Tag: nevin manimala

JAMA Intern Med. 2025 Oct 13. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.4911. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41082189 | DOI:10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.4911

Anal Methods. 2025 Oct 13. doi: 10.1039/d5ay01147g. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study presents a robust, statistically validated analytical method for the quantification of C5-C10 volatile petroleum hydrocarbons (VPHs) in aqueous matrices using headspace gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (HS-GC-FID). A central composite face-centered (CCF) experimental design was employed to optimize critical extraction parameters, including sample volume, temperature, and equilibration time. The response variable, defined as the chromatographic peak area per microgram of analyte (Area per μg), was used to model the extraction efficiency. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirmed the global significance of the fitted model (R² = 88.86%, RMSE = 4.997, p < 0.0001), with significant main, quadratic, and interaction effects. Sample volume showed the strongest negative impact, while temperature and interaction terms demonstrated synergistic behavior. The optimized conditions improved both sensitivity and reproducibility. The proposed method aligns with ISO 9377-2 principles and provides a reliable, environmentally relevant protocol for trace-level VPH monitoring in water samples.

PMID:41082185 | DOI:10.1039/d5ay01147g

Ann Indian Acad Neurol. 2025 Oct 13. doi: 10.4103/aian.aian_466_25. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical features and consequences of self-limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (SeLECTS) between two age groups by the consideration of a pediatric cohort.

METHODS: Patient data and follow-up observations of children with SeLECTS were documented between 2012 and 2023. Clinical profiles, electrocephalogram (EEG) patterns, and treatment details of the children diagnosed with SeLECTS were retrospectively examined and analyzed in two separate groups based on age at diagnosis.

RESULTS: A group of 198 patients with SeLECTS was included. The study group was divided into two subgroups as the group under age 5 (n = 54) and the group over age 5 (n = 144). The number of antiepileptics needed for seizure control (P = 0.041) and the need for more than one antiepileptic (P = 0.02) were found to be higher, with statistical significance, in the group younger than 5 years old. Moreover, the duration of control of seizures (P < 0.001) and recovery of EEG was longer (P < 0.001) in the group younger than 5 years. Electrical status epilepticus in slow-wave sleep emerged in four patients, and findings revealed that all of these patients were in the group over the age of 5.

CONCLUSIONS: SeLECTS patients diagnosed under the age of 5 experience a longer duration to achieve seizure control and EEG normalization. Additionally, these patients often require a greater number of antiepileptic medications for effective seizure management.

PMID:41082184 | DOI:10.4103/aian.aian_466_25

Eur Geriatr Med. 2025 Oct 13. doi: 10.1007/s41999-025-01327-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To examine the association of muscle strengthening activities with knee extension strength, gait speed, and skeletal muscle index in adultsaged 50-64 and ≥65 years.

FINDINGS: Muscle strengthening activities are linked to better gait speed, knee extension strength, and skeletal muscle index mainly in middle-aged adults (50-64 years), with weaker or no associations in older adults except for higher activity frequency (≥8 sessions/month), benefi tingstrength in those ≥65 years.

MESSAGE: Muscle strengthening activities are linked to better physical function and muscle health in middle-aged compared to older adults,although frequency may be a confounding parameter.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the association of muscle strengthening activities (MSA) with knee extension strength (KES) and gait speed (GS) (n = 2169), and skeletal muscle index (SMI; n = 765) in adults aged 50-64 and ≥ 65 years.

METHODS: Data were drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2018 cycles. MSA were self-reported based on engagement with weightlifting, push-ups, or sit-ups. MSA frequency was categorized as ≥ 8 or < 8 sessions/month. Linear and logistic regressions were performed, adjusting for demographic and clinical covariates.

RESULTS: MSA were associated with improved GS and KES across adults aged 50-64 years in fully adjusted models (GS: β = -0.24, 95% CI – 0.42 to – 0.07; KES: β = 31.7, 95% CI 18.9 to 44.5) but not in those ≥ 65 years (GS: p = 0.07; KES: p = 0.11). For SMI, a significant positive association emerged only in the 50-64-year old group after adjustments (β = 0.18, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.34; ≥ 65 years → p = 0.53). Age interaction (≥ 65 vs. 50-64 years) showed significant MSA associations with GS and KES, though SMI results were inconsistent. Finally, higher MSA frequency for ≥ 65 versus 50-64 years was linked to higher KES (β = 22.0, p = 0.03), but not GS (p = 0.05) or SMI (p = 0.64).

CONCLUSIONS: MSA are associated with higher KES and GS in middle-aged, but not in older adults. Higher MSA frequency is linked to increased KES in older adults.

PMID:41082171 | DOI:10.1007/s41999-025-01327-4

High Blood Press Cardiovasc Prev. 2025 Oct 13. doi: 10.1007/s40292-025-00744-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death. Women are more frequently affected by these diseases than men.

AIMS: To investigate the relationships between subclinical organ damage markers: ankle-brachial index (ABI), pulse wave velocity (PWV), intima-media thickness (IMT) and cardiovascular risk assessed by SCORE2/SCORE2-OP scales, stratified by sex and the presence or absence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and/or hypertension (HT).

METHODS: We studied 200 patients divided into groups: CAD + HT+, CAD + HT-, CAD-HT+, and CAD-HT-. Measurements included: ABI, PWV, IMT and cardiovascular risk assessed by SCORE2/SCORE2-OP scales. Statistical analyses were performed using StatSoft Statistica 10.

RESULTS: In hypertensive and non-hypertensive groups, cardiovascular risk assessed by SCORE2/SCORE2-OP scales was higher in men than in women. In the group without CAD, women- with and without hypertension- showed a significant correlation between cardiovascular risk and both ABI and IMT. In men without CAD and hypertension, cardiovascular risk correlated significantly with PWV and IMT. In logistic regression models within the primary prevention group (with or without hypertension), significant correlations between ABI and SCORE2/SCORE2-OP were observed only in women, whereas significant correlations between PWV and SCORE2/SCORE2-OP were found only in men.

CONCLUSION: Sex-related differences in cardiovascular risk factor profiles and disease progression highlight the importance of sex-specific approaches in risk stratification and management. Logistic regression models suggest a dependence on patient sex in predictive accuracy and biomarker significance. These findings point to a potential role for sex-specific models in risk assessment, but must be interpreted cautiously as associative, not predictive, consistent with the observational design.

PMID:41082146 | DOI:10.1007/s40292-025-00744-7

Health Care Manag Sci. 2025 Oct 13. doi: 10.1007/s10729-025-09724-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In the context of diagnosis of COVID-19, this paper shows how to convert a Causal Network to a Large Language Model (LLM). The Causal Network was converted to the language model using prompts and completions. Prompts were composed from the full-factorial combination of the text associated with statistically significant variables in the Causal Network. Completions were based on the evaluation of the probability of COVID-19 using the Causal Network. The accuracy of the Causal Network and LLM was tested using two databases. The first database was based on a survey of 822 patients, collecting 12 direct (parents on the Markov blanket of COVID-19 diagnosis node), 7 indirect (associated with COVID-19 but not direct cause) symptoms of COVID-19. The second set was based on 80 patients reporting their symptoms in open-ended questions, often reporting some of the direct predictors and rarely reporting any indirect predictors of COVID-19. The accuracy of Causal Network and Markov blanket was tested using Area under the Receiver Operating Curve (AUROC). When indirect information was available, the Causal Network model (AUROC = 0.91) was significantly more accurate than the LLM (AUROC = 0.88), even though LLM model was trained to duplicate predictions of the Causal Network. Where the indirect information was not available, both models had lower accuracy (AUROC of 0.75 and 0.76). The accuracy of LLM depends not only on patterns among direct predictors of the outcome but also data not reported to the LLM. Conversational LLMs need to go beyond information the patient supplies and proactively ask about missing, typically indirect, information.

PMID:41082130 | DOI:10.1007/s10729-025-09724-8

CVIR Endovasc. 2025 Oct 13;8(1):81. doi: 10.1186/s42155-025-00609-z.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study evaluates four large language models’ (LLMs) ability to answer common patient questions preceding transarterial periarticular embolization (TAPE), computed tomography (CT)-guided high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy, and bleomycin electrosclerotherapy (BEST). The goal is to evaluate their potential to enhance clinical workflows and patient comprehension, while also assessing associated risks.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-five TAPE, 34 CT-HDR brachytherapy, and 36 BEST related questions were presented to ChatGPT-4o, DeepSeek-V3, OpenBioLLM-8b, and BioMistral-7b. The LLM-generated responses were independently assessed by two board-certified radiologists. Accuracy was rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Statistics compared LLM performance across question categories for patient-education suitability.

RESULTS: DeepSeek-V3 attained the highest mean scores for BEST [4.49 (± 0.77)] and CT-HDR [4.24 (± 0.81)] and demonstrated comparable performance to ChatGPT-4o for TAPE-related questions (DeepSeek-V3 [4.20 (± 0.77)] vs. ChatGPT-4o [4.17 (± 0.64)]; p = 1.000). In contrast, OpenBioLLM-8b (BEST 3.51 (± 1.15), CT-HDR 3.32 (± 1.13), TAPE 3.34 (± 1.16)) and BioMistral-7b (BEST 2.92 (± 1.35), CT-HDR 3.03 (± 1.06), TAPE 3.33 (± 1.28)) performed significantly worse than DeepSeek-V3 and ChatGPT-4o across all procedures. Preparation/Planning was the only category without statistically significant differences across all three procedures.

CONCLUSION: DeepSeek-V3 and ChatGPT-4o excelled on TAPE, BEST, and CT-HDR brachytherapy questions, indicating potential to enhance patient education in interventional radiology, where complex but minimally invasive procedures often are explained in brief consultations. However, OpenBioLLM-8b and BioMistral-7b exhibited more frequent inaccuracies, suggesting that LLMs cannot replace comprehensive clinical consultations yet. Patient feedback and clinical workflow implementation should validate these findings.

PMID:41082087 | DOI:10.1186/s42155-025-00609-z

Biochem Genet. 2025 Oct 13. doi: 10.1007/s10528-025-11255-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a deleterious neuropsychological disorder with a worldwide incidence of 1% and unknown etiology. Understanding the role of genetic variants in disease development would enable us to explain the disorder’s molecular mechanism and find a more effective prognostic approach. Several studies in various European and East Asian populations have displayed the association of schizophrenia with functional polymorphisms such as rs16944 and rs1143634 that lie within inflammatory pathway genes. This study aimed to evaluate the association of Interleukin-1 beta (IL1B) variants (rs16944, rs1143634) with schizophrenia in the Iranian population for the first time. 565 individuals (240 cases and 325 controls) were recruited. Genotyping was conducted for IL1B single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs16944 and rs1143634) using polymerase chain reaction-Restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). In addition, the haplotype analysis was conducted. All statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26. Regarding rs1143634 (C > T), T carrier genotypes (CT, TT) compared to CC homozygous genotypes showed a significantly more protective effect (p-value < 0.001). Similarly, concerning the co-dominant model, CT heterozygous genotypes in comparison with homozygous genotypes (CC, TT) illustrated a protective impact regarding schizophrenia (p-value < 0.001). Findings showed a significant difference between cases and healthy controls regarding the rs1143634 (C > T) allele frequency (p-value = 0.025), whereas it determined no considerable difference given rs16944 (p-value = 0.41). Furthermore, in the case of rs16944 (T > C), we found no significant association between case and control groups (p-value = 0.69). Haplotype analysis demonstrated that the C-C (rs1143634-rs16944) haplotype was significantly associated with the risk of schizophrenia (p-value = 0.013). The findings suggest that IL1B rs1143634 (C > T) is significantly associated with SCZ in the Iranian population.

PMID:41082027 | DOI:10.1007/s10528-025-11255-4

EJNMMI Res. 2025 Oct 13;15(1):130. doi: 10.1186/s13550-025-01326-3.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Terbium-161 (¹⁶¹Tb) is a promising β⁻-emitter for theragnostics. However, its complex photon emission pattern-including intense X-rays and low-yield, high-energy γ-emissions-may complicate image-based quantification. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of accurate SPECT/CT-based ¹⁶¹Tb dosimetry through a series of phantom measurements using a GE Discovery NM/CT 670 Pro system. Three collimators were evaluated: extended low-energy general-purpose (ELEGP), low-energy high-resolution (LEHR), and medium-energy general-purpose (MEGP), using two separate energy windows: around the 75 keV γ-peak (± 10%), and around the 49 keV γ-peak and nearby X-rays (40.7-62.9 keV). A clinical OSEM reconstruction algorithm was employed.

RESULTS: On average, the SPECT calibration factors (CFs) were 2-fold higher with ELEGP compared to MEGP and LEHR, and 3-fold higher at 49 keV compared to 75 keV. For each collimator, derived CFs varied substantially depending on measurement and volume-of-interest geometry-more so at 49 keV, compared to 75 keV. Measurements of two 3D-printed kidney inserts revealed superior visual image quality with LEHR compared to ELEGP and MEGP. Across all collimators, the 75 keV window provided better spatial resolution and contrast than the 49 keV window. An anthropomorphic phantom study, including a LungSpine phantom with 8 spherical inserts and 3 different background activity levels, demonstrated a greater quantitative accuracy for MEGP compared to LEHR and ELEGP, with statistical significance for both energy windows (p ≤ 0.001). Errors were generally larger at 49 keV compared to 75 keV. For the low-energy collimators, considerable septal penetration (e.g., at 292 and 475 keV) was observed, along with systematic underestimation at high activity levels.

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that highly accurate SPECT/CT-based ¹⁶¹Tb quantification is feasible, further cementing ¹⁶¹Tb as a viable theragnostic alternative. A MEGP collimator, a 75 keV window, and a CF derived from a homogeneous cylinder measurement appears preferable. The 49 keV window could be useful at late imaging time points, given its high sensitivity, if further optimized. Degradation from penetration and subsequent downscatter may be mitigated with a more refined reconstruction. Further investigations into dead-time effects are encouraged.

PMID:41082018 | DOI:10.1186/s13550-025-01326-3

Biomech Model Mechanobiol. 2025 Oct 13. doi: 10.1007/s10237-025-02016-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Computed tomography (CT)-based finite element (FE) models can non-invasively assess bone mechanical properties, but their clinical application in paediatrics is limited due to fewer datasets and models. Statistical Shape-Density Model (SSDM)-based FE models using statistically inferred shape and density have application to predict bone stress and strains; however, their accuracy in children remains unexplored. This study assessed the accuracy of stress-strain distributions estimated from SSDM-based FE models of paediatric femora and tibiae. CT-based FE models used geometry and densities derived from 330 CT scans from children aged 4-18 years. Paediatric SSDMs of the femur and tibia were used to predict bone geometries and densities from participants’ demographics and linear bone measurements. Forces during single-leg standing were estimated and applied to each bone. Stress and strain distributions were compared between the SSDM-based FE models and CT-based FE models, which served as the gold standard. The average normalized root-mean-square error (NRMSE) for Von Mises stress was 6% for the femur and 8% for the tibia across all cases. Principal strains NRMSE ranged from 1.2% to 5.5%. High correlations between the SSDM-based and CT-based FE models were observed, with determination coefficients ranging from 0.80 to 0.96. These results illustrate the potential of SSDM-based FE models for paediatric application, such as personalized implant design and surgical planning.

PMID:41082014 | DOI:10.1007/s10237-025-02016-8