Nevin Manimala

Eur Phys J E Soft Matter. 2025 Mar 4;48(3):12. doi: 10.1140/epje/s10189-024-00466-z.

ABSTRACT

In the past years, the amount of research on active matter has grown extremely rapidly, a fact that is reflected in particular by the existence of more than 1000 reviews on this topic. Moreover, the field has become very diverse, ranging from theoretical studies of the statistical mechanics of active particles to applied work on medical applications of microrobots and from biological systems to artificial swimmers. This makes it very difficult to get an overview over the field as a whole. Here, we provide such an overview in the form of a metareview article that surveys the existing review articles and books on active matter. Thereby, this article provides a useful starting point for finding literature about a specific topic.

PMID:40035927 | DOI:10.1140/epje/s10189-024-00466-z

Updates Surg. 2025 Mar 4. doi: 10.1007/s13304-025-02143-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

To analyze the risk factors associated with the occurrence of cervical lymph node metastasis (LNM) and distant metastasis (DM) in patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid (PSCCT). Clinical data of 96 patients with PSCCT from SEER database were obtained and analyzed by logistic regression for clinicopathological characteristics, including age, marital status, race, gender, tumor size (mm), extrathyroidal extension (ETE), multifocality, T stage, M stage and other indicators. Differences were considered statistically significant when P < 0.05. (1) Analysis of risk factors for the occurrence of cervical lymph node metastasis in patients with PSCCT: The results of univariate analysis showed that compared with patients without lymph node metastasis, patients with metastasis had a higher percentage of patients with the age ≥ 70 years old, tumor sizes greater than 40 mm, extrathyroidal extension, multifocal tumors, T4 stage and distant metastasis, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The results of multivariate analysis showed that multifocality and M stage were independent risk factors for the occurrence of LNM in PSCCT patients (P < 0.05). (2) Analysis of risk factors for the occurrence of distant metastasis in PSCCT patients: The results of univariate analysis showed that the percentage of patients who developed distant metastasis with age ≥ 70 years old, tumor size > 40 mm, T4 stage, and lymph node metastasis was higher than that of those who did not develop distant metastasis, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that cervical lymph node metastasis was an independent risk factor for the occurrence of distant metastasis in PSCCT patients (P < 0.05). (3) Relevant clinicopathologic features have not been found to be statistically significant with lung and bone metastasis, with P values greater than 0.05. Multifocality and M stage are independent risk factors for LNM in PSCCT patients, and cervical lymph node metastasis is an independent risk factor for distant metastasis in PSCCT patients. The findings of this study may provide guidance for individualized treatment plans for PSCCT patients.

PMID:40035921 | DOI:10.1007/s13304-025-02143-y

Environ Geochem Health. 2025 Mar 4;47(4):97. doi: 10.1007/s10653-025-02387-y.

ABSTRACT

The Kåfjord area in northern Norway hosts numerous Cu deposits that were subjected to mining activities back in the nineteenth century. Relicts of the historical mining activity are still visible at several abandoned mines and associated mine waste disposal sites that may represent an environmental threat. The area was subjected to mining activities during the nineteenth century and abandoned mines and associated mine waste disposal sites still may represent a significant environmental threat. The Cu mineralization, found within the Paleoproterozoic Alta-Kvænangen Tectonic Window, primarily occurs as epigenetic sulfide-quartz-carbonate hydrothermal veins that crosscut the Kvenvik volcano-sedimentary complex and the overlying Storviknes sedimentary sequence. This study aims to determine the geochemical composition of stream sediments associated with the sediment-hosted Cu deposits and examine the role of host lithologies in the dispersion of elements associated with the deposits. Sediments from two streams and a river in the Kåfjord area were analyzed using phase and element analyses (aqua regia chemistry), complemented by a seven-step sequential extraction procedure. Results from Annaselva stream, draining Cu occurrences in the carbonate sediments of the Storviknes sequence, showed a significant positive correlation of Cu with mobile chalcophile elements (Pb, Zn, Ni, Tl, Hg, Ag, Sb, Bi) and lithophile elements (Sr, Ca, Ba, Al, K). In contrast, Brakkelva stream, draining the mafic volcanics of the Kvenvik complex, exhibited no statistically significant correlations between Cu and any of the analyzed elements. Møllneselva River, draining both lithologies, showed a strong Cu-Sc correlation, with principal component analysis indicating limited distinction between lithology-derived elements. These results did not completely align with statistical analysis outcomes highlighting the challenges of statistical data interpretation using a limited number of samples.

PMID:40035910 | DOI:10.1007/s10653-025-02387-y

Ann Surg Oncol. 2025 Mar 4. doi: 10.1245/s10434-025-17113-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Many patients with foregut cancer do not receive guideline-concordant treatment (GCT). Although social determinants of health (SDOH) have been associated with differences in receipt of GCT, the underlying mechanisms that perpetuate these disparities remain unknown. This mixed-methods study explored barriers to receipt of care among patients with foregut cancer.

METHODS: Patients with foregut cancers treated at a safety-net hospital in the Deep South were purposively selected. The patients completed semi-structured interviews, which were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. Grounded theory methodology was used to generate themes through open coding, develop a thematic coding structure, and create a codebook. Intercoder agreement was above 90%. Patient sociodemographic and treatment-related variables were abstracted from the patients’ medical records to produce simple descriptive statistics.

RESULTS: The majority of the 30 participating patients were male (n = 23, 77%), black (n = 18, 60%), and with a median age of 63 years (interquartile range, 55-67 years). Using the socioecologic model, barriers were categorized into individual, interpersonal, organizational, and policy levels. Within the individual level, the barriers were access to primary care providers, personal barriers, competing responsibilities, multifaceted financial barriers, and transportation barriers. The interpersonal barriers involved communication challenges, physician mistrust, and absence of social support. The organizational level barriers were health system mistrust, inadequate health care infrastructure, and lack of insurance coverage consequences. The policy level barriers were health care access policies and insurance policies.

CONCLUSIONS: The patients reported multiple barriers related to accessing and adhering to their treatments. Understanding these barriers is critical to forming the basis for developing and implementing programs to increase the delivery of GCT.

PMID:40035908 | DOI:10.1245/s10434-025-17113-2

Environ Monit Assess. 2025 Mar 4;197(4):350. doi: 10.1007/s10661-025-13761-9.

ABSTRACT

The present study assesses the seasonal and diurnal variability of PM_2.5 concentrations across different locations in Delhi, emphasizing the role of wind speed and direction. PM_2.5 concentrations were analyzed using descriptive and statistical techniques, including ANOVA, Mann-Kendall trend, and correlation analysis. Data from the CPCB CAAQMS network at five distinct locations-Industrial, Commercial, Residential, Traffic, and Green areas-were examined from 2018-2022. Seasonal variability analysis revealed that PM_2.5 concentrations peaked at 300-350 µg/m³ during the post-monsoon and winter seasons, while lower levels (< 100 µg/m³) were observed during the monsoon. Diurnal patterns exhibited a bimodal distribution, with peaks occurring during the morning (0800-1000 hour) and night (2000 to 2400 hour) time, driven by vehicular emissions, road dust, and wind-blown particles during the day and a stable boundary layer with reduced mixing height at night. Regions with significant industrial and traffic activities experienced 15-25% higher PM_2.5 concentrations than commercial and green areas. The study identified a decreasing trend of approximately 15% in PM_2.5 concentrations from the pre- to post-COVID period. Using correlational and t-test analysis along with the wind rose visualizations, it was revealed that meteorological parameters (wind speed and direction) significantly influence PM_2.5 dispersion. A time lag of 2-4 hour was observed for pollutant transport, depending on the wind speed. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant inverse correlation between wind speed and PM_2.5 concentrations (p < 0.0001), highlighting the role of meteorological factors in pollutant dispersion. These findings provide actionable insights into air quality management and mitigation strategies for Delhi’s diverse urban environments.

PMID:40035903 | DOI:10.1007/s10661-025-13761-9

Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2025 Mar 4;29(1):60. doi: 10.1007/s10006-025-01354-2.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Social media has become an increasingly important tool in how surgeons collaborate with one another, disseminate educational information, and communicate with patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between academic productivity and social media (Instagram) presence amongst oral and maxillofacial surgery programs.

STUDY DESIGN, SETTING, SAMPLE: A cross-sectional study was used to identify oral and maxillofacial surgery programs and their respective residency Instagram accounts. Information regarding number of followers, posts, and likes were recorded for each program. Academic productivity metrics for each faculty including H-index, number of publications, and number of citations were recorded.

PREDICTOR/EXPOSURE/INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: The independent variable was the type of residency program: certificate, dual-degree, or combined track.

MAIN OUTCOME VARIABLE(S): The main outcome variable was the academic influence quantified by h-index, citations, and publications of the programs and their social media influence quantified by number of followers/posts.

COVARIATES: Instagram posts were categorized into departmental posts, educational, social, professional and miscellaneous. Engagement was further quantified by the number of likes.

ANALYSES: Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Tukey’s Multiple Comparisons tests, ROUT’s outlier test (Q = 0.1%), and linear regression plots with a P value < 0.05.

RESULTS: Instagram accounts were identified for 65 (73%) of the 89 programs. There was a statistically significant moderately positive correlation between the number of followers for a program’s Instagram account compared with the number of publications (r = 0.5110, P < 0.001). There was a statistically significant weakly positive correlation between the number of followers for a program’s Instagram account compared with average faculty h-index(r = 0.4982, P < 0.001), and number of citations (r = 0.4300, P < 0.001). There was a statistically significant weakly positive correlation between the number of posts for a program’s Instagram account compared with average faculty h-index (r = 0.3438, P < 0.001), number of publications (r = 0.3580, P = 0.001), and number of citations (r = 0.3973, P < 0.001). Across all programs combined, educational posts garnered more likes compared to miscellaneous (P = 0.0129), social (P = 0.0018), departmental (P = 0.0005), and professional posts (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION/RELEVANCE: There was a moderately positive correlation between average faculty H-index and number of followers for an oral and maxillofacial surgery program’s Instagram account. There was a weak positive correlation between other measures of academic productivity and social media presence. Educational content garnered the most engagement from followers, despite surgery accounts mostly generating departmental focused posts.

PMID:40035893 | DOI:10.1007/s10006-025-01354-2

Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg. 2025 Mar 4;51(1):125. doi: 10.1007/s00068-025-02790-1.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We aimed to demonstrate which side should be taken care of when fixating an intramedullary nail with a lag screw for an intertrochanteric fracture under the influence of clockwise torque.

METHODS: From 2021 to 2023, 63 patients who underwent surgery for intertrochanteric fractures were divided into two groups: Group A (45 patients with left-side fractures) and Group B (18 patients with right-side fractures). We evaluated intraoperative images before fixation and postoperative radiographs to assess anteromedial cortical support. Clinically, the time to union and union rate were evaluated, and the complications, reoperation, and Koval score at one year were reviewed.

RESULTS: Pre-fixation reduction quality showed no significant difference between groups. However, in terms of postoperative reduction quality on the lateral view, Group A had the highest incidence of neutral anterior cortical support (ACS) (62%), whereas Group B had the highest incidence of negative ACS (78%) (p < 0.001). Bone union occurred in 98% of Group A cases and 78% of Group B cases (p = 0.021). The mean time to union was shorter in Group A (5.2 months) compared to Group B (5.8 months) (p = 0.004). The mean Koval score was also better in Group A (2.4 vs. 2.0, p = 0.031).

CONCLUSION: When fixating intertrochanteric fractures with an intramedullary nail using a lag screw, right-sided fractures tended to exhibit negative ACS on lateral radiographs by clockwise torque. Therefore, particular attention should be paid to maintaining proper reduction while fixating right-sided intertrochanteric fractures.

PMID:40035879 | DOI:10.1007/s00068-025-02790-1

J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2025 Mar 4;151(3):99. doi: 10.1007/s00432-025-06145-6.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the two induction chemotherapy (IC) regimens (TPF: docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil, and PF: cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil) combined with radiotherapy in young and middle aged patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC).

METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 329 cases with stage III-IVA nasopharyngeal carcinoma from September 2005 to February 2017. Of the 329 cases, 253 cases underwent TPF (docetaxel: 60 mg/m² on day 1, cisplatin: 25 mg/m² on days 1-3, 5-fluorouracil: 500 mg/m² on days 1-5, intravenous 120-h infusion), while 76 cases received the PF regimen (cisplatin: 25 mg/m² on days 1-3, 5-fluorouracil: 500 mg/m² on days 1-5, intravenous 120-h infusion) every 3 weeks. Radiotherapy was administered after IC with or without concurrent chemotherapy. The survival rates were assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis, and the survival curves were compared using a log‑rank test.

RESULTS: The 5-year and 8-year overall survival (OS) rates of the PF group and TPF group were 80.1% and 72.1%, 87.3% and 78.4% respectively (p = 0.405). There were no statistical differences in regional recurrence-free survival (RRFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rates between PF and TPF groups(p = 0.585 and 0.500, respectively).The 5-year and 8-year estimated local recurrence free survival (LRFS) rates for patients in PF and TPF group were 91.1% and 78.0%, 96.2% and 93.7%, respectively (p = 0.026). Moreover, The OS, LRFS, RRFS and DMFS rates were comparable between the non CCRT or CCRT subgroup (p = 0.542, 0.319, 0.070, 0.986, respectively). Compared with PF group, the TPF group significantly increased the occurrence of grade 3 or 4 neutropenia and leukopenia (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: PF and TPF followed by radiotherapy with or without concurrent chemotherapy performed encouraging anti-tumor effects in LA-NPC, there was no statistical significance in 5-year and 8-year OS, RRFS, and DMFS rates between two chemotherapy regimens. Compared with PF, TPF induction chemotherapy achieved more satisfactory LRFS rate in LA-NPC with acceptable toxicity.

PMID:40035865 | DOI:10.1007/s00432-025-06145-6

Eur J Nutr. 2025 Mar 4;64(3):106. doi: 10.1007/s00394-025-03627-8.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Assessing the health impacts of nutritional interventions in metabolically compromised but otherwise healthy individuals is challenging, necessitating sensitive tools. Phenotypic flexibility offers an innovative way to measure homeostatic capacity during challenge tests. A composite biomarker of inflammatory resilience has proven useful in evaluating the health benefits of whole-grain wheat interventions in overweight and obese individuals. Expanding this method to other dietary interventions to combat low-grade inflammation is essential.

METHODS: This study investigated the feasibility of a composite biomarker of inflammatory resilience through secondary analysis of samples from two independent energy restriction (ER) trials, Bellyfat (NCT02194504) and Nutritech (NCT01684917). In these trials, fasting and postprandial inflammation was analysed using a variety of markers. Four composite biomarker models were developed on the basis of postprandial inflammatory marker responses via the ‘health space’ model method. These models were statistically evaluated for their sensitivity in detecting the effects of 12 weeks of ER.

RESULTS: The minimal composite biomarkers, consisting of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-α, lacked the ability to detect postprandial intervention effects in both ER trials. However, in the Nutritech study, the extended, endothelial, and optimized composite biomarkers of inflammatory resilience displayed significant responses to the ER (all P < 0.005). In the latter 3 models, a reduction in the inflammatory score was correlated with a reduction in BMI and body fat percentage.

CONCLUSION: This study underscores the feasibility of employing a composite biomarker of inflammatory resilience to evaluate ER interventions. Further validation in additional nutritional intervention studies is necessary. Once validated, this composite biomarker could offer a novel approach for assessing low-grade inflammation and phenotypic flexibility.

PMID:40035864 | DOI:10.1007/s00394-025-03627-8

Eur Radiol. 2025 Mar 4. doi: 10.1007/s00330-025-11472-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The diagnostic accuracy of US and MRI for identifying peroneal tendon tears is unknown. The aim of this study is to determine the accuracy of these modalities for the diagnosis of peroneal tendon tears.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Studies on diagnostic accuracy of MRI or US for peroneus brevis (PB) and/or longus pathology were searched in Scopus, EMBASE, and PubMed. Systematic review was performed using the QUADAS-2 tool. Pooled diagnostic accuracy of MRI and US were calculated by using a bivariate random-effects model.

RESULTS: Twelve studies were included for analysis. Eight studies reported on MRI, three reported on US, and one study included both. Studies were all at a high risk of bias, with only one study satisfying at least two of the four risk-of-bias criteria. Reported accuracy data was heterogeneous for both MRI and US. For PB tear, US showed higher pooled sensitivity than MRI (US: 93%; 95% CI: 75%, 98%; MRI: 73%; 95% CI: 56%, 87%); and similar pooled specificity to MRI (US: 85%; 95% CI: 55%, 96%; MRI: 88%; 95% CI: 70%, 95%) For peroneus longus, US had high pooled sensitivity (94%; 95% CI: 71%, 99%) and specificity (94%; 95% CI: 79%, 98%), whereas MRI was similarly specific (91%; 95% CI: 76%, 97%) but less sensitive (60%; 95% CI: 35%, 85%).

CONCLUSION: US was observed to be sensitive and specific for peroneal tendon tears, while MRI was found to be specific but insensitive. The scarcity of literature addressing this question and the heterogeneity of the results precluded any confident conclusion of the superiority/inferiority of either modality.

KEY POINTS: Question Peroneal tendon tears are a common cause of lateral ankle pain, but the accuracy of MRI and US for identifying these tears is unknown. Finding Pooled data shows US to be both sensitive and specific and MRI to be specific and insensitive for peroneal tendon tears; however, the literature is scarce, at risk of bias, and results are inconsistent. Clinical relevance MRI and US are commonly utilized to assess lateral ankle pain. Though pooled-data suggests that US may be more sensitive, confident conclusion of the diagnostic accuracy of these modalities is limited by the level-of and quality-of the available evidence.

PMID:40035861 | DOI:10.1007/s00330-025-11472-w