1007/s11517-025-03419-6. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Echocardiography sequence segmentation is vital in modern cardiology. While the Segment Anything Model (SAM) excels in general segmentation, its direct use in echocardiography faces challenges due to complex cardiac anatomy and subtle ultrasound boundaries. We introduce SAID (Segment Anything with Implicit Decoding), a novel framework integrating implicit neural representations (INR) with SAM to enhance accuracy, adaptability, and robustness. SAID employs a Hiera-based encoder for multi-scale feature extraction and a Mask Unit Attention Decoder for fine detail capture, critical for cardiac delineation. Orthogonalization boosts feature diversity, and I $_{}^2$ Net improves handling of misaligned contextual features. Tested on CAMUS and EchoNet-Dynamics datasets, SAID outperforms state-of-the-art methods, achieving a Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) of 93.2% and Hausdorff Distance (HD95) of 5.02 mm on CAMUS, and a DSC of 92.3% and HD95 of 4.05 mm on EchoNet-Dynamics, confirming its efficacy and robustness for echocardiography sequence segmentation.

PMID:40673922 | DOI:10.1007/s11517-025-03419-6

Anal Bioanal Chem. 2025 Jul 17. doi: 10.1007/s00216-025-06010-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Pesticide contamination is a global challenge, threatening agricultural production and environmental safety. To address the urgent need for efficient and reliable pesticide detection methods, we developed a novel multi-channel colorimetric sensor array based on HAuCl₄-mediated oxidation reactions. This innovative system incorporates six distinct colorimetric channels coupled with advanced multivariate statistical analysis, enabling simultaneous detection and discrimination of multiple pesticide residues. Through systematic optimization of key reaction parameters, the developed sensor improved selectivity and classification accuracy, particularly for structurally similar pesticides. The platform successfully identifies 11 different classes of pesticides and distinguishes five specific pesticides across various concentration levels. This approach overcomes the limitations of traditional single-target detection methods by employing multi-parameter analysis for accurate pesticide identification. Notably, the proposed method offers several practical advantages, including simple operation, rapid detection (within 30 min), high sensitivity (detection limits of 6 μg/mL), and cost-effectiveness by eliminating the need for expensive instrumentation. These features make the developed sensor array particularly suitable for on-site pesticide screening and food safety monitoring applications.

PMID:40673917 | DOI:10.1007/s00216-025-06010-y

Rheumatol Int. 2025 Jul 17;45(8):174. doi: 10.1007/s00296-025-05913-4.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) displays varying disease activity over time. However, few studies have examined the association between disease activity and seasonal differences, and consequently, evidence of a seasonality in disease activity in axSpA is limited. We therefore aimed to study the variation in measures of disease activity, perceived well-being, and functional ability, including both patient-reported and objective measures throughout the year, and their relationship with seasons.

METHODS: Objective and patient-reported disease parameters from 44 987 assessments on 5197 individuals were retrieved from the Swedish Rheumatology Quality register. The variation in different measures of disease activity over the year was examined using generalized additive models with cyclic cubic splines.

RESULTS: Patient reported and objective measures of disease were found to vary congruently over the year, with a trend of decreased disease parameters in the spring. Mean CRP values showed a statistically significant variation throughout the year, with highest in July (7.35 mg/L) and lowest in March (6.88 mg/L). Significant seasonal variation was also seen in BASDAI (range of mean values 3.67-3.72), BASFI (2.79-2.87) and BASMI (3.26-3.31), with highest values in late summer, beginning of fall, or in the fall, respectively. In subgroup analysis, significant variation was only seen in subjects with a disease duration of more than 10 years.

CONCLUSION: Although a statistically significant seasonal variation in disease parameters was found, the absolute variation was close to none and may therefore be clinically irrelevant.

PMID:40673910 | DOI:10.1007/s00296-025-05913-4

J Interpers Violence. 2025 Jul 17:8862605251355623. doi: 10.1177/08862605251355623. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant changes in child maltreatment patterns, particularly due to lockdown measures and the transition to remote education. Despite the heightened risk, reports paradoxically indicate a decline in referrals and notifications related to child abuse during this period. This study seeks to contribute to the literature by assessing the impact of the pandemic on child sexual abuse cases in Turkey, a developing country, through a comparative analysis of pre-pandemic and pandemic-era data. A retrospective analysis was conducted on forensic reports and case records of individuals under the age of 18 who were referred by judicial authorities to forensic medicine units under allegations of sexual abuse. The study encompassed two distinct periods: the pre-pandemic phase (March 2018-August 2019) and the pandemic-related lockdown phase (March 2020-August 2021). Cases from the pandemic period were statistically compared with pre-pandemic cases using SPSS version 27.0. Of the analyzed cases, 63.6% (n = 232) were reported pre-pandemic, whereas 36.4% (n = 133) were reported during the pandemic. A significant increase was observed in victims under 12 years old, whereas cases involving older adolescents (15-17 years) declined (p < .05). Additionally, reports from mandated reporters decreased significantly, while parental reporting increased (p < .05). These findings underscore the necessity of strengthening child protection mechanisms, particularly during crises, to prevent underreporting and ensure timely interventions in future public health emergencies.

PMID:40673908 | DOI:10.1177/08862605251355623

Alzheimers Dement. 2025 Jul;21(7):e70480. doi: 10.1002/alz.70480.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The number of cases of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) is expected to triple in the United States in the next three decades. Food insecurity may be a risk factor for cognitive decline. However, studies exploring the relationship between food insecurity and individual cognitive domains within the United States remain limited.

METHODS: Data came from 1410 participants from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study. Food insecurity was assessed in 2013, and cognition was assessed using the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol in 2016.

RESULTS: The prevalence of food insecurity was 13.1%. After adjusting for all covariates, food insecurity was inversely associated with executive functioning (β = -1.47, 95% CI -2.65, -0.28) but not significantly associated with memory, language, visuospatial functioning, or orientation.

DISCUSSION: Further research is needed to understand how food insecurity may influence executive function over time and to explore potential underlying mechanisms for this association.

HIGHLIGHTS: After adjusting for age and sex with Bonferroni correction, food insecurity was inversely associated with scores on three of the five cognitive domains: memory (β = -2.67 95% CI -4.41, -0.94); executive functioning (β = -3.50 95% CI -4.62, -2.37); visuospatial (β = -3.18 95% CI -6.13, -0.24. After additional adjustment for other covariates, the inverse association between food insecurity and executive functioning remained statistically significant (β = -1.47 95% CI -2.65, -0.28). Other associations were attenuated and lost statistical significance.

PMID:40673354 | DOI:10.1002/alz.70480

Top Stroke Rehabil. 2025 Jul 17:1-9. doi: 10.1080/10749357.2025.2532424. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of Botulinum Toxin Type A (BoNT-A) injection and BoNT-A injection in combination with ESWT for post-stroke lower extremity ankle plantar flexor spasticity in this prospective, randomized cohort study.

METHODS: Patients with post-stroke ankle plantar flexor spasticity of 1+ or more on the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) were randomized into two groups. Group 1 (n:20): BoNT-A was injected into the gastrocnemius muscle, and conventional physical therapy exercises were performed. Group 2 (n:20): ESWT was applied to the gastrocnemius muscle in addition to the treatments in group 1. MAS, Brunnstrom Motor Recovery Stage (BMRS), ankle range of motion (ROM) measurement, clonus score (CS), Barthel Index (BI), Heckmatt measurements with ultrasonography, and visual analog scale (VAS) evaluations were performed on the patients.

RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups in any of the measured parameters at baseline or at any other time (p > 0.05). In both groups, there was a statistically significant improvement in all scores, except for the Heckmatt scores, after treatment compared to before treatment (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: ESWT treatment added to BoNT-A was not statistically significantly superior to BoNT-A in terms of MAS, BME, ROM, BI, Heckmatt grade, VAS, and CS. Our study did not observe the additional antispastic contribution of ESWT on spasticity.

PMID:40673341 | DOI:10.1080/10749357.2025.2532424

Prague Med Rep. 2025;126(2):75-81. doi: 10.14712/23362936.2025.12.

ABSTRACT

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is a multifactorial disease process with several factors influencing prognosis. CRC is associated with the expression of multiple cell proliferating markers such as Ki-67/MIB-1. This study was aimed to examine possible correlations between Ki-67 expression and the stage of colorectal carcinoma. This was a single centre prospective study including 93 patients who underwent surgery for colorectal carcinoma. Expression of Ki-67 was assessed by immunohistochemistry on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumour tissue blocks. Categorical variables data were presented as number with corresponding percentage. Continuous data were analysed using parametric tests as applicable and categorical data using nonparametric tests. The level of significance α = 0.05 and P-value &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The average Ki-67 expression was 77.66% (SD [standard deviation] = 9.68%) with a range of 60 to 90%. Patients with nodal involvement and larger size had a higher Ki-67 expression. To assess statistical significance, the cut-off for Ki-67 expression was set at 70%. Of 66, 48 (72.7%) adenocarcinomas and 12/18 (66.66%) mucinous adenocarcinomas had Ki-67 expression above cut-off as compared to signet ring cell variety. Ki-67 expression in colorectal carcinoma signifies mitotic activity of the tumour. Thus, it could be used as an adjunct to the existing diagnostic arsenal to help overcome its limitation in gauging the functional status of tissues.

PMID:40673324 | DOI:10.14712/23362936.2025.12

J Pediatr Orthop. 2025 Jul 17. doi: 10.1097/BPO.0000000000003049. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Clubfoot is a congenital condition affecting 1 to 2 per 1000 live births, with treatment primarily involving the Ponseti method and/or surgical intervention. It is important to ascertain whether children affected by clubfoot are prone to developmental delay, as they may benefit from early intervention. While previous research has explored motor and cognitive outcomes in children with clubfoot, these studies often lacked demographically matched controls.

METHODS: Thirteen twin pairs, including 2 monozygotic and 11 dizygotic sets (26 children), aged 6 months to 7 years, were evaluated using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL). This tool assesses 5 developmental domains: gross motor skills, fine motor skills, visual perception, receptive language, and expressive language. Developmental Quotients (DQ) were calculated, and results were analyzed using paired comparisons and normative benchmarks for each group.

RESULTS: Clubfoot-affected children demonstrated no significant differences in cognitive or motor developmental metrics compared with their unaffected siblings. Paired comparisons showed no statistical significance across developmental domains. Some minor differences, which were not statistically significant, were observed in specific domains, such as higher visual reception scores in affected children and slightly better receptive language scores in the unaffected group. No consistent trends favored either group.

CONCLUSIONS: Although this study is based on a limited sample size, this first of its kind study suggests that clubfoot, when treated effectively, does not significantly impact cognitive or motor developmental milestones compared with unaffected twins.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-investigating the effect of a patient characteristic on the outcome of disease.

PMID:40673295 | DOI:10.1097/BPO.0000000000003049

Mayo Clin Proc Digit Health. 2025 Jun 3;3(3):100232. doi: 10.1016/j.mcpdig.2025.100232. eCollection 2025 Sep.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate differences in study engagement in diverse racial/ethnic groups that have been significantly underrepresented in atrial fibrillation and digital clinical trials.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of participants from the Apple Heart Study, a prospective, siteless, single-arm pragmatic clinical trial from November 29, 2017, to January 31, 2019. Black, Hispanic, Asian, and White participants were monitored using an irregular rhythm notification algorithm designed to detect atrial fibrillation on a smartwatch. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the relationship between race/ethnicity and completion of the first study visit after an irregular rhythm notification, adjusting for demographic characteristics and comorbidities.

RESULTS: Of the 419,297 participants, 393,396 (93.8%) individuals self-identified as White, Black, Hispanic, or Asian. Overall, participants were 57% men and had a mean (SD) age of 41 (13) years. Among 2044 (0.52%) participants who received an irregular rhythm notification, non-White participants had lower odds of completing the initial virtual study visit compared with White participants (Black: OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.39-0.94; Hispanic: OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.40-0.95; Asian: OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.23-0.66) after multivariate adjustment. Among those who completed the initial study visit, there was no statistically significant difference in the odds of returning the electrocardiogram patch in the non-White groups compared with that of the White group.

CONCLUSION: Despite successful recruitment of racially and ethnically diverse participants, there were differences in subsequent engagement by non-White compared with that by White participants. Equitable representation and engagement of diverse racial and ethnic groups in digital clinical studies requires further study.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT03335800.

PMID:40673279 | PMC:PMC12264615 | DOI:10.1016/j.mcpdig.2025.100232

RSC Adv. 2025 Jul 15;15(31):25030-25040. doi: 10.1039/d5ra01495f. eCollection 2025 Jul 15.

ABSTRACT

Chlorophenols (CPs) are persistent toxicants and major groundwater pollutants due to their carcinogenic properties. This study focused on optimizing the degradation of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) in the aqueous phase using zero-valent iron (ZVI)-activated sodium persulfate (SPS). The Taguchi Design of Experiment methodology (L9 orthogonal array) and ANOVA statistical analysis were applied to identify optimal conditions, with key parameters including initial pH, SPS concentration, and ZVI concentration. Results indicated that SPS concentration had the most significant impact on 2-CP degradation. Confirmation tests conducted at the optimal conditions (pH = 6, SPS = 60 mM, ZVI = 60 mM) achieved 100% 2-CP degradation within 10 min, characterized by rapid 2-CP degradation, SPS decomposition, and 2-CP mineralization. Experiments with 2-CP spiked reverse osmosis water and groundwater samples showed total organic carbon removal rates of 75% and 67%, respectively, with discussions highlighting the potential effects of groundwater constituents on degradation efficiency. ZVI surface analysis through SEM-EDS identified iron oxide crystal formation on recovered iron particles, while XRD analysis confirmed the presence of Fe₃O₄ on the particle surface post-reaction. These findings underscore the effectiveness of ZVI-activated SPS as a promising approach for 2-CP degradation in natural groundwater systems, contributing to supportable groundwater remediation efforts.

PMID:40673240 | PMC:PMC12262041 | DOI:10.1039/d5ra01495f