bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Echoes of authenticity: Reclaiming human sentiment in the large language model era
Authors: Wang Yifei , Eshghi Ashkan , Ding Yi , Gopal Ram
Published: February 2025

This paper scrutinizes the unintended consequences of employing large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT for editing user-generated content (UGC), particularly focusing on alterations in sentiment. Through a detailed analysis of a climate change tweet dataset, we uncover that LLM-rephrased tweets tend to display a more neutral sentiment than their original counterparts. By replicating an established study on public opinions regarding climate change, we illustrate how such sentiment alterations can potentially skew the results of research relying on UGC. To counteract the biases introduced by LLMs, our research outlines two effective strategies. First, we employ predictive models capable of retroactively identifying the true human sentiment underlying the original communications, utilizing the altered sentiment expressed in LLM-rephrased tweets as a basis. While useful, this approach faces limitations when the origin of the text—whether directly crafted by a human or modified by an LLM—remains uncertain. To address such scenarios where the text's provenance is ambiguous, we develop a second approach based on the fine-tuning of LLMs. This fine-tuning process not only helps in aligning the sentiment of LLM-generated texts more closely with human sentiment but also offers a robust solution to the challenges posed by the indeterminate origins of digital content. This research highlights the impact of LLMs on the linguistic characteristics and sentiment of UGC, and more importantly, offers practical solutions to mitigate these biases, thereby ensuring the continued reliability of sentiment analysis in research and policy.
Solvation, geometry, and assembly of the Tobacco Mosaic Virus
Authors: Spirandelli Ivan , Evans Myfanwy E
Published: February 2025

Biological self-assembly is a fundamental aspect in the development of complex structures in nature. A paradigm for such a process is the assembly of Tobacco Mosaic Virus capsid proteins into helical rods around the viral genome. The self-assembly process of the virus is typically modelled through attractive interactions between protein subunits, however capsid proteins also interact with their aqueous environment through solvation free energy. An open question is what role solvation plays in virus self-assembly. Here we show that a purely geometric model of non-polar solvation free energy, the morphometric approach, is sufficient to simulate the assembly of up to three protein subunits of Tobacco Mosaic Virus. The lowest solvation free energy states we find in a geometric simulation setting are remarkably close to the correctly assembled states of various experimentally determined structures. This demonstrates that van der Waals forces and entropic considerations are sufficient to guide assembly in the absence of attractive interactions between protein subunits. It further illustrates the impact of the morphometric approach as a computationally efficient model for non-polar solvation free energy of solutes, in particular those with complicated geometry. This demonstration of the role of solvation raises important questions about the driving forces behind biological self-assembly and the paramount role of geometry.
Minimal structure for neutrino mass matrix
Authors: Kumar Manoj , Awasthi Nikhila , Randhawa Monika , Gupta Manmohan
Published: February 2025

Taking clue from the minimal structure of texture 4-zero hermitian mass matrices, which are very successful in accommodating quark mixing data, we propose a form of texture 2-zero complex symmetric neutrino mass matrix with only one phase parameter. This minimal mass matrix not only accommodates the available neutrino oscillation data, but also makes interesting predictions for the unknown parameters like the lightest neutrino mass $m_{\nu _1}$ (for normal ordering(NO)), Jarlskog’s rephasing invariant JCP, Dirac type CP violating phase δCP and effective neutrino mass . We also explore the correlations between the parameters of the model, that lead us to minimizing the parameters further.
Representation in clinical trials sponsored by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Authors: Gomez Gabriela T , Turner Brandon E , Steinberg Jecca R , Lam Miranda B , Wren Sherry M
Published: February 2025

Background

This study was conducted to determine whether demographic representation among U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)-sponsored trials differs from trials without VA sponsorship, with reference to VA patient demographics.

Methods

U.S. clinical trials registered between 1 March 2000 and 1 February 2022 were stratified into VA and non-VA groups. Outcomes included the combined percentage of non-White participants in each trial and enrollment of each demographic subgroup. Trial strata were summarized using medians; Wilcoxon rank sum and one-sample signed rank tests were used to compare demographic representation between (i) VA and non-VA trials and (ii) VA trials and Veterans Health Administration (VHA) patient demographics, respectively.

Results

We identified 13,826 trials with available data, including 521 VA and 13,305 non-VA-sponsored trials. Median non-White enrollment was 68% greater in VA trials (P < .001) than in non-VA trials, driven by greater enrollment of Black participants (23.5% vs. 10.4%; P < .001). Black participant enrollment in VA trials exceeded representation among VHA beneficiaries (23.5% vs. 15.8%, P < .001).

Conclusions

This study highlights the increased Black representation in VA-sponsored clinical trials, which is greater than expected after accounting for VHA clinical population demographics. Partnership with the VA may represent a meaningful avenue for increasing Black representation in clinical trials.
Medical treatment of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents
Authors: Doyle Elizabeth A.
Published: February 2025

Over the last 20 years, the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) has increased among the pediatric population. This increase is of great concern, as T2D tends to be far more aggressive when diagnosed at an earlier age. This article reviews the incidence, prevalence, diagnosis, and management of T2D in children and adolescents. Implications for NP practice are also discussed.
Associations between ambient pollen exposure and measures of cognitive performance
Authors: Corpening Baylee , Bürgler Alexandra , Tamási Bálint , Gehrig Regula , Gan Kexin , Alonso Hellweg Ana , Luyten Axel , Glick Sarah , Beigi Minaya , Hartmann Karin , Eeftens Marloes
Published: February 2025

Background:

Prior research suggests pollen allergies may be associated with cognitive function, although the effect sizes and specific cognitive outcomes varied across studies. With pollen seasons starting earlier and intensifying due to climate change, understanding the effects of pollen exposure on cognition is increasingly relevant. This study investigated the relationship between ambient pollen exposure and cognitive performance in Swiss adults.

Methods:

Four cognitive assessments were used to measure the daily performance of 392 participants (299 with pollen allergies) over a 10-day period during pollen season. We used generalized additive mixed models to assess the exposure-response relationship between individualized pollen exposure and cognitive performance, as well as allergic symptom severity and cognitive performance, adjusting for individual characteristics and time-varying environmental and individual confounders (e.g., air pollution, weather, and coffee intake).

Results:

We did not find any statistically significant relationships between pollen exposure or severity of allergic symptoms and overall score or reaction time on tests of response inhibition, attention, and visual-spatial memory. We observed a 1% increase [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.13%, 2.0%] in average reaction time on a test of grammatical reasoning for allergic participants at an exposure of 300 pollen/m3 (12-hour average).

Conclusion:

Overall, our study population did not exhibit changes in cognitive performance related to pollen exposure or perceived allergic symptoms. A marginal, but statistically significant effect on the response time of pollen-allergic individuals was observed for a test of verbal reasoning, however, this is likely to be a chance finding considering the number of exposures and outcomes evaluated.
Clinical Application of Volumetric Absorptive Microsampling for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Oral Targeted Anticancer Drugs
Authors: Meertens Marinda , Kerssemakers Nikki , de Vries Niels , Rosing Hilde , Steeghs Neeltje , Beijnen Jos H. , Huitema Alwin D. R.
Published: February 2025

Background:

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring optimizes oral anticancer drug treatment by measuring plasma levels. Volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS) allows home sampling with a minimal blood sample. However, methods for converting whole blood into plasma are required to interpret these results. This study aimed to establish conversion methods for abiraterone, alectinib, cabozantinib, imatinib, olaparib, sunitinib, and their metabolites, while assessing the differences between venous and capillary blood. The feasibility of home sampling was also evaluated.

Methods:

Plasma and VAMS samples, both from venipuncture-collected whole blood tubes and from a finger prick, were collected from each patient. The VAMS samples were deemed comparable if their concentrations were within ±20% of each other for ≥2/3rd of the patients. The Passing–Bablok regression and conversion factor methods were tested for the plasma and VAMS finger prick samples. The estimated plasma concentrations using both methods were required to be within ±20% of the measured plasma concentrations for ≥2/3rd of the pairs.

Results:

Overall, 153 patients were enrolled in this study. Conversion methods were applied to the VAMS samples, and the acceptance criteria were met for alectinib-M4, cabozantinib, imatinib, N-desmethyl imatinib, olaparib, sunitinib, and N-desethyl sunitinib but not for abiraterone, D4A, or alectinib. The capillary and venous VAMS concentrations were similar, except for that of D4A. Patients were positive toward home sampling.

Conclusions:

The established VAMS conversion methods for 7 out of 10 oral targeted anticancer drugs or metabolites met the acceptance criteria. Future studies need to validate the conversion methods with an independent cohort and integrate home sampling via VAMS to provide patients with an alternative to venipuncture at the outpatient clinic.
Breast cancer patients' experience of menopause care in the UK: thematic analysis of free-text comments
Authors: Glynne Sarah , Seymour Kathy , Reisel Daniel , Kamal Aini , Newson Louise
Published: February 2025

Objective

The aim of this study was to explore women's experience of menopause care after breast cancer in the UK.

Methods

This study is a thematic analysis of free-text comments in an online survey that asked women about their experience of menopause care after breast cancer. A coding framework was used that mapped comments to eight domains of patient experience (deductive analysis). An inductive approach was used to identify subthemes within each of the eight domains.

Results

A total of 1,195 women completed the survey. Two hundred twenty-six women (18.9%) left free-text comments in response to questions about shared decision making and patient experience. Most were White (96.9%), university educated (52.6%), and aged 41 to 60 years at breast cancer diagnosis (81.8%). The menopausal symptom burden was high (96.5%, 87.6%, and 75.7% reported physical, psychological, and genitourinary symptoms, respectively). Lack of involvement in shared decision making was the dominant theme (n = 120, 53%), followed by issues concerning access to menopause care (n = 65, 29%). Lack of information, communication issues, and feeling unsupported were prevalent themes/subthemes. Twenty women (9%) reported a lack of courtesy and respect in their interactions with healthcare professionals.

Conclusions

In this study, women's experience of menopause-related breast cancer aftercare was poor. Larger studies are needed to qualitatively explore the experience, unmet needs, and expectations of all breast cancer survivors including women from more deprived and ethnic minority groups.
Assessment of liver injury potential of investigational medicines in drug development
Authors: Chalasani Naga , Hayashi Paul H. , Luffer-Atlas Debra , Regev Arie , Watkins Paul B.
Published: February 2025

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is rare in clinical practice but when it occurs it can lead to acute liver failure and death. Drug developers and regulators undertake a series of steps to identify the DILI potential of a medication before it is approved for marketing. Preclinical testing by drug developers typically involves a multitude of in vitro assays and in vivo animal experiments before a compound is moved into first-in-human phase 1 testing. Over the last two decades, there have been a number of advances in preclinical screening for DILI potential of a new chemical entity, but these approaches tend to be overly sensitive with insufficient positive predictive value. Once in clinical trials, the DILI potential of an investigational agent and risks to a participant are carefully managed through patient selection, DILI monitoring paradigms, and drug interruption and discontinuation criteria, in close concert with the regulators. Recent developments in Quantitative Systems Toxicology offer promising and complementary in silico approaches to predict the compound’s risk for DILI via multifaceted systems biology. When a drug developer submits a New Drug Application (NDA) for marketing approval, regulators review the preclinical and clinical trial data in a structured fashion to assess the DILI risk. While these approaches have been successful in dramatically reducing the marketing approval of medications eventually associated with hepatotoxicity, many challenges remain in identifying the risk for DILI during preclinical and early-to-late clinical development stages for genetic medicines, biological agents, and immunotherapies. In this review, we discuss current preclinical, in-silico, and clinical development approaches to screen for DILI potential of an investigational agent and provide a high-level description of regulators’ approach for assessing DILI risk in an NDA.
Ronald Dubner: pioneer in pain research, founding member of the International Association for the Study of Pain, and Former Editor-in-Chief of PAIN
Authors: Sessle Barry J.
Published: February 2025

Ronald Dubner (1934-2023) was a “giant” in the field of pain. His more than 5 decades of research programs at the US National Institutes of Health and the University of Maryland resulted in important discoveries that considerably advanced our understanding of the neural and nonneural processes underlying acute and chronic pain and their behavioral and clinical correlates. Through his multidisciplinary and translational research approaches, his novel findings as well as his training as a dentist and neuroscientist, Ron was able to bring to the attention of the pain field the clinical implications of these findings and thereby positively influence the clinical management of pain. Also especially notable were his mentorship of numerous pain scientists and clinicians, many of whom went on to develop their own research programs that significantly benefitted the pain field. Ron also played leadership roles in the International Association for the Study of Pain and other scientific organizations, and his editorial positions for the Pain journal significantly and positively influenced the journal's stature and its impact on the pain field. This article, which is part of the journal's series this year that is celebrating its 50th anniversary, highlights Ron's research and related activities during his years at the National Institutes of Health and University of Maryland and includes comments that Ron himself made about these activities. The article also considers his background and personal attributes that underpinned the many contributions that Ron Dubner made to the pain field, including those to the International Association for the Study of Pain and Pain.
Age Differences in Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Cardiogenic Shock: Trends in Application and Outcome From the Chinese Extracorporeal Life Support Registry
Authors: Wang Kexin , Wang Liangshan , Ma Jiawang , Xie Haixiu , Hao Xing , Du Zhongtao , Li Chenglong , Wang Hong , Hou Xiaotong
Published: February 2025

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is increasingly used for cardiogenic shock (CS) in adults, with age-influencing outcomes. Data from the Chinese Extracorporeal Life Support (CSECLS) Organization registry (January 2017–July 2023) were analyzed to assess in-hospital mortality in VA-ECMO for CS. Patients ≤65 years were categorized as young, and those >65 as elder. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, with secondary outcomes including ECMO weaning, 30 day survival, and complications. Of 5,127 patients, the young group (73.4%) had a median age of 51.0 (40.0–58.0) years, and the elder group (26.6%) had a median age of 71.0 (68.0–75.0) years. The in-hospital mortality was lower in the younger group (45.1%) compared with the elder group (52.6%, p < 0.001). The young group also had higher ECMO weaning rates (79.4% vs. 74.8%, p < 0.001) and 30 day survival (59.1% vs. 51.3%, p < 0.001). Bleeding, renal, and pulmonary complications were more frequent in young patients, though not statistically significant. Young patients undergoing VA-ECMO for CS generally have better outcomes than older patients, though careful selection is crucial to manage complications.
Using Xiang Thinking to Unravel the Mystery of the Five Phases in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Authors: LIU Qian
Published: February 2025

From the perspective of Xiang thinking (象思维 imagery thinking), the application of Wu Xing (五行 the five elements) in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) provides a reasonable cognitive model. Wu Xing with the earth in the center (中土五行) help TCM establish extensive connections between the human body and the universe, while Wu Xing in the generating and conquering cycles (生克五行) incorporates everything into a systematic thinking framework through complex dialectical relationships, becoming an ideal cognitive tool for TCM diagnosis and treatment. In essence, Wu Xing represents an upgrade of yin-yang dialectical thinking into a two-dimensional Xiang thinking diagram, possessing powerful explanatory capabilities. When faced with complex life systems, Wu Xing provide TCM with a theoretical framework, and TCM, in turn, offers a practical application for Wu Xing.
A review of the association between baseline [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose uptake and axillary pathological complete response in node-positive breast cancer patients: focus on clinical subtypes
Authors: Lenaerts Melissa , van Amstel Florien J. G. , Mottaghy Felix M. , Geurts Sandra M. E. , Tjan-Heijnen Vivianne C. G. , Smidt Marjolein L. , van Nijnatten Thiemo J. A.
Published: February 2025

The objective is to assess whether the degree of metabolic uptake of the primary tumor and axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) on baseline [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) PET/CT is associated with the probability to achieve axillary pathologic complete response (pCR) in clinically node-positive (cN+) breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST), overall and per clinical subtype. Studies that assessed the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) in the primary tumor and ALNs on baseline [18F]FDG PET/CT and reported axillary pCR rates in patients diagnosed with cN+ invasive breast cancer treated with NST, followed by surgery, were searched. Area under the curve (AUC) values were obtained. A total of seven studies (561 patients) were included. The mean baseline SUVmax of the primary tumor ranged from 8.1 (±4.3) to 9.8 (±7.2). Mean baseline axillary SUVmax ranged from 6.0 (±5.6) to 7.3 (±6.2). The axillary pCR rate ranged from 38.0% to 48.1%. Considering the primary tumor, no study reported on the association between baseline SUVmax and the axillary pCR rate. Considering the ALNs, the AUC value for baseline axillary SUVmax to predict axillary pCR ranged from 0.52 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.39–0.65; all subtypes included] to 0.74 (95% CI: 0.53–0.95; only human epidermal growth factor receptor 2+ and triple negative). In conclusion, no association between the primary tumor SUVmax on baseline [18F]FDG PET/CT and axillary pCR was found. Concerning the axilla, based on limited scientific evidence, the axillary SUVmax on baseline [18F]FDG PET/CT may be associated with axillary pCR after NST in cN+ breast cancer patients, however, potential differences between clinical subtypes should be considered.
Small bowel vasculitis? what a gastroenterologist should know - from diagnosis to management
Authors: Gonçalves João Carlos , Rosa Bruno , Cotter José
Published: February 2025

Purpose of review

This article provides gastroenterologists with an overview of small bowel involvement in systemic vasculitis. Though various vasculitides can impact the small bowel, we highlight those with a more frequent and clinically significant GI involvement.

Recent findings

Recent advances, including increased accessibility to cross-sectional imaging, capsule endoscopy and device-assisted enteroscopy, have improved detection of gastrointestinal manifestations in systemic vasculitis. Studies have also explored the genetic and inflammatory pathways involved in these diseases, although high-quality evidence on diagnosis and treatment remains limited, leading to reliance on expert consensus.

Small bowel involvement is common in Behçet's disease and small vessel vasculitis, presenting with symptoms ranging from mild to severe, including massive bleeding, ischemia, and perforation, often indicating a poorer prognosis. Diagnosis is challenging, but in patients with a known or suspected history of vasculitis, it should prompt contrast-enhanced abdominal imaging and endoscopic evaluation. Treatment decisions should be made collaboratively by a multidisciplinary team, with immunosuppressive therapy remaining the cornerstone.
Application of Three-Dimensional Printing in Maternity and Pediatric Nursing Care
Authors: Ahmad Suzan , Dreisbach Caitlin
Published: February 2025

Thre e-dimensional (3D) printing is an emerging technology that expanded quickly into a diverse array of clinical applications over the last decade. 3D printing, often called additive manufacturing, uses specialized printers to create objects through the addition of materials layer-by-layer. Using computer-aided design software via a 3D scanner or a digital camera, objects can be printed to highly precise and specific dimensions. This technology, including both the hardware and software, has applications in surgical procedures, dental implants and crowns, pharmaceuticals, and biomedical products. With the enormous potential of using 3D printing in multiple health care sectors, there is still limited usage for this technology in maternal and child health nursing practice. We provide an overview of 3D printing technology, review the current health care applications, and explore the opportunities and challenges of 3D printing in maternal and child nursing.
Indirect Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Well-Child Visits in Low-Income Children in Oklahoma
Authors: Beetch Jessica , Janitz Amanda , Beebe Laura A. , Xu Chao , Gowin Mary , Kuhn Katrin Gaardbo
Published: February 2025

Context:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, well-child visits were widely delayed or missed. Delays in routine care are more likely for low-income individuals and families who already face barriers to attending visits. Studies in the literature indicate declines in well-child visits during the pandemic but few have focused on low-income children and none have examined children in Oklahoma.

Objective:

To evaluate changes in well-child visit attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic in low-income children residing in Oklahoma.

Design and Setting:

This retrospective cohort study used data from the Oklahoma Health Care Authority before COVID-19 emergence (March 1, 2017-July 31, 2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 1, 2020-July 31, 2022).

Participants:

We studied children under 1 year of age attending well-child visits.

Main Outcome Measures:

We calculated percentage change in the total number of well-child visits before and during the pandemic, including different phases and months during the pandemic. Log-binomial regression was performed with unique children who attended 6 or more well-child visits or less than 6 well-child visits before COVID-19 emergence or during the pandemic.

Results:

We analyzed 194 126 children under 1 year of age attending 778 483 well-child visits. There was a 10.43% decrease in the total number of well-child visits during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before it began, with a 5.18% decrease during the initial impact phase, 5.99% decrease during the initial recovery phase, 1.14% decrease during Delta variant predominance, and 13.79% decrease during Omicron variant predominance. Besides American Indian children, all other races were less likely to attend 6 or more well-child visits during the pandemic compared to before it began.

Conclusion:

We observed declines in well-child visits during the COVID-19 pandemic with evident racial disparities. Catch-up efforts are essential to return to pre-pandemic levels of well-child visit attendance.
Disseminating for Equity and Justice: Findings From the LIGHT Global Crowdsourcing Open Contest to Reimagine Public Health
Authors: Engelhart Alexis , Nwaozuru Ucheoma Catherine , Takenaka Bryce P , Herrera Christian , Patrick Tochukwu , Adeoti Ebenezer , Anikamadu Onyekachukwu , Okafor Chidi , Obiezu-Umeh Chisom , Kokelu Ekenechukwu , Dillman Carmen , Olusanya Morenike , Kipp Bianca , Murphy Patrick , Monks Sheryl , Petaway Madison , Ansarizadeh Kokeb , Mason Stacey , Pavlick Mary Claire , Makanjuola Nnenna Kalu , Ojo Temitope , Thurston Idia , Iwelunmor Juliet
Published: February 2025

Objectives:

To describe how crowdsourcing contests soliciting art, letters, stories, and poetry were focused on promoting well-being and health information dissemination from the public to the public.

Design:

LIGHT (Leaders Igniting Generational Healing and Transformation) launched three online crowdsourcing open calls that were designed using the World Health Organization Tropical Diseases Research (WHO/TDR) practical guide on crowdsourcing in health and health research, which includes the following steps: convening a steering committee, promoting the open call, receiving and judging entries, recognizing finalists, and sharing solutions.

Setting:

The crowdsourcing open calls were held online via the Submittable platform.

Participants:

A total of 508 submissions by the public were evaluated with the majority of authors and artists identified as female (25.4%) followed by male (15.4%) and ages ranging from 11 to 82 years old.

Intervention:

This study utilized crowdsourcing open call contests to engage the public in generating art, letters, stories, and poetry as strategies to effectively promote well-being and disseminate health information to the public.

Main Outcome Measured:

Effectiveness and creativity of the crowdsourced submissions in proposing new strategies for promoting well-being and disseminating health information through art, letters, stories, and poetry.

Results:

The three crowdsourcing open calls received 508 eligible entries (Open call 1 = 155; Open call 2 = 191; Open call 3 = 162). Informed by the combined and modified design justice principles creativity, connections, and community, six unique dissemination strategies emerged for dissemination: (a) positive intersectionality, (b) destigmatization, (c) strength-based, (d) collective approach, (e) cultural identity, and (f) unity in healing. Collectively, there was consensus to innovate dissemination strategies to enhance the appeal of research findings and health communication.

Conclusions:

Rebuilding and building public-driven dissemination strategies will involve reimagining and innovating current dissemination approaches. LIGHT shows the feasibility of engaging a diverse broad audience to generate ideas and perspectives on promoting health information dissemination to the public.
The Appearance of a Secondary Bone Lesion in Place of Nonspecific Vertebral Anomalies Related to Mediastinal Venous Thrombosis: Coincidence?
Authors: François Chloé , Leroy Vincent , Demailly Franck , Collet Guillaume , Parsy Clémence , Fagart Alexandre
Published: February 2025

A 66-year-old woman with locally advanced lung adenocarcinoma underwent FDG-PET/CT, which revealed superior vena cava invasion and thrombosis of the brachiocephalic veins. Tracer injection on the side of thrombosis demonstrated hypermetabolism in the dorsal spine, likely due to collateral venous drainage. Following chemoradiotherapy and early discontinuation of immunotherapy for toxicity, she developed cervicobrachial neuralgia 18 months later. MRI showed marrow replacement lesions and FDG-PET/CT identified bone recurrence at D1, correlating with previously nonspecific fixation abnormalities. This case raises the question of whether vertebral venous stasis may favor metastatic grafting and highlights the potential need for contralateral FDG injection.
18F-FDG PET/CT Findings in Idiopathic Hypertrophic Pachymeningitis with Cranial Nerves Dysfunction
Authors: Aydinbelge Dizdar Nur , Tatci Ebru , Ozmen Ozlem
Published: February 2025

Hypertrophic pachymeningitis is an uncommon inflammatory process with thickening of the dura mater and may be idiopathic or secondary to various conditions such as vasculitis, Sjögren syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, and infections. A 67-year-old man who presented with bilateral hearing loss, vision loss in the left eye, right-sided facial paralysis, and right-side headache underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT for further evaluation. Herein, we have presented a patient who showed diffuse increased radiotracer uptake in the cranial nerves and intracranial dura mater on 18F-FDG PET/CT and was diagnosed as idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis based on laboratory and MRI findings.
Clinical Outcome Features of Non-HIV Kaposi's Sarcoma and the Role of Wide Excision on Survival
Authors: Hsu Chia-Kai , Hsu Fang-Yu , Chen Hung-Chi , Chang Chang-Cheng
Published: February 2025

This single-center retrospective study enrolled 22 patients, who were divided into two groups: those who underwent wide excision (group A) and those who did not (group B). Group A included 13 patients, and group B included 9. Most of the cases fell into early stages (I and II). In group A, six patients solely underwent wide excision, whereas seven received additional treatments such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Conversely, in group B, four patients received chemotherapy, four received radiotherapy, and one was managed through observation alone. The mean follow-up times were 60.15 and 43.44 months in groups A and B, respectively, with no significant difference observed. In group A, nine patients died, whereas, in group B, six died during the follow-up period. Lesion-free intervals after surgery were observed predominantly in group A, whereas, in group B, seven patients never experienced freedom from skin lesions. Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis demonstrated a significant difference between the survival curves of the two groups (P = 0.046). Group A exhibited a more favorable outcome in the survival curve analysis. This significant difference could be attributed to the higher survival rates observed in group A during the first 5 years of follow-up. This finding underscores the potential benefit of surgical intervention in the management of non-HIV Kaposi's sarcoma, particularly in the short- to medium-term survival outcomes. Among patients with non-HIV Kaposi's sarcoma, especially those in the early stages, wide excision appears to play a role in treatment.
Is Artificial Intelligence a Useful Tool for Clinical Practice of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?
Authors: Işik Gözde , Kafadar-Gürbüz İrem A. , Elgün Fulya , Kara Remziye U. , Berber Buse , Özgül Semiha , Günbay Tayfun
Published: February 2025

This study aimed to assess the usefulness of ChatGPT Plus generated responses to clinical-specific questions in oral and maxillofacial surgery. This cross-sectional study was conducted with questions composed according to the Clinical Practise Guide of Ege University, School of Dentistry, and with different subjects of oral and maxillofacial surgery at the undergraduate level. These questions were classified according to their difficulty level (easy, medium, and hard) and inputted into ChatGPT Plus. Three researchers evaluated the responses using a 7-point Likert-type accuracy scale and a modified global quality scale (range: 1–5). Also, error analysis was carried out for the questions scored ≤4 according to the accuracy assessment. A total of 66 questions were enrolled in this study. The questions included dental anesthesia, tooth extraction, preoperative and postoperative complications, suturing, writing prescriptions, and temporomandibular joint examination. The median accuracy score of ChatGPT Plus responses was 5, with 75% of the responses scoring 4 or above. The median quality score was 4, with 75% of the responses scoring 3 or above. There was a significant difference among the 3 difficulty levels, both in accuracy and quality scores (P<0.001 and 0.001, respectively). The median scores of hard-level questions were found to be lower than the easy-level and medium-level questions. The study outcomes emphasized high accuracy and quality in ChatGPT Plus’s responses, except for the questions requiring a detailed response or a comment.
Enhancing AI Diagnosis of Congenital Auricular Deformities With Multicenter Data Sets
Authors: Li Hantao , Zhou Xueqing , Qi Xiangdong
Published: February 2025

Objective:

The study aimed to address the challenges of early diagnosis of congenital auricular deformities in children by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), particularly convolutional neural networks (CNNs). Despite AI’s potential for improving diagnostic precision, its clinical use has been constrained by the limitations of small, nonrepresentative data sets. This research sought to enhance AI model generalization through the creation of a more diverse, multicenter data set.

Methods:

To achieve this goal, the study merged the BabyEar4k public data set with additional images from various centers to create a more comprehensive and varied data set. This data set was used to train and fine-tune CNN models. Performance evaluation was based on established metrics, such as accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, to assess the models’ ability to identify auricular deformities.

Results:

The fine-tuned CNN models demonstrated strong performance, achieving high scores across various metrics. The integration of data from multiple sources improved the model’s generalizability, highlighting the significance of a multicenter approach for AI development in clinical settings.

Conclusions:

This study emphasizes the importance of diverse, large-scale data sets in enhancing the performance of AI models for clinical applications. The success of the CNN models in diagnosing ear deformities underscores the potential of AI to revolutionize early diagnosis when backed by comprehensive data sets and standardized diagnostic criteria.
Cephalometric Comparison of Transgender Women Following Facial Feminization Surgery to Assigned Female at Birth Subjects
Authors: Rancu Albert L. , Flores-Pérez Paula , Kong Victoria , Vassallo Melanie A. , Allam Omar , Mukherjee Thayer , Alperovich Michael
Published: February 2025

Objective:

Facial feminization surgery (FFS) consists of a set of procedures utilized in gender-affirming care. With the goal of transforming masculine craniofacial features to more anthropomorphically feminine ones, these procedures are performed to increase congruence between the patient physical appearance and self-identified gender. However, the literature characterizing the femininity of FFS postoperative results is limited. The present study addresses the discrepancy through a three-dimensional cephalometric comparison.

Methods:

Patients who underwent frontal sinus setback, suprabrow contouring, genioplasty, and gonial angle reduction and received postoperative computed tomography imaging were identified. Craniofacial landmarks were placed to define regions of interest for cephalometric measurements including volume, surface area, and region-specific parameters. A set of control measurements was calculated for comparison from a cohort of 5 assigned female at birth (AFAB) subjects. Similarity of postoperative and AFAB measurements was calculated and compared for forehead, chin, and gonial angle procedures using analysis of variance and pairwise t test analysis.

Results:

Analysis of 80 FFS patients revealed that genioplasty had a significantly higher AFAB similarity score for surface area measurements than forehead procedures (P < 0.05). Genioplasty volume was significantly more similar to the AFAB parameter than the gonial angle reduction volume (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

The present study, to our knowledge, is the most comprehensive and quantitative comparison of FFS postoperative results to AFAB subjects. Genioplasty had greater AFAB similarity than forehead and gonial angle reduction. Incongruencies between FFS and AFAB controls offer lessons for gender-affirming surgeons.
Chondrolaryngoplasty
Authors: Goslawski Amanda , Spiegel Jeffrey Howard
Published: February 2025

Chondrolaryngoplasty, often referred to as “tracheal shave” involves surgical removal of the anterior projection of the thyroid cartilage and is most often performed in transgender women. This procedure was popularized by Wolfort and Parry in 1975 and was later modified by Wolfort in 1990. Since then, there have been multiple surgical approaches published. These include the transcervical chondrolaryngoplasty, originally described in 2008 by the senior author, followed by a transoral technique, and additional endoscopic approaches. The most common complications of this surgery include scarring and patient dissatisfaction with the amount of cartilage removed. More rare complications of chondrolaryngoplasty include dysphonia, hematoma, dysphagia, thyroid cartilage fracture, and laryngospasm, although these are all quite rare. Overall, chondrolaryngoplasty is a safe procedure that can provide immense patient satisfaction and is a mainstay of care in the transgender patient population.
Facial Determinants of Artificial Intelligence–Perceived Gender and Age Following Facial Feminization Surgery
Authors: Vassallo Melanie , Ihnat Jacqueline M. , Flores-Pérez Paula , Rancu Albert L. , Allam Omar , Alperovich Michael
Published: February 2025

Objective:

Success of facial feminization surgery (FFS) has been measured by the ability to pass as female when assessed both by human and artificially intelligent evaluators. Previous studies have also attempted to elucidate the contribution of each facial third to overall femininity and youthfulness. In this study, artificial intelligence facial recognition software was used to objectively quantify the effects of FFS on perceived age and gender by facial third.

Methods:

Frontal preoperative and postoperative images of 31 transgender women undergoing FFS were digitally combined to create photos with postoperative changes in the upper, middle, or lower third only. Amazon's artificial intelligence, Rekognition, was used to determine gender typing, femininity, and age scores, which were analyzed by a facial third.

Results:

Mean preoperative femininity score was 47.7%, which improved postoperatively to 56.4%, 48.1%, and 62.1% for the upper, middle, and lower thirds of the face, respectively (P = 0.019, P = 0.91, P = 0.0025). The younger cohorts (20–30 y, 31–40 y) demonstrated a significant improvement in femininity scores for the lower third of the face (P = 0.036, P = 0.025), whereas the oldest cohort’s (41+ y) significant improvement in femininity was in the upper third of the face (P = 0.026). Artificial intelligence–perceived postoperative age was significantly younger than the patient’s true age, with mean relative reductions of 2.45, 1.94, and 2.26 years for the upper, middle, and lower thirds of the face (P = 0.0096, P = 0.027, P = 0.016).

Conclusions:

The younger cohort experienced the greatest increase in femininity in the lower third whereas older cohort had the most improvement in the upper third. The upper, middle and lower third all contributed to a significantly younger perceived age.
Frail participants in randomized controlled trials of acute respiratory distress syndrome
Authors: Ntaidou Theodora K. , Giannakoulis Vassilis G. , Papoutsi Eleni , Vavouraki Eleni A. , Theodorou Evangelia , Papathanakos Georgios , Dimopoulou Ioanna , Routsi Christina , Kotanidou Anastasia , Siempos Ilias I.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Observational studies showed that frailty is common in the intensive care unit and associated with poor outcomes. However, relevant data from interventional trials are scarce and it is unknown whether outcomes improved over time. We endeavoured to estimate temporal trends of representation and outcomes of frail participants in randomized controlled trials of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Methods

We performed a secondary analysis of five ARDS Network and PETAL Network trials published between 2006 and 2019. Based on requirement for everyday assistance prior to hospitalization, we categorized participants into frail versus non-frail.

Results

Out of 3630 participants with ARDS, 701 (19.3%) were frail. Representation of frail participants increased over time (p = 0.001), while mortality remained stable (p = 0.403) and as high as 39.4%. 60.6% of frail participants were younger than 65 years old. Frailty was independently associated with 90-day mortality (odds ratio 1.62, 95% confidence interval 1.34-1.96, p < 0.001). Frail had fewer ventilator-free days and were more likely to have subsequent disability than non-frail participants.

Conclusion

In trials of ARDS, representation of frail participants increased, while their mortality did not improve over time. The ever-increasing vulnerable group of frail participants should be taken into consideration in the design of trials.
The occurrence of bilateral tuberculous psoas abscess in an immunocompetent patient with low back pain unresponsive to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: A case report and literature review.
Authors: laatiris hamid , zouaki hajar , benlahlou yassine , Elmostapha benaissa , chadli mariama
Published: February 2025

he psoas abscess is a rare infection, historically associated with tuberculosis (TB), although non-tuberculous bacterial causes are becoming more frequent, with Staphylococcus aureus being the main pathogen. This type of abscess can be primary or secondary, and its diagnosis is complicated by the non-specificity of clinical symptoms. Radiology and biology play a key role in diagnosis.
The case described involves a 22-year-old patient with no significant medical history, presenting with mechanical low back pain for 18 months. Clinical examinations and a computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a non-conflicting disc protrusion, leading to initial management with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), with no improvement. Due to the persistence of symptoms, further investigation revealed an extra-pulmonary spinal localization of tuberculosis in an immunocompetent individual, with bilateral psoas abscesses caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB).
Roseicyclus amphidinii sp. nov., a novel bacterium isolated from the culture of a dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae
Authors: Cui Yudong , Mo Xueyi , Huang Zhaobin
Published: February 2025

A Gram-negative, rod-shaped and light pink-pigmented bacterial strain, designated Amp-Y-6T, was isolated from the culture of a dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae CCMP1314. It can produce bacteriochlorophyll a. The 16S rRNA gene of strain Amp-Y-6T had the highest sequence similarity with Roseicyclus marinus CCMM001T of 98.1%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain Amp-Y-6T was affiliated to the genus Roseicyclus and formed a monophyletic clade with R. marinus CCMM001T and Roseicyclus mahoneyensis ML6T. The digital DNA–DNA hybridization, average nucleotide identity and average amino acid identity between strain Amp-Y-6T and the two phylogenetic relatives were 22.7–22.8, 80.4–80.5 and 79.5–80.2%, respectively. The respiratory quinone was Q-10. The major fatty acid composition was summed feature 8 (C18:1
 ω7c and/or C18:1
 ω6c). The draft genome size was 3.8 Mbp with a genomic G+C content of 68.1 mol%. Gene annotation showed that Amp-Y-6T contained a gene cluster responsible for the C-P degradation, indicating that it had the potential to provide a phosphate source for the dinoflagellate. Based on the phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, strain Amp-Y-6T represents a novel species, for which the name Roseicyclus amphidinii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Amp-Y-6T (=MCCC 1K08249T=KCTC 92882T).
T cell-intrinsic lymphoproliferation as a key driver of intestinal autoimmunity in acquired generalized lipodystrophy
Authors: Letizia Marilena , Omar Toka , Weidner Patrick , Jakob Manuel O. , Freise Inka , Krug Susanne M. , Löscher Britt-Sabina , Rosati Elisa , Obermayer Benedikt , Gamez-Belmonte Maria de los Reyes , Hecker Julia , Ziegler Joern-Felix , Weixler Benjamin , Asbach Patrick , Kunkel Desiree , Stumvoll Michael , Miehle Konstanze , Becker Christoph , Klose Christoph S.N. , Glauben Rainer , Beule Dieter , Kühl Anja , Franke Andre , Sanders Ashley , Siegmund Britta , Weidinger Carl
Published: February 2025

Acquired generalized lipodystrophy (AGL) is a rare metabolic disorder frequently associated with autoimmunity. Its etiology is incompletely understood and the impact of adipose tissue loss on autoimmunity and intestinal inflammation in AGL remains unclear. Using mass cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing, we observed an oligoclonal expansion of T cells in the periphery and inflamed intestine in a patient with AGL and Crohn’s disease (AGLCD). To explore if loss of adipose tissue triggers lymphoproliferation, we studied lipodystrophic mice as a model for AGL. Unexpectedly, lipodystrophic mice did not show T-cell expansion, were protected from colitis and displayed a defect in the development of pro-inflammatory T cells, which could be reversed by allogeneic fat transplantations, indicating that clonal T-cell expansion is not primarily caused by lipodystrophy. Instead, gene sequencing revealed a T cell-intrinsic de-novoNRASmutation, pointing towards somatic mosaicism as a driver of clonal T-cell expansion and systemic autoimmunity in AGLCD.
A Quantitative Look at Mitochondrial DNA in Genealogy
Authors: Spencer Robin W.
Published: February 2025

Mutations occur throughout the 16,569 basepair human mitochondrial genome and most are under strong purifying selection. Archaeologically and genealogically useful mutations, in contrast, are neutral and remain stable for centuries. In new results, multiple lines of evidence show that the latter appear on average every 2900 years and the effective genealogical chromosome is limited to about 4800 basepairs, 28% of its physical length. These mutations are already three-fold oversampled in the haplotree; all those in protein-coding genes are translationally synonymous. This evidence offers a limited prospect that additional testing can significantly increase the branching or temporal resolution of the haplotree.