Nevin Manimala

Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 5;15(1):11736. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-96774-1.

ABSTRACT

TERT promoter mutation is associated with poor prognosis in differentiated thyroid carcinoma, with US features varying by mutation status. However, this correlation in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is understudied. We investigated the association between clinicopathological characteristics and US features of ATC with TERT mutation status and prognosis. From November 1994 to May 2022, 58 ATC nodules from 58 patients were analyzed. Two radiologists retrospectively reviewed US features based on the revised K-TIRADS and ACR-TIRADS. Of all 58 ATC nodules, 32 nodules were tested for TERT promoter mutation and detected in 11. TERT promoter-mutated ATC was larger than TERT wild-type ATC (p = 0.032); however, no other differences were observed. ATC with survival period of less than 12 months were more likely to have lymph node metastasis (p = 0.012) or distant metastasis at diagnosis (p < 0.001), larger size on US (p = 0.005), and suspicion for gross extrathyroidal extension on US (p = 0.04) compared to ATC with survival period of 12 months or more. Advanced disease at diagnosis was a critical factor associated with 1-year survival in patients with ATC, whereas the TERT promoter mutation status was not.

PMID:40188170 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-96774-1

Psychiatr Q. 2025 Apr 5. doi: 10.1007/s11126-025-10135-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to determine the pathways linking cognitive flexibility to fatigue through the serial mediation effect of sleep quality and sleepiness in 564 healthy adults using various scales, including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Chalder Fatigue Scale, and Cognitive Flexibility Inventory. Analysis was performed using two mediating variables (sleep quality and sleepiness) with age and gender as covariates. The simple mediation effect was evaluated using the Causal Step. The indirect effect was examined using bootstrap method and Sobel test. The total and direct effects of cognitive flexibility on fatigue were both found to be statistically significant. The research model revealed three significant indirect effects: cognitive flexibility affecting fatigue through sleep quality, cognitive flexibility affecting fatigue through sleepiness and cognitive flexibility affecting fatigue through both sleep quality and sleepiness. Additionally, serial mediation analysis showed that the relationship between cognitive flexibility and fatigue is sequentially mediated by sleep quality and sleepiness (B = -0.064, SE = 0.013, 95% CI: -0.070 to -0.017). All effects were confirmed through the 95% confidence intervals, which did not include zero, and with significant p values. These findings highlight the role of sleep quality and sleepiness as serial mediators of the relationship between cognitive flexibility and fatigue. The study’s major contribution is to provide insight on the independent and serial mediating role of sleep quality and sleepiness in the relationship between cognitive flexibility to fatigue.

PMID:40186847 | DOI:10.1007/s11126-025-10135-9

Environ Monit Assess. 2025 Apr 5;197(5):512. doi: 10.1007/s10661-025-13971-1.

ABSTRACT

Rapid identification of contaminant source information is critical for solving sudden groundwater contamination events. This paper constructs a combined EnKF-SPSO algorithm based on the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) and survival particle swarm optimization (SPSO) algorithms to groundwater contamination source identification, which includes determining the location of the source, initial concentration, and emission time. The proposed hybrid architecture improves upon conventional single-algorithm approaches by decoupling the identification process into two stages. First, the EnKF searches for the contaminant source’s location, thereby reducing the search space. Next, the SPSO estimates the initial concentration and emission time within the reduced domain. This two-stage process effectively mitigates the curse of dimensionality often encountered in standalone optimization methods. We set up two solute transport scenarios with different numbers of contaminant sources to examine the effectiveness of the algorithm and compare it with the EnKF, particle swarm optimization (PSO), and SPSO algorithms. The results show that the EnKF-SPSO algorithm can identify the contaminant characteristics more accurately without falling into a local optimum, and the average relative error is less than 1%. In addition, the EnKF-SPSO algorithm, for cases with measurement errors, is highly reliable. The combined algorithm can provide technical support for groundwater contamination remediations, risk assessments, and liability determinations.

PMID:40186844 | DOI:10.1007/s10661-025-13971-1

J Community Health. 2025 Apr 5. doi: 10.1007/s10900-025-01463-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study assesses the livelihoods of waste pickers and the potential health challenges they face, with the primary goal of informing policy development and interventions in Lagos State, Nigeria. A total of 1,274 waste pickers across 20 local governments in Lagos State were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with SPSS for Windows. Results indicated that most waste pickers were male (69%) and aged between 18 and 40. Common hazards faced by waste pickers included harassment (19%), injuries (13%), accidents (11%), and burns (7%). Despite these hazards, 50% of waste pickers earned between ₦30,001 and ₦50,001 (approximately $23-38.5) per month, with only a few earning above ₦50,000. Additionally, 70% of respondents reported having savings. Respondents highlighted several measures to improve their livelihoods, including recognition, security, financial support, empowerment, and job opportunities. As a result, 71% of waste pickers expressed willingness to leave their jobs if empowered. The major hazards encountered by waste pickers include harassment (19%), injuries (13%), accidents (11%), and burns (7%).

PMID:40186839 | DOI:10.1007/s10900-025-01463-9

Environ Monit Assess. 2025 Apr 5;197(5):509. doi: 10.1007/s10661-025-13931-9.

ABSTRACT

Pakistan, located in an arid region characterized by low rainfall and high temperatures, faces significant vulnerability to climate change. The country’s diverse meteorological conditions pose significant challenges for effective climate modeling. This study focuses on analyzing long-term meteorological time series data (1981-2020) from various regions across Pakistan to examine regional climate variability and detect emerging weather trends. Seventeen climate indices were calculated to assess weather patterns, followed by trend analysis utilizing both parametric and non-parametric methods. The parametric approach employed ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, while the non-parametric methods included the Mann-Kendall (MK) test and Sen’s Slope (SS) estimator. Over the 40-year period, the analysis revealed significant trends, such as increases in hot days, cold nights, warm nights, and extreme precipitation events. These findings emphasize the distinct and complex regional impacts of climate change in Pakistan. By identifying these trends through robust statistical techniques like OLS, MK, and SS, the study provides critical evidence of climate shifts, emphasizing the urgent need for tailored, region-specific strategies to strengthen resilience against the adverse effects of climate change.

PMID:40186819 | DOI:10.1007/s10661-025-13931-9

Sleep Breath. 2025 Apr 5;29(2):150. doi: 10.1007/s11325-025-03322-2.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate long term effect of soft tissue surgery on blood pressure (BP) in adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

SEARCH METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane library, and Ovid Medline databases were searched through January 2024. Manual searches were also obtained. This review included studies assessing impact of soft tissue surgery for the treatment of OSA in adults on long-term BP.

RESULT: A total of five studies (299 patients) met our inclusion criteria. Pooled random effects analysis demonstrated a statistically significant long-term postoperative reduction of BP, with average systolic BP reduction of 14.04 mmHg [95%CI (-21.97, -6.11); P = 0.0005]. Pooled random effects analysis of data from four studies (277 patients) also demonstrated statistically significant long-term postoperative reduction of diastolic BP by 6.88 mmHg compared with preoperative baseline [95%CI (-13.31, -0.45); P = 0.04].

CONCLUSION: Soft tissue surgery for OSA treatment in adults significantly resulted in long-term blood pressure reduction.

PMID:40186815 | DOI:10.1007/s11325-025-03322-2

Arch Dermatol Res. 2025 Apr 5;317(1):676. doi: 10.1007/s00403-025-04186-y.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:40186801 | DOI:10.1007/s00403-025-04186-y

Environ Monit Assess. 2025 Apr 5;197(5):511. doi: 10.1007/s10661-025-13967-x.

ABSTRACT

Soil erosion is a global concern, and tons of fertile topsoil are lost worldwide. Topography significantly influences soil erosion patterns, shaping how soil loss varies across landscapes. In the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), the topographic factor (LS-factor) quantifies this impact, with Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) serving as key inputs for its derivation. The soil loss over Kerala, India, is estimated using different DEMs. The study also explored two methods for deriving the LS-factor, one based on flow accumulation and another based solely on the slope length. Among the approaches tested for LS factor estimation, the slope-based method proved more effective than one incorporating flow accumulation, as the study is for a region rather than a distinct hydrologic unit. Four freely available Digital Elevation Models, ALOS, ASTER, SRTM, and Cartosat-1 were selected for the study. The study showed that the general pattern of soil erosion can be captured by using any of these DEMs despite differences in individual elevation values. The mean potential soil loss estimated for the year 2020 was 215.91 t/ha/year, 205.70 t/ha/year, 203.99 t/ha/year, and 207.97 t/ha/year when using ASTER, ALOS, SRTM, and Cartosat-1, respectively. The ASTER DEM shows a slightly higher mean value but exhibited the least uncertainty, which was confirmed by bootstrap resampling uncertainty analysis. These findings emphasize the need for careful DEM selection based on terrain characteristics, enhancing the accuracy of soil erosion assessments and informing more effective land management strategies.

PMID:40186796 | DOI:10.1007/s10661-025-13967-x

Childs Nerv Syst. 2025 Apr 5;41(1):152. doi: 10.1007/s00381-025-06814-4.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pediatric patients with drug-resistant epilepsy and normal preoperative MRIs present significant challenges in surgical planning. Advanced diagnostic techniques, including PET, SPECT, and intraoperative ECOG, are used to localize seizure foci, but their high cost and limited availability pose challenges, especially in low-resource settings. This study aims to evaluate the outcomes of resective epilepsy surgery in these cases and assess the role of advanced imaging in a middle-income country.

METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 12 pediatric patients (mean age 10.21 years) with normal preoperative 3 T MRI who underwent resective epilepsy surgery or functional hemispherectomy between 2007 and 2021 at two centers in Medellín, Colombia. Demographic, clinical, and surgical data were collected, including the use of advanced imaging techniques (PET, SPECT) and intraoperative ECOG. Seizure outcomes were assessed using the Engel Epilepsy Surgery Outcome Scale.

RESULTS: Of the 12 patients, 10 underwent extratemporal resections, and 2 underwent temporal lobe surgery. Seven patients had advanced imaging, and 5 were evaluated with intraoperative ECOG. At 2-year follow-up, 83.3% of patients who underwent resective surgery achieved favorable outcomes (Engel Classes I and II). Temporal lobe resections had a higher rate of seizure freedom (50%) compared to extratemporal resections (30%), although the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.47). Reoperations due to seizure recurrence were required in 30% of extratemporal resections (p = 0.02). Complications were minimal, with three superficial wound infections. Histopathology revealed cortical dysplasia in 33.3% of cases.

CONCLUSION: Epilepsy surgery in pediatric patients with normal MRIs can yield favorable outcomes, especially with temporal lobe resections. Advanced imaging improves localization but remains costly, highlighting the need for cost-effective surgical strategies in resource-limited settings.

PMID:40186785 | DOI:10.1007/s00381-025-06814-4

Ir J Med Sci. 2025 Apr 5. doi: 10.1007/s11845-025-03955-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, and psychological symptoms. While psychological trauma is known to affect FM severity, the impact of natural disasters, such as earthquakes, remains insufficiently studied.

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of earthquake-related trauma on fibromyalgia severity and quality of life.

METHODS: A total of 100 patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia per the American College of Rheumatology 2016 criteria were enrolled. All participants experienced the February 2023 earthquakes in Turkey. Disease activity and quality of life were assessed using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) at 1 and 6 months post-earthquake. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) was employed to measure psychological trauma levels. Statistical analyses included paired t-tests and Pearson’s correlation coefficients.

RESULTS: FIQ scores significantly improved from 1 month (74.97 ± 20.15) to 6 months (67.25 ± 16.39) post-earthquake (p < 0.001). A strong positive correlation was found between IES-R and FIQ scores at 1 month (r = 0.636, p < 0.01) and 6 months (r = 0.411, p < 0.01). Subgroups with home or family loss showed more pronounced FIQ scores, while groups exposed to new stress factors did not show significant changes over time (p = 0.307).

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that earthquake-related trauma exacerbates fibromyalgia symptoms, highlighting the necessity of integrating psychological and stress management interventions in the treatment of FM, particularly in disaster-affected regions.

PMID:40186784 | DOI:10.1007/s11845-025-03955-y