Category: Nevin Manimala

Mar Pollut Bull. 2026 Mar 2;227:119456. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119456. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Marine debris entanglement is a growing threat to pinnipeds, with acute consequences including injury, restricted movement, and increased energy expenditure now well documented. The use of drones to monitor populations and estimate entanglement prevalence is growing. Drone-borne colour (RGB) cameras enhance detection of conspicuous debris, but thin or transparent materials such as fishing line are often missed. Thermal infrared (TIR) imaging may improve detection by highlighting heat from wounds or disrupted fur caused by entanglement. We assessed the efficacy of drone-borne RGB and TIR imaging for detecting entanglements in Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) at Seal Rocks, south-eastern Australia. Across 54 drone surveys using representative commercial RGB + TIR sensors and concurrent handheld imaging, we captured imagery of entangled and non-entangled individuals. The resultant orthomosaic images and videos were classified by reviewers with relevant experience, and reviewer performance was assessed using generalised linear mixed models to estimate recall and precision. Entanglements were clearly visible in handheld TIR via elevated heat signatures. Similar thermal anomalies were visible in 81% of RGB + TIR drone detections of marine debris entanglements, with 95% reviewer agreement. RGB + TIR videos achieved the highest estimates and most reliable balance of recall and precision, followed closely by RGB alone, though differences were not always statistically significant. Importantly, fishing line was effectively detected in dual RGB + TIR drone imagery. This study presents the first use of drone-borne TIR imaging to detect marine debris entanglements and demonstrates that combining RGB and TIR video maximises detection performance.

PMID:41774946 | DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119456

J Spec Oper Med. 2026 Mar 3:J.Spec.Oper.Med.2026.R9KS-GFTU. doi: 10.55460/J.Spec.Oper.Med.2026.R9KS-GFTU. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Police Tactical Group (PTG) officers, in general, are older than their general duties counterparts. The nature of the occupational role scope demands a high level of fitness; thus, physical assessments are essential. This research investigated the relationship between officer age and completion times for an occupationally relevant physical fitness assessment in specialist police officers.

METHODS: Retrospective data were collected from 34 male PTG officers (age 37.8 [SD 6.5] y); height 181.6 [SD 6.7] cm; body mass 91.5 [SD 10.9] kg) and 18 male PTG candidates (age 32.1 [SD 5.0] y; height 183.7 [SD 5.8] cm; body mass 89.4 [SD 8.7] kg) competing in the RUSH assessment. The RUSH consisted of alternating directional sprints, crawls, 80kg mannequin drags (10-20m), and adopting shooting positions. Operational personal protective equipment (PPE; 22.2 [SD 4.90] kg) was worn.

RESULTS: PTG officers were significantly older (P=.002) and carried significantly lighter PPE loads (P<.001). There were no significant differences in mean RUSH times between PTG officers (105.1 seconds [SD 14.6s]) and candidates (111.7 (SD 9.2) s, P=.056). Correlations and a backward stepwise regression model were consistent in indicating that neither age nor group was a statistically significant predictor of RUSH time. PPE weight was not significantly predictive of RUSH time when entered alone in a regression model.

CONCLUSION: Age was not a significant predictor of RUSH times; as such, the RUSH can be used for initial candidates and for older qualified personnel. Ongoing physical strength and conditioning practices undertaken by PTG officers may mitigate age-related fitness loss.

PMID:41774931 | DOI:10.55460/J.Spec.Oper.Med.2026.R9KS-GFTU

JMIR Hum Factors. 2026 Mar 3;13:e75263. doi: 10.2196/75263.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The rising number of refugees and migrants has created growing mental health needs that health care systems struggle to address. Providing assessment and treatment for mental health problems in a digital format could help increase access to care and facilitate the provision of adapted interventions. Psychologists are key stakeholders in the delivery and influence of clinical services within routine care settings, but there are limited data on their perspectives regarding the use of digital solutions to assess and treat common mental health problems in refugees and migrants.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine psychologists’ usage, knowledge, and attitudes toward digital mental health solutions for assessing and treating common mental health problems in refugees and migrants within the Swedish health care system.

METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among psychologists in Sweden between December 2023 and February 2024. Responses included Likert-scale items and categorical variables, which were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t tests, and Fisher exact test to explore differences between subgroups.

RESULTS: A total of 81 psychologists responded to the survey. Among them, 58 (72%) were women, and nearly half (40/81, 49%) worked in a public health care region. Respondents showed the highest acceptance for guided internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT), blended treatment, and videoconferencing therapy. Only 20% (16/81) reported using digital solutions for refugees or migrants with mental health problems. Most respondents had low or very low knowledge of digital assessment and screening (61/81, 75%) and digital treatment (58/81, 72%) for these groups. Those using digital formats for refugees and migrants, or working in a setting that did so, had significantly higher ratings on all 5 knowledge items compared to those that did not (P<.001 to P=.01). Respondents emphasized the importance of digital solutions being provided in refugees’ and migrants’ native languages (70/81, 86%) and being culturally adapted (56/81, 69%). Those using digital formats for refugees and migrants considered cultural adaptation less necessary (P=.05). The preferred implementation approach was through specialized or decentralized units in primary care (66/81, 81%).

CONCLUSIONS: While psychologists recognize the potential of digital mental health solutions, significant barriers remain, including limited knowledge and experience with using digital formats for refugees and migrants. Psychologists prefer digital solutions in the native language of refugees and migrants that are implemented at the primary care level. The need for cultural adaptation should be further explored. Addressing psychologists’ preferences could facilitate the future integration and implementation of digital formats for refugees and migrants in routine care settings.

PMID:41774913 | DOI:10.2196/75263

Ecol Evol Physiol. 2026 Jan-Feb;99(1):33-42. doi: 10.1086/739792. Epub 2026 Jan 20.

ABSTRACT

AbstractFitness of interspecific hybrids can be higher or lower than that of their parental genotypes, with major ramifications for evolution and conservation. A recent study found that hybrid tiger salamanders had higher metabolic rates than their parental forms. Specifically, the ratio of resting metabolic rate to water loss, which was used as a measure of performance, was greater in hybrids. Recent genetic research showed that over half of the experimental subjects in that study were genetically pure California tiger salamanders (Ambystoma californiense) misclassified as hybrids. We reanalyzed the data using the corrected identification of hybrids and parentals. As expected, updating the classification revealed even stronger evidence for differences between hybrids and parentals. Hybrids had higher resting metabolic rates and greater water loss than parentals. The ratio of resting metabolic rate to water loss was also higher in hybrids. However, we suggest that this ratio might not be a positive measure of salamander performance. Higher metabolic rate means higher energy expenditure, and higher water loss suggests increased risk of desiccation. Both are major challenges for terrestrial amphibians, especially salamanders, which are hypothesized to be low-energy, low-water-loss specialists. Under this hypothesis, the ratio of energy expenditure to water loss is a ratio of two costs rather than a ratio of benefit to cost. While our analyses corroborate and strengthen the previous statistical results, we suggest that high resting metabolic rate is better interpreted as hybrid dysfunction, not vigor. Both hypotheses are speculative, and specific research on the fitness effects of these physiological differences is needed to resolve this important ecological question.

PMID:41774889 | DOI:10.1086/739792

JCO Clin Cancer Inform. 2026 Mar;10:e2500173. doi: 10.1200/CCI-25-00173. Epub 2026 Mar 3.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Early-stage breast cancer (ESBC) in women younger than 50 years often presents with tumor features, including grade and hormone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status different from older women. Machine learning clustering techniques can reveal underlying patterns in the inter-relationships of these features and provide novel insights to inform and guide decision making by patients and providers.

METHODS: Partitioning around medoids (PAM) was applied to SEER data from 67,746 women age 18-49 years diagnosed with ESBC. PAM clustering based on tumor size (T), nodal status (N), grade, and receptor status identified 10 distinct clusters. The PAM clusters and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) anatomic and prognostic stages were compared in terms of their tumor features and their association with chemotherapy and survival.

RESULTS: AJCC anatomic and prognostic stages are primarily defined by T and N. PAM clusters were primarily defined by receptor status and grade. PAM clusters align closely with luminal A, luminal B, triple-negative, or HER2-overexpressing treatment-related subtypes. PAM clusters better discriminated chemotherapy treatment, with C-statistic 0.839 (95% CI, 0.836 to 0.842), than either anatomic, with C-statistic 0.770 (95% CI, 0.767 to 0.773), or prognostic staging, with C-statistic 0.796 (95% CI, 0.794 to 0.800). PAM clusters were better predictors of 5-year overall survival, with C-statistic 0.733 (95% CI, 0.727 to 0.739), than anatomic stages, with C-statistic 0.721 (95% CI, 0.715 to 728), but not as predictive as prognostic stages, with C-statistic 0.759 (95% CI, 0.753 to 0.764).

CONCLUSION: Data-driven PAM clusters provide novel insights into the inter-relationship of tumor features and their association with hormonal, targeted, and chemotherapy treatment and with survival outcomes in women younger than 50 years with ESBC. An online application was created so that the PAM clusters could be used as alternatives or in addition to traditional AJCC staging to inform and guide patients and providers.

PMID:41774882 | DOI:10.1200/CCI-25-00173

Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc. 2026 Mar 3;64(2):e6878. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.17537296.

ABSTRACT

Delaying the measurement of a complete blood count (CBC) for 6 to 24 hours after red blood cell transfusion remains a common practice in hospitals worldwide, despite the absence of strong physiological or empirical justification. This narrative review summarizes the available clinical evidence comparing early versus delayed post-transfusion evaluation of hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) levels in adult patients. Studies conducted in the United States, Spain, Colombia, and Thailand, including more than 290 hemodynamically stable, non-bleeding adults, assessed Hb and Hct levels at different intervals ranging from 15 minutes to 24 hours after transfusion. Across all studies, early post-transfusion measurements showed no statistically significant differences when compared with delayed testing, demonstrating that Hb and Hct values stabilize rapidly within 15 to 60 minutes following transfusion. These findings refute the traditional assumption that several hours are required for equilibration. Implementing early CBC testing provides accurate results, enables prompt assessment of transfusion efficacy, reduces unnecessary delays in clinical decision-making, and improves hospital workflow efficiency. Therefore, early measurement of Hb and Hct is safe, reliable, and cost-effective in stable adult patients.

PMID:41774859 | DOI:10.5281/zenodo.17537296

Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc. 2026 Mar 3;64(2):e6801. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.17537340.

ABSTRACT

Graphs used in scientific articles help improve the understanding of results. One of the most widely used graphs in recent scientific literature is the forest plot. Its growing popularity is related to its versatility. Although it was initially employed to present results of meta-analyses, it is now used to display findings from individual studies, for both qualitative and quantitative variables, as long as a confidence interval -most commonly the 95% CI- can be calculated. This graph not only allows the presentation of results from univariate analyses but also from multivariable analyses, making it applicable to diverse fields of scientific knowledge. In this article, we present, in addition to the history of the forest plot, a description of its components -its anatomy- and a tutorial on how to create one using statistical software.

PMID:41774848 | DOI:10.5281/zenodo.17537340

Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc. 2026 Mar 3;64(2):e6877. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.17537377.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Occupational hazards represent high costs as they have negative consequences not only on the worker who suffers an injury, but also on his or her environment and the employer.

OBJECTIVE: To carry out an analysis on the characterization of occupational accidents associated with the activity or workplace, commuting accidents and occupational diseases, suffered by beneficiaries of the Mexican Social Security Institute registered during the year 2024.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Descriptive design, cross-sectional with a quantitative approach. The data were obtained through the consultation of the 2024 statistical report generated by the Mexican Social Security Institute.

RESULTS: Of the occupational risks that occurred in 2024, 69% were work accidents, 28% commuting accidents and 3% occupational diseases. Of these, 61% of the risks occurred in men and 39% in women. The age group with the highest frequency of occupational risks was 25 to 29 years old. The most frequent injuries resulting from these accidents were superficial trauma (114,606) and the most frequent occupational diseases were dorsopathies (2940).

CONCLUSIONS: Knowing the characteristics of occupational risks in Mexican workers will facilitate the appropriate focus of efforts for their prevention and therefore the reduction of costs derived from these risks.

PMID:41774846 | DOI:10.5281/zenodo.17537377

J Spec Oper Med. 2026 Mar 3:J.Spec.Oper.Med.2026.1SDN-NWTW. doi: 10.55460/J.Spec.Oper.Med.2026.1SDN-NWTW. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to address training limitations and inter-operator variability that constrain the use of lung ultrasound (LUS) in austere and prehospital settings. This pilot study evaluated whether AI-based decision support could improve the diagnostic accuracy and confidence of United States Marine Corps Corpsmen in identifying absent lung sliding, a key indicator of pneumothorax, during LUS interpretation.

METHODS: This pilot-prospective multi-reader, multi-case study involved five military medics, all novices in point-of-care ultrasound, each interpreting 50 de-identified LUS video clips twice, once without AI assistance (control) and once with AI assistance (ATLAS, Deep Breathe Inc., London, Canada), in randomized order with at least a 2-hour washout between sessions. Expert consensus served as a reference standard. Diagnostic performance was assessed using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Differences were analyzed using the Random-Reader Random-Case method. Per-clip reader confidence ratings were compared using the Stuart-Maxwell test.

RESULTS: AI assistance significantly improved diagnostic performance across all measured outcomes. The mean AUROC increased from 0.72 (SD 0.16) without AI to 0.93 (SD 0.04) with AI (P=.03). Sensitivity rose from 0.63 (SD 0.14) to 0.90 (SD 0.09), specificity from 0.70 (SD 0.15) to 0.86 (SD 0.10), and overall accuracy from 0.67 (SD 0.10) to 0.88 (0.06) (McNemar’s test, P<.001). Reader confidence also improved, with high-confidence ratings nearly doubling from 20% to 37%, and low-confidence ratings decreasing from 38% to 33%. These distributional changes were statistically significant (Stuart-Maxwell χ², P<.001).

CONCLUSION: AI support markedly improved the diagnostic accuracy and confidence of novice LUS interpretation for detecting absent lung sliding. These findings suggest that real-time AI-based decision support may help improve access to high-quality LUS in military and other resource-limited care settings.

PMID:41774835 | DOI:10.55460/J.Spec.Oper.Med.2026.1SDN-NWTW

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2026 Mar 10;123(10):e2514297123. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2514297123. Epub 2026 Mar 3.

ABSTRACT

Liquid crystal mesophases of achiral molecules are normally achiral, yet in a few materials they spontaneously segregate and form right- and left-handed chiral domains. One mechanism that drives chiral segregation is molecular shape fluctuations between axial chiral conformations, where molecular interactions favor matching chirality and promote helical twist. Cooperative chiral ordering may also play a role in chirality amplification, as when a tiny fraction of chiral dopant drives a nematic phase to become cholesteric. We present a model of cooperative chiral ordering in liquid crystals using Maier-Saupe theory, and predict a phase diagram with a segregated cholesteric phase with alternating domains of left- and right-handed chiral twist, with opposite enantiomeric excess, in addition to racemic nematic and isotropic phases. Our model also demonstrates how chiral molecular fluctuations influence the helical twisting power of dopants in the nematic phase, which may be observed even in materials where the segregated cholesteric phase is preempted by a transition to another phase. We compare these results with Monte Carlo simulation studies of the switchable chiral Lebwohl-Lasher model, where each spin switches between right- and left-handed chiral states. Simulation results validate the predicted phase diagram, demonstrate chiral amplification in the racemic nematic phase, and reveal complex coarsening dynamics in the segregated cholesteric phase. These results suggest that molecular fluctuations between degenerate chiral configurations may be a common mechanism to produce cooperative chiral order in achiral liquid crystals.

PMID:41774802 | DOI:10.1073/pnas.2514297123