The potential of generative AI for personalized persuasion at scale.

Matching the language or content of a message to the psychological profile of its recipient (known as "personalized persuasion") is widely considered to be one of the most effective messaging strategies. We demonstrate that the rapid advances in large language models (LLMs), like ChatGPT, could accelerate this influence by making personalized persuasion scalable. Across four studies (consisting of seven sub-studies; total N = 1788), we show that personalized messages crafted by ChatGPT exhibit significantly more influence than non-personalized messages. This was true across different domains of persuasion (e.g., marketing of consumer products, political appeals for climate action), psychological profiles (e.g., personality traits, political ideology, moral foundations), and when only providing the LLM with a single, short prompt naming or describing the targeted psychological dimension. Thus, our findings are among the first to demonstrate the potential for LLMs to automate, and thereby scale, the use of personalized persuasion in ways that enhance its effectiveness and efficiency. We discuss the implications for researchers, practitioners, and the general public.

High fat programming induces glucose intolerance in weanling Wistar rats.

We sought to determine whether maintenance on a high fat diet during defined periods of gestation and lactation induced glucose intolerance in weanling Wistar rats or affected food intake, weight, and glucose concentrations in mothers. Experimental groups comprised mothers and their weanling offspring maintained on a high fat diet during gestation and lactation (HFGL), during gestation only (HFG), or during lactation only (HFL). Maternal food intake, body weight, and fasting blood glucose concentrations were determined during lactation. Glucose tolerance was measured in the three-week-old weanling offspring. After overnight fasting, oral glucose tolerance tests were performed in the weanlings. Glucose was collected at (0), 10, 15, 30 and 60 min. HFGL and HFL weanlings had greater glucose concentrations compared to control weanlings at 10, 15, 30 and 60 min. For HFG weanlings, greater glucose concentrations were only found at 30 min, which normalized at 60 min. In all of the experimental groups, the highest glucose concentrations were demonstrated at 30 min, whereas the peak was achieved at 15 min in the control weanlings. Overt glucose intolerance was induced in weanlings maintained on a high fat diet throughout both gestation and lactation or throughout lactation only. Further, weanlings maintained on a high fat diet solely throughout gestation displayed milder glucose intolerance. Developmental programming with a high fat diet during defined periods of gestation and lactation induces glucose intolerance in weanling rats.

Prevalence and pathogenicity of Clostridium difficile in hospitalized patients. A French multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Although Clostridium difficile is the main agent responsible for nosocomial diarrhea in adults, its prevalence in stool cultures sent to hospital microbiology laboratories is not clearly established. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of C difficile in inpatient stools sent to hospital microbiology laboratories and to assess the relationship between serotypes and toxigenicity of the strains isolated and the clinical data. METHODS: From January 18, 1993, to July 31, 1993, the presence of C difficile was systematically investigated in a case-control study on 3921 stool samples sent for stool culture to 11 French hospital microbiology laboratories. The prevalence of C difficile in this population (cases) was compared with that of a group of 229 random hospital controls matched for age, department, and length of stay (controls). Stool culture from controls was requested by the laboratory although not prescribed by the clinical staff. Serotype and toxigenesis of the strains isolated were compared. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of C difficile in the cases was twice the prevalence in the controls (9.7% vs 4.8%; P < .001) and was approximately 4 times as high in diarrheal stools (ie, soft or liquid) as in normally formed stools from controls (11.5% vs 3.3%; P < .001). The strains isolated from diarrheal stools were more frequently toxigenic than those isolated from normally formed stools. Serogroup D was never toxigenic, and its proportion was statistically greater in the controls than in the cases (45% vs 18%; chi 2 = 5.2; P < .05). Conversely, serogroup C was isolated only from the cases. Clostridium difficile was mainly found in older patients ( > 65 years), suffering from a severe disabling disease, who had been treated with antibiotics and hospitalized for more than 1 week in long-stay wards or in intensive care. CONCLUSIONS: This multicenter period prevalence study clearly supports the hypothesis of a common role of C difficile in infectious diarrhea in hospitalized patients. Disease associated with C difficile should therefore be systematically evaluated in diarrheal stools from inpatients.

Mechanisms of decreased food intake during weight loss in adult Crohn's disease patients without obvious malabsorption.

Because weight loss is common in colonic Crohn's disease and is poorly correlated with disease activity, we analyzed food intake in 63 patients without malabsorption, 30 patients with weight loss (9.2 +/- 4.2 kg), and 33 patients without weight loss. Energy and protein intakes were lower in patients with weight loss than in those with stable weight (P < 0.01). In the former group, food restrictions were more numerous (P < 0.01) and visual analog scales showed less hunger, decreased appetite, and fewer sensations of pleasure related to eating, as compared with the other group (P < 0.01). Food intake reduction was also related to depressive mood and medical advice. However, there was no difference between groups in fecal energy wasting and resting energy expenditure. Weight loss in Crohn's disease may be due to a decrease in food intake rather than to an increase in energy cost of the disease. Thus, focus of attention on the diet is crucial to prevent malnutrition.

Synthesis of abnormal immunoglobulins in lymphoplasmacytic disorders with visceral light chain deposition.

Three patients presented with renal or more diffuse tissue deposits of a nonamyloid material reactive with anti-kappa antibody by immunofluorescence. All patients had progressive renal failure with the nephrotic syndrome and extensive tubular basement membrane deposits. Glomerular lesions were conspicuous but heterogeneous. One patient also had hepatic deposits with peliosis at histopathologic examination. An underlying lymphoplasmacytic disorder was found in all patients: multiple myeloma in one, pleomorphic lymphoplasmacytic malignancy analogous to Waldenström's macroglobulinemia in one and bone marrow monoclonal plasmacytosis without overt myeloma in one. Biosynthesis experiments in two cases showed production of abnormal kappa chains which were not detected in appreciable amounts in serum and urine. These light chains had an aberrant size (abnormally short or large), their apparent molecular weight was larger in secretion than in cytoplasmic extracts (suggesting their glycosylation) and they were secreted as polymers. These results suggest a causal relationship between production of abnormal light chains and tissue deposition.

[11C]methionine pancreatic scanning with positron emission computed tomography.

By the use of [11C]methionine and positron computed tomography (PCT), images of the pancreas were obtained in 32 patients. The injection of between 10 and 20 mCi of this product enables four to six transverse sections to be obtained. Seventeen of the patients studied had no exocrine pancreatic disease, and in all these cases the pancreas was clearly visible. In four cases of pancreatic carcinoma and one of retroperitoneal tumor, there were abnormalities visible. In five cases of chronic pancreatitis, no pancreatic uptake was observed. In a sixth case, concentration was visible, but only in the head of the pancreas. One case of acute pancreatitis, which showed no concentration during the acute phase, returned to normal after recovery. When visible, the pancreas was easily located and distinguishable from the intestinal image, except in two cases that were uninterpretable for technical reasons. No false positive or negative was observed, but a differential diagnosis between cancer and pancreatitis was impossible.

Bacterial adhesion in human upper gastrointestinal tract.

Small bowel biopsy specimens were taken from 21 patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy to detect a possible adhesion of bacteria to the mucous layer of the upper gastrointestinal tract. In 30 control biopsy specimens taken from 10 patients free from gastrointestinal pathology, no associated bacteria were found, whereas in 23 biopsy specimens taken from eight gastrectomized patients an associated bacterial flora including E. coli or Pseudomonas was grown. Bacterial adhesion was confirmed by means of transmission electron microscopy of the eight patients yielding positive cultures. Bacterial adhesion induced local alterations of the brush border membrane. These results suggest that adherent bacteria may be present in hypochlorhydric patients. Pathophysiologic consequences require further studies.

Quantification of lipoprotein X and its relationship to plasma lipid profile during different types of parenteral nutrition.

An abnormal lipoprotein (LP), detected in plasma during total parenteral nutrition, has been shown to be similar to LPX observed in cholestasis and in familial lecithin-cholesterol-acyl-transferase (LCAT) deficiency. However, the conditions which facilitate the appearance of LPX during total parenteral nutrition are unclear; potential determining factors could be lipid input, plasma lipid levels, and/or inhibition of LCAT activity. An investigation was conducted on 12 patients receiving total parenteral nutrition for 3 wk by simultaneously evaluating plasma LPX (via a quantitative method) as well as total cholesterol, phospholipids (PL), triglycerides (TG), apolipoprotein B, and LCAT activity. Daily total nonprotein calories (40 kcal/kg body weight) and nitrogen input (250 mg/kg body weight) were fixed in this study. Three 7-day periods were defined: during periods 1 and 3, lipid emulsion (10 or 20% Intralipid) and glucose were given as nonprotein calories (glucose-lipid periods); in period 2, glucose was administered alone as the sole source of nonprotein energy (glucose period) so that the total energy input was not modified. During periods 1 and 3, the patients were randomly assigned to receive either 9 g (period 1) and 12 g (period 3) of PL/day for 7 days, or 12 and 9 g of PL/day. By infusing either 10 or 20% Intralipid, TG input was varied concomitantly so that the subjects received 75, 100, or 150 g/day in periods 1 and 3. During the glucose-lipid periods, plasma LPX was measurable from the 2nd day and increased progressively. Its increment was closely related to a rise in unesterified cholesterol and PL (r = 0.7; p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Primary exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in the adult. Presentation of a case]. / Insuffisance pancréatique exocrine primitive de l'adulte. Présentation d'un cas.

The authors report the case of a 37-year-old female complaining of chronic diarrhea since childhood. She had gross steatorrhea and azotorrhea . Pancreatic function tests using secretin and cholecystokinin-pancreozymin stimulation, and analysis of pure pancreatic juice collected under secretin stimulation proved exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Oral glucose tolerance test was normal. Intestinal absorption tests, small bowel X-ray films and jejunal histology were normal. Brush-border specific enzyme activities were increased. In vitro palmitic acid uptake and esterification in the jejunal mucosa were decreased. There was no pancreatic calcification. Biliary tract was normal. Retrograde pancreatography, pancreatic ultrasonography and tomodensitometry showed no morphologic abnormality. No cause of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency could be detected. A son and a niece of the proband had chronic diarrhea and growth failure. The relationship of the described case with primary lipomatosis of the pancreas in childhood and hereditary exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in CBA/J epi mice is discussed.

[Increase of resting energy expenditure during flare-ups in Crohn disease]. / Augmentation de la dépense énergétique de repos lors des poussées de maladie de Crohn.

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory process commonly characterized by phases of flare-up. Weight loss and malnutrition are prominent features in the course of the disease, especially during acute episodes. It is therefore important to define energy needs. Curiously, resting energy expenditure (REE) has rarely been studied in Crohn's disease, and never in relation with the activity of the disease. We therefore determined REE together with body composition (fat free mass, FFM), Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI) and plasma acute phase proteins in 70 patients: during flare-up in 41 and during clinical remission (CDAI < 150) in 29. We found an increase in REE in patients with active disease (CDAI > 150), as compared with patients in remission, when REE was expressed as a function of FFM: 31.7 +/- 2.7 versus 29.4 +/- 3.3 kcal/kg FFM/day (P < 0.01). The mean REE/FFM was 8% higher during flare-up than during remission, and was correlated to both clinical (CDAI; P = 0.011) and biological inflammatory activity indices (C reactive protein, P = 0.018; orosomucoid, P = 0.024). In some patients, the REE was in the normal range, despite an increase in REE/FFM, because of a decrease in FFM due to hypermetabolism. In 8 patients treated successfully by total parenteral nutrition for a massive flare-up, REE/FFM was increased before TPN (36.6 +/- 3.0 kcal/kg/day), and decreased after 4 weeks of TPN (31.4 +/- 1.8 kcal/kg/day; P < 0.001), returning within normal values in 7 patients.

[Acute diarrhea in adults in a Parisian district. Clinical, bacteriologic endoscopic and histologic aspects. Study of 52 cases]. / La diarrhée aiguë de l'adulte en région parisienne. Aspects cliniques, bactériologiques, endoscopiques et histologiques. Etude de 52 cas.

From 1985 through 1988, 52 patients aged 16 to 85 years and referred for acute diarrhea underwent routine clinical, microbiological, endoscopic and histopathological examinations. Enteropathogens were isolated in 50 percent of patients, mostly from stool samples rather than from biopsy samples, though results were sometimes dissociated. Significantly lower digestive endoscopic abnormalities were seen in 60 percent of patients. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was not contributive. Rectal and colonic biopsies showed histological abnormalities in nearly all cases half of which were polymorphonuclear infiltrates and crypt abscesses. Glandular distortion was not found. An analysis of clinical, endoscopic and histological data showed that major abnormalities were mostly, but not constantly, related to infections due to enteroinvasive bacteria. As in other studies, a high rate of negative stool cultures was observed. Based on these results, we suggest to perform either further and more sophisticated microbiological investigations, or to conduct a routine search for viral infections whose incidence, among adult patients with acute diarrhea, is actually unknown.

[Hypergastrin and hyperprolactin syndrome caused by mucinous cystadenoma of the ovary]. / Syndrome d'hypergastrinie et d'hyperprolactinie dû à un cystadénome mucineux de l'ovaire.

We report a case of a clinically and biologically typical hypergastrinemia syndrome due to ovarian mucinous cystadenoma. When examined under histoimmunofluorescence, this "border-line" tumor was shown to contain a polymorphous endocrine cell proliferation, composed primarily of G cells and, to some degree, of D cells. Electron microscopic study further evidenced a small amount of prolactin containing cells, which coincided with elevated prolactin-levels in blood. Ovariectomy combined with vagotomy and pyloroplasty resulted in a prompt disappearance of both clinical and biological abnormalities. Ovarian mucinous cystadenomas have been known for a long time to contain endocrine cells, but only five cases, including the present one, have been described with fully developed endocrine expression. We suggest that this particular condition could be more frequent than generally admitted, and could justify systematic screening for mucinous cystadenoma in the case of peptide hormone dysfunction.

[Multifocal cryptogenetic stenosing enteritis: an autonomous entity?]. / L'entérite sténosante multifocale cryptogénétique: une entité autonome?

Multifocal idiopathic stenosing enteritis has been described as a relapsing disease affecting the small bowel. The main anatomical characteristics are multiple non-specific inflammatory strictures. Six cases (4 men, 2 women) presenting this disorder were followed up for 3 to 22 years. Five patients were young. Iterative obstruction or chronic diarrhea and loss of weight were the outstanding clinical features. Hyposideremic anemia and protein-losing enteropathy were common. The anatomical substrate was numerous (2-19) short annular strictures situated in the ileum (75 p. 100). These strictures presented shallow ulcerations and underlying fibrosis which never extended beyond the submucosa. The small bowel wall was otherwise normal and did not show mucosal or vascular abnormalities at microscopic examination. In case of relapse, strictures developed distal to or in close contact with previous suture lines. Cultures for pathogenic bacteria were constantly negative. The natural history of these 6 cases and of 7 other previously published cases suggests that this disease is an autonomous disorder which must be differentiated from other inflammatory bowel disease entities such as Crohn's disease or tuberculosis.

[Radiological aspects of the duodenum and small intestine in severe strongyloidiasis. Apropos of 4 cases]. / Aspects radiologiques du duodénum et du grêle dans l'anguillulose sévère. A propos de 4 observations.

Four cases of severe strongyloidiasis in Martinique patients are reported. Clinical features were typical of the affection, and the outcome was fatal in two cases. Fibroscopy findings were negative but larvae were demonstrated in biopsy specimens in 3 out of the 4 cases. A barium meal follow-through examination showed the different radiological images of the infestation: non-specific parasitic duodenitis and pseudo-stenosis of D3 with duodenal dilatation, barium reflux into the main bile duct, and absence of jejunal folds, these images being very suggestive of strongyloidiasis.

[Weber-Christian syndrome and pancreatic involvement. Apropos of a case with review of the literature]. / Syndrome de Weber-Christian et affections pancréatiques. A propos d'un cas avec revue de la littérature.

The Weber-Christian syndrome associates generalized nodular inflammatory panniculitis with osteoarticular manifestations. Pathogenesis of this rare affection is still obscure but a pancreatic origin has been reported in the literature. A case is presented having the particular features of being revealed by a subacute episode of chronic pancreatitis, and by the intensity of radiologic bony manifestations.

[Whipple disease: a single or multiple origin?]. / Maladie de Whipple: un responsable ou plusieurs?

After having been considered as an essentially digestive disease, Whipple's disease has appeared more and more to be a multivisceral disease with two main characteristics: on one hand Whipple's disease yields a diffuse infiltration of tissues by abnormal macrophages without any other inflammatory reaction; on the other hand, aspects of microbial invasion by intra or extracellular unique rod-shaped Gram+bacteria are found. This unusual pathological complex has alternatively been considered as suggestive of an immunological defect or as a very unusual type of bacterial infection. Though recent studies support the hypothesis of a primary microbial infection due to a hitherto undescribed bacterium (Tropheryma whippelii) or more or less related bacteria belonging to the actinomycetes family, they do not totally exclude a primary or acquired impairment of antigen processing by macrophages. Speculations about this fascinating pathophysiological model and about its optimal therapeutic modalities are not likely to reach a conclusion in the near future.

[Hepatic involvement in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Study of 20 cases]. / Atteintes hépatiques au cours du syndrome d'immunodépression acquise. Etude de 20 cas.

Liver biopsies were systematically performed in 20 patients with evidence of an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (18 with opportunistic infections, 9 with Kaposi's sarcoma). Hepatitis, related to hepatitis-B virus in 3 cases and to cytomegalovirus in 3 cases, was present in 6 of them. All patients had at least one of the three following lesions: non-specific portal inflammatory infiltration (6 cases), granulomatous lesions (12 cases), vascular abnormalities (12 cases). Among hepatic granulomatous lesions: 3 were due to acid-fast bacilli and 1 to Cryptococcus. Sinusoidal abnormality included proliferation of Küpffer cells (9 cases), sinusoidal dilatation (2 cases), peliosis (4 cases) and Kaposi's sarcoma (1 case). A relationship between these abnormalities cannot be excluded.

[Acute attacks of hepatic porphyria. Treatment with hematin. 5 cases]. / Crises aiguës de porphyries hépatiques. Traitement par l'hématine. Cinq observations.

The effectiveness of 2 hematins administered by intravenous infusion was compared in acute intermittent porphyria. Judging from subjective symptoms (abdominal pain), clinical improvement was complete and constant. There was a rapid decrease in urinary excretion of porphyrins precursors, with a clearer response of delta-aminolevulinic acid than of porphobilinogen. Urine levels of uroporphyrin often returned to normal after two infusions. The drugs were very well tolerated. Provided it is administered early, before neurological complications develop, treatment with hematin completely relieves abdominal symptoms and suppresses most of the biochemical changes associated with hepatic porphyria.

[Chronic small intestine obstructions]. / Occlusions chroniques du grêle.

Chronic small bowel obstruction may be related either to disordered motility or to progressive chronic stenoses. Disordered motility (or intestinal pseudo-obstruction) is the consequence for muscular and/or intrinsic nerve impairment with 2 main types, one of which is primary (including so-called visceral myopathies and visceral neuropathies), the other one being secondary (generally due to systemic, or sometimes immunologic disease). Chronic stenoses have a different pathophysiology and occur in the setting of chronic inflammatory bowel disease or of systemic diseases such as vasculities. Chronic stenoses lead to intestinal stasis and in fine to mechanical obstruction. In any case, chronic obstruction poses difficult diagnostic and therapeutic problems. Management calls for tight medico-surgical cooperation. Atypical surgical operations may be warranted, and specific, sometimes aggressive medical care is mandatory. Moreover the nutritional consequences of chronic small bowel obstruction may become highly disabling due to alimentary restriction, disordered transit, bacterial overgrowth and malabsorption. In this setting nutritional support should be a matter of prime concern.

Understanding beef-cattle farming management strategies by identifying motivations behind farmers' priorities.

This study aimed to identify and better understand management strategies that help livestock farmers adapt to changes in their production contexts, a fundamental challenge. A total of nine beef-cattle farmers were interviewed three times over 1 year to discuss 13 dimensions of livestock farming (e.g. reproduction, feeding, sales, etc.). Characterisation of management strategies rested on three main factors: (i) ranking of the dimensions according to the degree to which farmers desired to control them, (ii) reasons for the ranking and (iii) management guidelines. Although farmers agreed upon the rank of certain dimensions, such as herd management, they differed on that of others, such as sales and administration/regulations. Four motivation categories were identified: risk, pleasure, efficiency and ability to control the dimension. Three management guidelines were identified, which indicated that farmers managed for future survival of their farms at different scales (animal/herd v. whole-farm), involving different resources (biological v. financial) and based on different animal categories (reproductive cows v. animals sold). These results improve understanding of individual livestock farmers and their current management strategies by integrating the motivations behind their strategies. For this reason, they constitute methodological elements that agricultural advisors can use to provide relevant information to farmers while accommodating differences in farm management.