Nevin Manimala

Adv Skin Wound Care. 2025 Sep 16. doi: 10.1097/ASW.0000000000000363. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of skin cancer is increasing worldwide every day. This study was conducted to evaluate body image perception and self-esteem in patients with skin cancer.

METHODS: This prospective, cross-sectional, relationship-seeking, and descriptive research design study was carried out with 320 patients diagnosed with skin cancer to assess their body image perception and self-esteem levels. Data were collected between December 2023 and September 2024 at a city hospital. The data collection tools used in the study included the Patient Information Form, Body Image Scale, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES).

RESULTS: The average age of the patients participating in the study was found to be 63.9 ± 18.4 years. The average scores of the patients on the Body Image Scale and the RSES were 129.6 ± 26.1. It was found that the patients had a low body image perception. The average score on the RSES was 2.6 ± 1.5, indicating that the self-esteem level of the patients was at a moderate level. A statistically significant relationship was found between the scores on the Body Image Scale and the RSES (P<.01). As the patients’ positive body image perception increased, their self-esteem also improved.

CONCLUSIONS: It was determined that patients with skin cancer had a low body image perception and moderate self-esteem levels.

PMID:40956973 | DOI:10.1097/ASW.0000000000000363

Can Assoc Radiol J. 2025 Sep 16:8465371251371567. doi: 10.1177/08465371251371567. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To assess the operational and environmental benefits of using an abbreviated protocol for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance.

METHODS: This IRB-approved retrospective single-center quality improvement study evaluated time, energy use, and appointment access. Inclusion criteria were HCC surveillance MRIs with either a full or abbreviated imaging protocol. Exclusion criteria were other abdominopelvic MR protocols or incomplete studies. DICOM time data were extracted via Quantivly and validated with 10 prospective time studies. Exam times from PACS images were cross-referenced with DICOM data to identify and resolve extraction outliers. Power logs from 10 exams per protocol were used to quantify energy and greenhouse gas emissions. Schedule logs assessed appointment volume changes. Mean times (±SD) and energy (±SD) were reported, and Welch’s t-test determined statistical significance (P < .05).

RESULTS: Exam times for 487 MRIs (318 abbreviated, 169 full protocol) were analyzed, with 67 excluded. The mean duration of exam time for the abbreviated protocol was 12.0 minutes (SD: 4.3), compared with 29.7 minutes (SD: 8.8) for the full protocol (mean difference, 17.7 minutes; P < .0001). The mean energy for the abbreviated protocol was 4.7 kWh (SD: 0.6), compared with 11.7 kWh (SD: 1.3) for the full protocol (mean difference, 7.0 kWh; P < .0001). Across 318 abbreviated exams, estimated savings totaled 2226 kWh and 1494.6 kg CO2eq. Despite time savings, MRI appointment volume and scanner access remained unchanged.

CONCLUSION: Abbreviated HCC surveillance MRIs cut scan time, energy use, and carbon emissions by 60%, but scheduling complexities precluded increased MRI appointments.

PMID:40956971 | DOI:10.1177/08465371251371567

Inquiry. 2025 Jan-Dec;62:469580251372362. doi: 10.1177/00469580251372362. Epub 2025 Sep 16.

ABSTRACT

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated how exergaming (EXG) compares with various conventional physical therapies in improving balance and reducing fall risk among prefrail and frail older people. We searched 6 databases PubMed, Medline, CINAHL Complete, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science up to April 2025. Study quality and evidence certainty were appraised using PRISMA, TESTEX, Rob 2, and GRADE. For meta-analysis, Hedge’s g effect sizes were computed for balance and fall risk outcomes. We chose fixed- or random-effects models and conducted subgroup analyses based on therapy dosage (sessions per week and minutes per session). The protocol is registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251009891). From 2434 records, 10 RCTs (n = 400; mean and standard deviation age 75.7 ± 5.9 years) met inclusion criteria. Overall and subgroup meta-analyses (4 each) showed significant EXG benefits for the Mini-BESTest (P < .01), Timed Up-and-Go (TUG; P < .05) and Fall Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I; P < .05). No statistically significant change was found for the Berg Balance Scale (BBS; P = .05). When stratifying by dosage, EXG outperformed controls in TUG specifically for protocols with fewer than 3 sessions/week and under 50 min/session (P < .01). Dosage did not significantly influence FES-I outcomes. EXG is an alternative therapy that improves balance by reducing the fall risk, as measured by the Mini-BESTest, TUG, and FES-I, compared with conventional physical therapies (ie, physiotherapy, balance training, strength training, aerobic training, multicomponent training). Notably, protocols with <3 weekly sessions of <50 min each yielded the most pronounced TUG improvements.

PMID:40956936 | DOI:10.1177/00469580251372362

Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2025 Sep 16:10556656251378591. doi: 10.1177/10556656251378591. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the accuracy, clarity, and clinical applicability of 2 state-of-the-art large language models (LLMs), Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer (ChatGPT)-4o and Grok-3, in generating health information related to cleft lip and palate (CLP) and presurgical infant orthopedics (PSIO). To ensure a multidisciplinary perspective, experts from orthodontics, pediatrics, and plastic surgery independently evaluated the responses. Methods: Six structured questions addressing general and presurgical aspects of CLP were submitted to both ChatGPT-4o and Grok-3. Forty-five blinded specialists (15 from each specialty) assessed the 12 generated responses using 2 validated instruments: the DISCERN tool and the Global Quality Scale (GQS). We conducted interspecialty comparisons to explore variations in model evaluation. Results: We observed no statistically significant differences between ChatGPT-4o and Grok-3 in DISCERN or GQS scores (P > .05). However, pediatricians consistently assigned higher ratings than orthodontists and plastic surgeons in terms of reliability, clarity, and treatment-related content. Patient-directed questions received higher overall scores than those aimed at healthcare professionals. Grok-3 performed slightly better on questions about PSIO, whereas ChatGPT-4o provided more comprehensive and structured answers. Conclusion: Both LLMs demonstrated notable potential in producing readable, informative responses about CLP and PSIO. While they may aid in patient communication and support clinical education, professional oversight remains critical to ensure medical accuracy. The inclusion of Grok-3 in this orthodontic evaluation provides valuable insights and sets the stage for future research on artificial intelligence integration in interdisciplinary cleft care.

PMID:40956923 | DOI:10.1177/10556656251378591

J Child Neurol. 2025 Sep 16:8830738251374541. doi: 10.1177/08830738251374541. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study investigates selected components of the immune system and the prevalence of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in genes involved in the immune response in children following bacterial meningitis, with particular focus on their potential role in the development of postinfectious complications. The study included 47 children hospitalized with pneumococcal or meningococcal meningitis between 2010 and 2020. Analyses involved leukocyte profiles, immunoglobulin levels (IgA, IgM, IgG), complement activity (C3, C4, CH50), and 11 single-nucleotide polymorphisms across 7 genes. Data on complications were collected from medical records, follow-ups, and patient surveys. Complications occurred in 59.6% of cases, with cognitive impairment, focal neurologic deficits, subdural effusion, and hearing disorders being most common. CH50 defects showed a statistical trend toward an increased risk of neurologic complications (P = .064), and the TIRAP rs8177374 single-nucleotide polymorphism demonstrated a borderline trend toward significance (P = .054). Bacterial meningitis may lead to long-term complications. Complement system disturbances and genetic predispositions are important prognostic factors influencing outcomes.

PMID:40956914 | DOI:10.1177/08830738251374541

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2025 Sep 16. doi: 10.1111/nyas.70091. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Deep coal seams offer considerable potential for simultaneous carbon sequestration and methane extraction. When injected into reservoirs, such as coal seams, CO₂ transitions into a supercritical state (supercritical CO₂ or Sc-CO₂), altering the internal structure and mechanical properties of coal. This study investigates the effects of the Sc-CO₂ soaking duration on coal strength via triaxial compression tests. The strength and elastic modulus of coal both decreased with increasing Sc-CO₂ soaking time, and the most prominent reduction occurs within the initial 1 day. A constitutive model is developed to characterize the mechanical properties of coal. This model simultaneously incorporates the degradation of the elastic modulus of coal owing to Sc-CO₂ exposure and the failure evolution based on a Weibull statistical distribution of microelement strength. This model successfully reproduces the stress-strain responses for different treatment durations, exhibiting high consistency with the experimental data. Sc-CO₂ damages the pore structure of coal through coupled physicochemical interactions, progressively deteriorating the macroscopic mechanical properties of coal. These findings provide valuable insights into the evolution of the mechanical properties of coal during carbon sequestration and aid the assessment of the long-term stability of CO₂-sequestered coal seams.

PMID:40956911 | DOI:10.1111/nyas.70091

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2025 Sep 16. doi: 10.1111/nyas.70063. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Crossmodal associations-spontaneous links between sensory modalities-are widely observed in humans. Similar associations have also been found in chimpanzees, monkeys, dogs, chickens, and tortoises, suggesting a shared cognitive strategy based on environmental correlations or a similar nervous system architecture. Alternatively, or complementarily, these associations may arise from learned, species-specific occurrences. Humans and chimpanzees, for instance, pair higher-pitched sounds with white shapes and lower-pitched sounds with black shapes, while baboons and chickens show no preference. Here, we provide novel evidence of pitch-luminance association in a nonvocal reptile, the Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni). We studied tortoises in a spontaneous food-searching task. After hearing a relative higher-pitched (700 Hz) versus lower-pitched (450 Hz) sound, animals could choose to search for food behind either a light- or dark-colored wall. Tortoises consistently preferred the white wall with higher-pitch sounds and the black wall with lower-pitch sounds, resembling spontaneous associations seen in humans and chimpanzees. Evidence of pitch-luminance association in tortoises suggests that phylogenetically distant species may share similar perceptual organization or internalize similar statistical regularities, shifting the question toward whether such associations reflect homology or convergent evolution.

PMID:40956910 | DOI:10.1111/nyas.70063

Hand (N Y). 2025 Sep 16:15589447251369032. doi: 10.1177/15589447251369032. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The flexor digitorum superficialis of the little finger (FDS-small) exhibits anatomical variation, with absence reported in 2% to 30% of individuals. As FDS is the only flexor of the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ), its absence may affect finger dexterity, particularly in professional musicians who depend on precise finger control. This study evaluates the impact of FDS-small presence or absence on the technical abilities of pianists and string musicians using novel dynamic assessment tools.

METHODS: Thirty-one Bachelor of Music students (21 string players, 10 pianists) were assessed for FDS-small function and classified as “independent,” “common,” or “absent.” Tests included grip strength, static gap, and stretch tests, and a novel assessment method comprising custom-composed double-stop trill etudes for piano and strings. Technical performance was evaluated by 2 professional musicians using predefined criteria. Statistical analyses were conducted using Fisher’s exact tests, t tests, analysis of variance, and nonparametric equivalents.

RESULTS: Ten participants had absent FDS-small function in at least 1 hand. Pianists with bilateral absent FDS-small demonstrated superior coordination and regularity compared with those with FDS-small presence, while FDS-small absence did not significantly affect string players. Female pianists excelled in dynamic tests despite male musicians’ higher grip strength and trill speed.

CONCLUSION: Absence of FDS-small does not impair, and may even enhance, fine motor performance in pianists. For string musicians, FDS-small status does not influence technique. These findings may contribute to evaluating the risk versus benefits of FDS-small surgical repair and have implications for instrument selection and pedagogy.

PMID:40956901 | DOI:10.1177/15589447251369032

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025 Sep 23;122(38):e2507580122. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2507580122. Epub 2025 Sep 16.

ABSTRACT

Recent discovery of “extreme clustering” of inertial particles in isotropic turbulent flow suggests a hidden mechanism of particle-particle interaction at sub-Kolmogorov separations unexplained by hydrodynamic interaction. The near-contact radial distribution function (RDF) reaches [Formula: see text], resulting in a collision kernel four orders larger than direct numerical simulation predictions. Statistical stationarity is lost in the particle-laden turbulence, suggesting the particles experience a nonequilibrium process. We hypothesize dielectric particles in isotropic turbulence experience contact electrification through interparticle collisions, creating inhomogeneous mosaic surface charge. These mosaic charges lead to attractive forces and thereby extreme clustering and collision amplification, forming a positive feedback loop. To explore this potential mechanism, we investigated hollow glass spheres dispersed in a high-Reynolds-number homogeneous isotropic air turbulence chamber using high-resolution 3D particle tracking velocimetry and Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM). We measured RDF, particle-pair mean-inward radial relative velocity, and mean radial relative acceleration (RA) with time up to 10 min. We sampled particles from the flow chamber through time and evaluated their nanoscopic charge distribution using KPFM. We found that both RDF and mosaic surface charge increase with time; RA at close separations is attractive, intensifies as particles approach, and grows in time; and the turbulence-exposed RA curves collapse when nondimensionalized by the dipole-dipole acceleration calculated from mosaic charge distributions. These results support the proposed mechanism-Inhomogeneous Mosaic Potential Amplified Collisions in Turbulence (IMPACT). Better understanding and modeling of these effects could improve predictions for air pollution, weather patterns, and drug manufacturing-where particle interactions have big impacts.

PMID:40956889 | DOI:10.1073/pnas.2507580122

Work. 2025 Sep 16:10519815251370593. doi: 10.1177/10519815251370593. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BackgroundA lack of attention to hand and food hygiene may result in food workers to absent themselves from their duties. In such a case, the probability of an outbreak can be mitigated by halting the contact of infected individuals with foodstuffs during the food processing phase.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to examine the regulatory role of job satisfaction in the effect of fear of disease transmission on hand and food hygiene attitudes among café workers.MethodsThe study sample comprises 677 café employees. The data collection tools employed in the study were the Disease Contagion/Transmission Scale, the Hand and Food Hygiene Attitude Scale, and the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale. Hayes’s (2018) Process Macro was utilized to examine the regulatory effect, and Model 1 was selected. The relationships between the measurement tools utilized in the study were interpreted with the assistance of Pearson correlation analysis. For statistical significance, p < .05 was preferred.ResultsThe findings indicate that job satisfaction plays a regulatory role in the effect of fear of disease contagion/transmission on hand and food hygiene attitudes. Individuals with high levels of job satisfaction and fear of disease contagion/transmission demonstrate higher hand and food hygiene attitudes. Upon analysis of the regression results, it was determined that job satisfaction has a positive and significant effect on food hygiene attitudes.ConclusionsThe findings of this study indicate that enhancing job satisfaction is a key factor in fostering positive outcomes with regard to food hygiene attitudes.

PMID:40956873 | DOI:10.1177/10519815251370593