An novel effective and safe model for the diagnosis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in China: gene excavations, clinical validations, and mechanism elucidation.

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common chronic liver diseases. NAFLD leads to liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and it also has systemic effects associated with metabolic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, and malignant tumors. Therefore, it is important to diagnose NAFLD early to prevent these adverse effects. METHODS: The GSE89632 dataset was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and then the optimal genes were screened from the data cohort using lasso and Support Vector Machine Recursive Feature Elimination (SVM-RFE). The ROC values of the optimal genes for the diagnosis of NAFLD were calculated. The relationship between optimal genes and immune cells was determined using the DECONVOLUTION algorithm CIBERSORT. Finally, the specificity and sensitivity of the diagnostic genes were verified by detecting the expression of the diagnostic genes in blood samples from 320 NAFLD patients and liver samples from 12 mice. RESULTS: Through machine learning we identified FOSB, GPAT3, RGCC and RNF43 were the key diagnostic genes for NAFLD, and they were further demonstrated by a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. We found that the combined diagnosis of the four genes identified NAFLD samples well from normal samples (AUC = 0.997). FOSB, GPAT3, RGCC and RNF43 were strongly associated with immune cell infiltration. We also experimentally examined the expression of these genes in NAFLD patients and NAFLD mice, and the results showed that these genes are highly specific and sensitive. CONCLUSIONS: Data from both clinical and animal studies demonstrate the high sensitivity, specificity and safety of FOSB, GPAT3, RGCC and RNF43 for the diagnosis of NAFLD. The relationship between diagnostic key genes and immune cell infiltration may help to understand the development of NAFLD. The study was reviewed and approved by Ethics Committee of Tianjin Second People's Hospital in 2021 (ChiCTR1900024415).

A clade of receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases and 14-3-3 proteins coordinate inositol hexaphosphate accumulation.

Inositol hexaphosphate (InsP6) is the major storage form of phosphorus in seeds. Reducing seed InsP6 content is a breeding objective in agriculture, as InsP6 negatively impacts animal nutrition and the environment. Nevertheless, how InsP6 accumulation is regulated remains largely unknown. Here, we identify a clade of receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs), named Inositol Polyphosphate-related Cytoplasmic Kinases 1-6 (IPCK1-IPCK6), deeply involved in InsP6 accumulation. The InsP6 concentration is dramatically reduced in seeds of ipck quadruple (T-4m/C-4m) and quintuple (C-5m) mutants, accompanied with the obviously increase of phosphate (Pi) concentration. The plasma membrane-localized IPCKs recruit IPK1 involved in InsP6 synthesis, and facilitate its binding and activity via phosphorylation of GRF 14-3-3 proteins. IPCKs also recruit IPK2s and PI-PLCs required for InsP4/InsP5 and InsP3 biosynthesis respectively, to form a potential IPCK-GRF-PLC-IPK2-IPK1 complex. Our findings therefore uncover a regulatory mechanism of InsP6 accumulation governed by IPCKs, shedding light on the mechanisms of InsP biosynthesis in eukaryotes.

Synthesis and Preclinical Evaluation of Novel 68Ga-DOTA-RBB as Potential PET Radiotracer for Imaging CDK4/6 in Tumors.

Many malignant tumors, including breast cancer, exhibit amplification and overexpression of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6). Ribociclib, approved and used in clinical treatment, acts as a highly selective CDK4/6 inhibitor for ER+/HER2- breast cancer. By modifying ribociclib with the chelator DOTA, we designed and synthesized a novel CDK4/6-positive PET imaging agent, which was radiolabeled by 68Ga for radioactive tagging. The radiotracer demonstrates high radiochemical purity, excellent stability in vitro and in vivo, and favorable pharmacokinetic characteristics. Cell uptake experiments using MCF-7 cells indicate that an excess of ribociclib (RBB) can inhibit cellular uptake of 68Ga-DOTA-RBB. Imaging and biodistribution experiments in MCF-7 tumor-bearing nude mice show significant radioactive accumulation in the tumor. However, preadministration of excess ribociclib results in a substantial reduction in radioactive accumulation within the tumor. On the basis of our explorations, 68Ga-DOTA-RBB, as a targeted imaging agent for CDK4/6-positive tumors, holds significant potential application values.

Urinary Oxalate Excretion During Pregnancy in Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 1: A Report of 4 Cases.

Primary hyperoxaluria (PH) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by excessive oxalate production because of specific gene defects. PH1 is the most prevalent type, causing recurrent kidney stone disease and often leading to chronic kidney disease and kidney failure. Our previous study suggested that pregnancy did not adversely affect kidney function in female patients with PH. In this study, we identified 4 PH1 cases with urinary oxalate (UOx) measurements during pregnancy from the Rare Kidney Stone Consortium and Oxalosis and Hyperoxaluria Foundation PH registry to investigate UOx levels during pregnancy in patients with PH1. The PH Registry is approved by the Institutional Review Board of Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN). All 4 showed a decrease in UOx during pregnancy when compared with before pregnancy and after delivery. These findings contrast with those of the general population, in which the UOx tends to increase during pregnancy because of a simultaneous physiological increase in the glomerular filtration rate. Elucidating the mechanism underlying reduced UOx during pregnancy in PH1 could suggest novel PH therapies. These findings could also affect the clinical management and have implications regarding the safety of withholding novel PH1-directed molecular therapies that currently have uncertain safety profiles during pregnancy. We highlight the need for additional data on urinary changes in patients with PH and other populations while pregnant to clarify changes in UOx throughout pregnancy.

Potential of metallurgical iron-containing solid waste-based catalysts as activator of persulfate for organic pollutants degradation.

The production of solid wastes in the metallurgical industry has significant implications for land resources and environmental pollution. To address this issue, it is crucial to explore the potential of recycling these solid wastes to reduce land occupation while protecting the environment and promoting resource utilization. Steel slag, red mud, copper slag and steel picking waste liquor are examples of solid wastes generated during the metallurgical process that possess high iron content and Fe species, making them excellent catalysts for persulfate-based advanced oxidation processes (PS-AOPs). This review elucidates the catalytic mechanisms and pathways of Fe2+ and Fe0 in the activation PS. Additionally, it underscores the potential of metallurgical iron-containing solid waste (MISW) as a catalyst for PS activation, offering a viable strategy for its high-value utilization. Lastly, the article provides an outlook towards future challenges and prospects for MISW in PS activation for the degradation of organic pollutants.

Outcomes of peritoneal dialysis in cirrhosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cirrhosis and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) are significant global health concerns, contributing to high mortality and morbidity. Haemodialysis (HD) is frequently used to treat ESKD in patients with cirrhosis. However, it often presents challenges such as haemodynamic instability during dialysis sessions, leading to less than optimal outcomes. Peritoneal dialysis (PD), while less commonly used in cirrhotic patients, raises concerns about the risks of peritonitis and mortality. Our systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess outcomes in PD patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: We executed a comprehensive search in Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases up to 25 September 2023. The search focused on identifying studies examining mortality and other clinical outcomes in ESKD patients with cirrhosis receiving PD or HD. In addition, we sought studies comparing PD outcomes in cirrhosis patients to those without cirrhosis. Data from each study were aggregated using a random-effects model and the inverse-variance method. RESULTS: Our meta-analysis included a total of 13 studies with 15,089 patients. Seven studies compared ESKD patients on PD with liver cirrhosis (2753 patients) against non-cirrhosis patients (9579 patients). The other six studies provided data on PD (824 patients) versus HD (1943 patients) in patients with cirrhosis and ESKD. The analysis revealed no significant difference in mortality between PD and HD in ESKD patients with cirrhosis (pooled odds ratio (OR) of 0.77; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.53-1.14). In PD patients with cirrhosis, the pooled OR for peritonitis compared to non-cirrhosis patients was 1.10 (95% CI: 1.03-1.18). The pooled ORs for hernia and chronic hypotension in cirrhosis patients compared to non-cirrhosis controls were 2.48 (95% CI: 0.08-73.04) and 17.50 (95% CI: 1.90-161.11), respectively. The pooled OR for transitioning from PD to HD among cirrhotic patients was 1.71 (95% CI: 0.76-3.85). Mortality in cirrhosis patients on PD was comparable to non-cirrhosis controls, with a pooled OR of 1.05 (95% CI: 0.53-2.10). CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis demonstrates that PD provides comparable mortality outcomes to HD in ESKD patients with cirrhosis. In addition, the presence of cirrhosis does not significantly elevate the risk of mortality among patients undergoing PD. While there is a higher incidence of chronic hypotension and a slightly increased risk of peritonitis in cirrhosis patients on PD compared to those without cirrhosis, the risks of hernia and the need to transition from PD to HD are comparable between both groups. These findings suggest PD as a viable and effective treatment option for ESKD patients with cirrhosis.

Global Trends in Kidney Stone Awareness: A Time Series Analysis from 2004-2023.

BACKGROUND: Despite the prevalence and incidence of kidney stones progressively increasing worldwide, public awareness of this condition remains unclear. Understanding trends of awareness can assist healthcare professionals and policymakers in planning and implementing targeted health interventions. This study investigated online search interest in "kidney stone" by analyzing Google Trends, focusing on stationarity of the trends and predicting future trends. METHODS: We performed time series analysis on worldwide Google monthly search data from January 2004 to November 2023. The Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test was used to assess the stationarity of the data, with a p-value below 0.05 indicating stationarity. Time series forecasting was performed using the autoregressive integrated moving average to predict future trends. RESULTS: The highest search interest for "kidney stone" (score 100) was in August 2022, while the lowest was in December 2007 (score 36). As of November 2023, search interest remained high, at 92. The ADF test was significant (p = 0.023), confirming data stationarity. The time series forecasting projected continued high public interest, likely reflecting ongoing concern and awareness. Notably, diverse regions such as Iran, the Philippines, Ecuador, the United States, and Nepal showed significant interest, suggesting widespread awareness of nephrolithiasis. CONCLUSION: This study highlighted that "kidney stone" is a consistently relevant health issue globally. The increase and stationarity of search trends, the forecasted sustained interest, and diverse regional interest emphasize the need for collaborative research and educational initiatives. This study's analysis serves as a valuable tool for shaping future healthcare policies and research directions in addressing nephrolithiasis related health challenges.

Natural Antioxidants: An Effective Strategy for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease at the Early Stage.

The critical role of oxidative stress in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been recognized by researchers recently, and natural antioxidants have been demonstrated to have anti-AD activity in animal models, such as Ginkgo biloba extract, soy isoflavones, lycopene, and so on. This paper summarized these natural antioxidants and points out that natural antioxidants always have multiple advantages which are help to deal with AD, such as clearing free radicals, regulating signal transduction, protecting mitochondrial function, and synaptic plasticity. Based on the available data, we have created a relatively complete pathway map of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and AD-related targets and concluded that oxidative stress caused by ROS is the core of AD pathogenesis. In the prospect, we introduced the concept of a combined therapeutic strategy, termed "Antioxidant-Promoting Synaptic Remodeling," highlighting the integration of antioxidant interventions with synaptic remodeling approaches as a novel avenue for therapeutic exploration.

Operation Procedure and Precautions of Lingnan Fire-Needle Therapy in Osteoporosis Model Rats.

Compared to filiform needle therapy, fire-needle therapy has both the stimulation of needles and the warming effect of heat, making it have unexpected effects on some chronic diseases and incurable diseases. Osteoporosis (OP) has a high incidence in postmenopausal women and middle-aged and elderly men, and the treatment cycle is long. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Lingnan fire-needle therapy has shown potential in treating osteoporosis. However, there is still a long way to go before it can be widely used. This article focuses on the application of Lingnan fire-needle therapy in the intervention of OP in rats. It covers the selection of needle tools, acupuncture point selection, positioning of rats' bodies, and fixation methods. We also outline the steps and precautions to be taken during and after needling with fire needles. The experiment was done with three groups: a normal group, a model group, and a fire-needle group, each containing 10 rats. The rats in the fire-needle group were treated with fire-needle intervention for six sessions. After the intervention period, we collected femoral specimens and performed micro-CT scans. The results suggest that fire needling can enhance bone morphology and mineral density in OP rats. This information can serve as a methodological basis for conducting basic research on fire-needle therapy.

How to improve ChatGPT performance for nephrologists: a technique guide.

BACKGROUND: The integration of ChatGPT into nephrology presents opportunities for enhanced decision-making and patient care. However, refining its performance to meet the specific needs of nephrologists remains a challenge. This guide offers a strategic roadmap for advancing ChatGPT's effectiveness in nephrological applications. METHODS: Utilizing the advanced capabilities of GPT-4, we customized user profiles to optimize the model's response quality for nephrological inquiries. We assessed the efficacy of chain-of-thought prompting versus standard prompting in delineating the diagnostic pathway for nephrogenic diabetes insipidus-associated hypernatremia and polyuria. Additionally, we explored the influence of integrating retrieval-augmented generation on the model's proficiency in detailing pharmacological interventions to decelerate the progression from chronic kidney disease (CKD) G3 to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), comparing it to responses without retrieval-augmented generation. RESULTS: In contrast to the standard prompting, the chain-of-thought method offers a step-by-step diagnostic process that mirrors the intricate thought processes needed for diagnosing nephrogenic diabetes insipidus-related hypernatremia and polyuria. This begins with an initial assessment, notably including a water deprivation test. After evaluating the outcomes of this test, the approach continues by identifying potential causes. Furthermore, if a patient's history suggests lithium usage, the chain-of-thought model adjusts by proposing a more customized course of action. In response to "List medication treatment to help slow progression of CKD G3 to ESKD?", GPT-4 only provides a general summary of medication options. Nevertheless, a specialized GPT-4 model equipped with a retrieval-augmented generation system delivers more precise responses, including renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. This aligns well with the 2024 KDIGO guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: GPT-4, when integrated with chain-of-thought prompting and retrieval-augmented generation techniques, demonstrates enhanced performance in the nephrology domain. This guide underscores the transformative potential of chain-of-thought and retrieval-augmented generation techniques in optimizing ChatGPT for nephrology, and highlights the ongoing need for innovative, tailored AI solutions in specialized medical fields.

Photoacoustic Tomography with Temporal Encoding Reconstruction (PATTERN) for cross-modal individual analysis of the whole brain.

Cross-modal analysis of the same whole brain is an ideal strategy to uncover brain function and dysfunction. However, it remains challenging due to the slow speed and destructiveness of traditional whole-brain optical imaging techniques. Here we develop a new platform, termed Photoacoustic Tomography with Temporal Encoding Reconstruction (PATTERN), for non-destructive, high-speed, 3D imaging of ex vivo rodent, ferret, and non-human primate brains. Using an optimally designed image acquisition scheme and an accompanying machine-learning algorithm, PATTERN extracts signals of genetically-encoded probes from photobleaching-based temporal modulation and enables reliable visualization of neural projection in the whole central nervous system with 3D isotropic resolution. Without structural and biological perturbation to the sample, PATTERN can be combined with other whole-brain imaging modalities to acquire the whole-brain image with both high resolution and morphological fidelity. Furthermore, cross-modal transcriptome analysis of an individual brain is achieved by PATTERN imaging. Together, PATTERN provides a compatible and versatile strategy for brain-wide cross-modal analysis at the individual level.

Association of the retinol to all-trans retinoic acid pathway with autism spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex group of neurodevelopmental disorders. Research has highlighted a close association between the retinoic acid (RA) signaling pathway and ASD. This study investigates alterations in the vitamin A (VA, retinol) to RA metabolic pathway in children with ASD and speculates on the underlying reasons for these changes. We propose a subtype characterized by downregulated RA signaling in ASD, laying the groundwork for precise diagnosis and treatment research. METHODS: We included 489 children with ASD and 280 typically developing (TD) children. Those with ASD underwent evaluations of core symptoms and neuro-developmental levels, which were conducted by professional developmental behavior physicians using assessment scales. Serum VA and all-trans RA (atRA) levels were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The expression levels and concentrations of enzyme molecules such as retinol dehydrogenase 10 were assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Children with ASD exhibited reduced serum atRA, accompanied by a downregulation of atRA synthesis enzymes. The reduction in serum atRA levels was linked not only to VA levels but also to the aberrant expression of metabolic enzymes responsible for atRA. Furthermore, the serum atRA levels in children with ASD were more strongly correlated with core symptoms and neurodevelopmental levels than VA levels. CONCLUSION: Children with ASD exhibited a dual regulation of reduced serum atRA levels, influenced by both VA levels and abnormal expression of atRA metabolic enzymes.

Short-chain fatty acids: Important components of the gut-brain axis against AD.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) comprises a group of neurodegenerative disorders with some changes in the brain, which could lead to the deposition of certain proteins and result in the degeneration and death of brain cells. Patients with AD manifest primarily as cognitive decline, psychiatric symptoms, and behavioural disorders. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are a class of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) produced by gut microorganisms through the fermentation of dietary fibre ingested. SCFAs, as a significant mediator of signalling, can have diverse physiological and pathological roles in the brain through the gut-brain axis, and play a positive effect on AD via multiple pathways. Firstly, differences in SCFAs and microbial changes have been stated in AD cases of humans and mice in this paper. And then, mechanisms of three main SCFAs in treating with AD have been summarized, as well as differences of gut bacteria. Finally, functions of SCFAs played in regulating intestinal flora homeostasis, modulating the immune system, and the metabolic system, which were considered to be beneficial for the treatment of AD, have been elucidated, and the key roles of gut bacteria and SCFAs were pointed out. All in all, this paper provides an overview of SCFAs and gut bacteria in AD, and can help people to understand the importance of gut-brain axis in AD.

Operation Procedure and Precautions of Thread-Embedding Acupuncture Therapy in Alzheimer.

Thread-embedding therapy (TEAT) is a treatment that prevents and manages diseases by inserting a biodegradable suture into an acupoint, providing long-lasting stimulation. TEAT is a simple approach that avoids the discomfort of regular acupuncture and provides sustained therapeutic effects. This article discusses the potential impact of TEAT on the learning and memory abilities of rats with Alzheimer's disease-like symptoms. Since chemically induced neuronal degeneration and cognitive impairments in rats does not entirely reflect the true pathological changes observed in Alzheimer's disease. Consequently, our research group has designated these manifestations as Alzheimer's disease-like symptoms. A protocol has been established to outline the selection of acupoints, the operation process, and necessary precautions for the head and lower back. The experiment was conducted on three groups: a control group, a model group, and a TEAT group, each containing 6 rats. To induce Alzheimer's disease-like symptoms, rats were intraperitoneally injected with D-galactose for 7 weeks (49 days). The rats in the TEAT group received acupoint catgut embedding treatment. Following the intervention period, a Morris Water Maze (MWM) was conducted to evaluate the rats' learning and memory. Subsequently, the rats were sacrificed, and their brain tissue was examined. A histological examination was performed to understand the effects of TEAT on the pathology of rats exhibiting symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. This study suggests that TEAT may improve learning and memory in rats with Alzheimer's disease-like symptoms, indicating a potentially promising new treatment approach for this neurodegenerative condition.

Evaluating ChatGPT's Accuracy in Responding to Patient Education Questions on Acute Kidney Injury and Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy.

INTRODUCTION: Acute kidney injury (AKI) and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) are critical areas in nephrology. The effectiveness of ChatGPT in simpler, patient education-oriented questions has not been thoroughly assessed. This study evaluates the proficiency of ChatGPT 4.0 in responding to such questions, subjected to various linguistic alterations. METHODS: Eighty-nine questions were sourced from the Mayo Clinic Handbook for educating patients on AKI and CRRT. These questions were categorized as original, paraphrased with different interrogative adverbs, paraphrased resulting in incomplete sentences, and paraphrased containing misspelled words. Two nephrologists verified the questions for medical accuracy. A χ2 test was conducted to ascertain notable discrepancies in ChatGPT 4.0's performance across these formats. RESULTS: ChatGPT provided notable accuracy in handling a variety of question formats for patient education in AKI and CRRT. Across all question types, ChatGPT demonstrated an accuracy of 97% for both original and adverb-altered questions and 98% for questions with incomplete sentences or misspellings. Specifically for AKI-related questions, the accuracy was consistently maintained at 97% for all versions. In the subset of CRRT-related questions, the tool achieved a 96% accuracy for original and adverb-altered questions, and this increased to 98% for questions with incomplete sentences or misspellings. The statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in performance across these varied question types (p value: 1.00 for AKI and 1.00 for CRRT), and there was no notable disparity between the artificial intelligence (AI)'s responses to AKI and CRRT questions (p value: 0.71). CONCLUSION: ChatGPT 4.0 demonstrates consistent and high accuracy in interpreting and responding to queries related to AKI and CRRT, irrespective of linguistic modifications. These findings suggest that ChatGPT 4.0 has the potential to be a reliable support tool in the delivery of patient education, by accurately providing information across a range of question formats. Further research is needed to explore the direct impact of AI-generated responses on patient understanding and education outcomes.

Perspectives on AI-based recommendations for mask-wearing and COVID-19 vaccination for transplant recipients in the post-COVID-19 era.

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing necessity for preventive measures such as mask-wearing and vaccination remains particularly critical for organ transplant recipients, a group highly susceptible to infections due to immunosuppressive therapy. Given that many individuals nowadays increasingly utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI), understanding AI perspectives is important. Thus, this study utilizes AI, specifically ChatGPT 4.0, to assess its perspectives in offering precise health recommendations for mask-wearing and COVID-19 vaccination tailored to this vulnerable population. Through a series of scenarios reflecting diverse environmental settings and health statuses in December 2023, we evaluated the AI's responses to gauge its precision, adaptability, and potential biases in advising high-risk patient groups. Our findings reveal that ChatGPT 4.0 consistently recommends mask-wearing in crowded and indoor environments for transplant recipients, underscoring their elevated risk. In contrast, for settings with fewer transmission risks, such as outdoor areas where social distancing is possible, the AI suggests that mask-wearing might be less imperative. Regarding vaccination guidance, the AI strongly advocates for the COVID-19 vaccine across most scenarios for kidney transplant recipients. However, it recommends a personalized consultation with healthcare providers in cases where patients express concerns about vaccine-related side effects, demonstrating an ability to adapt recommendations based on individual health considerations. While this study provides valuable insights into the current AI perspective on these important topics, it is crucial to note that the findings do not directly reflect or influence health policy. Nevertheless, given the increasing utilization of AI in various domains, understanding AI's viewpoints on such critical matters is essential for informed decision-making and future research.

Empowering inclusivity: improving readability of living kidney donation information with ChatGPT.

Background: Addressing disparities in living kidney donation requires making information accessible across literacy levels, especially important given that the average American adult reads at an 8th-grade level. This study evaluated the effectiveness of ChatGPT, an advanced AI language model, in simplifying living kidney donation information to an 8th-grade reading level or below. Methods: We used ChatGPT versions 3.5 and 4.0 to modify 27 questions and answers from Donate Life America, a key resource on living kidney donation. We measured the readability of both original and modified texts using the Flesch-Kincaid formula. A paired t-test was conducted to assess changes in readability levels, and a statistical comparison between the two ChatGPT versions was performed. Results: Originally, the FAQs had an average reading level of 9.6 ± 1.9. Post-modification, ChatGPT 3.5 achieved an average readability level of 7.72 ± 1.85, while ChatGPT 4.0 reached 4.30 ± 1.71, both with a p-value <0.001 indicating significant reduction. ChatGPT 3.5 made 59.26% of answers readable below 8th-grade level, whereas ChatGPT 4.0 did so for 96.30% of the texts. The grade level range for modified answers was 3.4-11.3 for ChatGPT 3.5 and 1-8.1 for ChatGPT 4.0. Conclusion: Both ChatGPT 3.5 and 4.0 effectively lowered the readability grade levels of complex medical information, with ChatGPT 4.0 being more effective. This suggests ChatGPT's potential role in promoting diversity and equity in living kidney donation, indicating scope for further refinement in making medical information more accessible.

Sex- and Age-Specific Prevalence of Osteopenia and Osteoporosis: Sampling Survey.

BACKGROUND: Osteopenia and osteoporosis are posing a long-term influence on the aging population's health contributing to a higher risk of mortality, loss of autonomy, hospitalization, and huge health system costs and social burden. Therefore, more pertinent data are needed to demonstrate the current state of osteoporosis. OBJECTIVE: This sampling survey seeks to assess the trends in the prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in a Chinese Han population. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study involving 16,377 participants used a multistage sampling method. Bone mineral density was measured using the quantitative ultrasonic densitometry. Student t test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to test the difference between normally and nonnormally distributed quantitative variables between male and female participants. A chi-square (χ2) test was used to compare categorized variables. Stratified analysis was conducted to describe the prevalence rates of osteoporosis (T score ≤-2.5) and osteopenia (T score -2.5 to -1.0) across age, sex, calcium intake, and menopause. A direct standardization method was used to calculate the age-standardized prevalence rates of osteoporosis and osteopenia. T-score was further categorized into quartiles (T1-T4) by age- and sex-specified groups. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of osteopenia and osteoporosis were 40.5% (6633/16,377) and 7.93% (1299/16,377), respectively, and the age-standardized prevalence rates were 27.32% (287,877,129.4/1,053,861,940) and 3.51% (36,974,582.3/1,053,861,940), respectively. There was an increase in osteopenia and osteoporosis prevalence from 21.47% (120/559) to 56.23% (754/1341) and 0.89% (5/559) to 17.23% (231/1341), respectively, as age increased from 18 years to 75 years old. The prevalence rates of osteopenia and osteoporosis were significantly higher in female participants (4238/9645, 43.94% and 1130/9645, 11.72%) than in male participants (2395/6732, 35.58% and 169/6732, 2.51%; P<.001), and in postmenopausal female participants (3638/7493, 48.55% and 1053/7493, 14.05%) than in premenopausal female participants (538/2026, 26.55% and 53/2026, 2.62%; P<.001). In addition, female participants with a history of calcium intake had a lower osteoporosis prevalence rate than female participants without any history of calcium intake in all age groups (P=.004). From low quartile to high quartile of T-score, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (752/4037, 18.63%; 779/4029, 19.33%; 769/3894, 19.75%; and 869/3879, 22.4%) and dyslipidemia (2228/4036, 55.2%; 2304/4027, 57.21%; 2306/3891, 59.26%; and 2379/3878, 61.35%) were linearly increased (P<.001), while the prevalence of cancer (112/4037, 2.77%; 110/4029, 2.73%; 103/3894, 2.65%; and 77/3879, 1.99%) was decreased (P=.03). CONCLUSIONS: Our data imply that as people age, osteopenia and osteoporosis are more common in females than in males, particularly in postmenopausal females than in premenopausal females, and bone mineral density significantly affects the prevalence of chronic diseases. These findings offer information that can be applied to intervention programs meant to prevent or lessen the burden of osteoporosis in China.

Evaluating ChatGPT's efficacy in assessing the safety of non-prescription medications and supplements in patients with kidney disease.

Background: This study investigated the efficacy of ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4 in assessing drug safety for patients with kidney diseases, comparing their performance to Micromedex, a well-established drug information source. Despite the perception of non-prescription medications and supplements as safe, risks exist, especially for those with kidney issues. The study's goal was to evaluate ChatGPT's versions for their potential in clinical decision-making regarding kidney disease patients. Method: The research involved analyzing 124 common non-prescription medications and supplements using ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4 with queries about their safety for people with kidney disease. The AI responses were categorized as "generally safe," "potentially harmful," or "unknown toxicity." Simultaneously, these medications and supplements were assessed in Micromedex using similar categories, allowing for a comparison of the concordance between the two resources. Results: Micromedex identified 85 (68.5%) medications as generally safe, 35 (28.2%) as potentially harmful, and 4 (3.2%) of unknown toxicity. ChatGPT-3.5 identified 89 (71.8%) as generally safe, 11 (8.9%) as potentially harmful, and 24 (19.3%) of unknown toxicity. GPT-4 identified 82 (66.1%) as generally safe, 29 (23.4%) as potentially harmful, and 13 (10.5%) of unknown toxicity. The overall agreement between Micromedex and ChatGPT-3.5 was 64.5% and ChatGPT-4 demonstrated a higher agreement at 81.4%. Notably, ChatGPT-3.5's suboptimal performance was primarily influenced by a lower concordance rate among supplements, standing at 60.3%. This discrepancy could be attributed to the limited data on supplements within ChatGPT-3.5, with supplements constituting 80% of medications identified as unknown. Conclusion: ChatGPT's capabilities in evaluating the safety of non-prescription drugs and supplements for kidney disease patients are modest compared to established drug information resources. Neither ChatGPT-3.5 nor ChatGPT-4 can be currently recommended as reliable drug information sources for this demographic. The results highlight the need for further improvements in the model's accuracy and reliability in the medical domain.