Choroidal Vascularity Index as a marker of health and disease: Systematic review and meta-Analyses.

The Choroidal Vascularity Index (CVI), derived from optical coherence tomography (OCT), has emerged as a potential biomarker for detecting vascular changes. Understanding its variability across physiological states, ocular conditions, and systemic diseases is crucial for its integration into clinical practice. We evaluated variations in CVI across different physiological states (e.

MPTN: A video-based multi-point tracking network for atrioventricular junction detection and tracking in cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging.

Background And Objective: To develop an end-to-end artificial intelligence solution-video-based Multi-Point Tracking Network (MPTN), for detecting and tracking atrioventricular junction (AVJ) points from cardiovascular magnetic resonance and deriving AVJ motion parameters.

Methods: The MPTN model consists of two modules: AVJ point detection and AVJ motion tracking. The detection module utilizes convolutional-based feature extraction and elastic regression to detect all candidate AVJ points.

Chronic kidney disease and incident cancer risk: an individual participant data meta-analysis.

Background: Studies examining the association of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with cancer risk have demonstrated conflicting results.

Methods: This was an individual participant data meta-analysis including 54 international cohorts contributing to the CKD Prognosis Consortium. Included cohorts had data on albuminuria [urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR)], estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), overall and site-specific cancer incidence, and established risk factors for cancer.

Cellular fibronectin exacerbates α-synuclein aggregation via integrin alpha4beta1 mediated PARP1 and SCD elevation.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and lipid metabolic disturbance may promote pathologic α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregation, accelerating the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Whether extracellular matrices are associated with those pathological mechanisms in PD remains elusive. Here, we aimed to identify if cellular fibronectin (cFn), a component of extracellular matrices, contributes to α-syn abnormality via inducing mitochondrial energy depletion or disrupting lipid homeostasis.

Genetic Basis of Sleep Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease and Parkinsonism.

Sleep dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD) includes rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, restless leg syndrome, and excessive daytime sleepiness. These sleep-related manifestations may serve as prodromal signs of PD, particularly in carriers of pathogenic mutations in the genes implicated in familial and sporadic forms of PD. Study findings underscore the importance of differentiating mutation-specific sleep phenotypes in PD.

Comparative insight: hereditary colorectal cancer registries in Iran, Singapore, and South Africa.

This study compares three hereditary colorectal cancer (CRC) registries-the Iranian Hereditary Colorectal Cancer Registry (IHCCR), the Singapore Polyposis Registry (SPR), and the University of Cape Town Familial CRC Registry-to illuminate diverse approaches to identification, management, and research across different healthcare systems. Each registry, while emphasizing patient diversity, employed unique strategies reflecting available resources and epidemiological contexts. The IHCCR, leveraging WES, revealed considerable genetic heterogeneity, including novel mutations.

Artificial intelligence oculomics for systemic health and longevity medicine: 2025 and beyond.

Purpose Of Review: With the rise of 'oculomics' and the application of advanced artificial intelligence techniques in healthy ageing, retinal imaging, the only way we can directly visualize the microvascular circulation, is expanding beyond ophthalmology into broader systemic health monitoring. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent advances in this rapidly evolving field and assess the opportunities, challenges, and future directions of the use of oculomics in translating into real-world clinical use.

Recent Findings: Retinal imaging modalities, such as color fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), OCT angiography (OCTA), and wide-field imaging, are increasingly integrated with deep learning algorithms to detect, predict, and manage a broad spectrum of systemic diseases, including cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, renal, metabolic, and neurodegenerative disorders, as well as less commonly studied conditions.

Evaluation of ophthalmic large language models: quantitative vs. qualitative methods.

Purpose Of Review: Alongside the development of large language models (LLMs) and generative artificial intelligence (AI) applications across a diverse range of clinical applications in Ophthalmology, this review highlights the importance of evaluation of LLM applications by discussing evaluation metrics commonly adopted.

Recent Findings: Generative AI applications have demonstrated encouraging performance in clinical applications of Ophthalmology. Beyond accuracy, evaluation in the form of quantitative and qualitative metrics facilitate a more nuanced assessment of LLM output responses.

Dengue and severe dengue.

SUMMARYDengue is an acute mosquito-borne viral disease that is highly prevalent throughout the tropical world. The geographic footprint of the four dengue viruses (DENV-1 to -4) that cause this disease and their mosquito vector is expanding, extending into North America and Mediterranean Europe. Furthermore, although dengue has historically been a disease that disproportionately affects children, changing population demographics and increasing travel to and from the tropics have contributed to a growing incidence in adults.

Network Meta-Analysis of Quality of Life in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Background: Although the effects of various combinations of treatments on mortality and morbidity outcomes in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) have been evaluated, the impact on quality of life is unknown. This study evaluated and compared the composite impact of pharmacological therapies on quality of life in HFrEF using a frequentist network meta-analysis and systematic review methodology.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for randomized controlled trials published between January 1, 2021 and August 10, 2024.

Visual Prostheses in the Era of Artificial Intelligence Technology.

Background: Over the past few decades, technological advancements have transformed invasive visual prostheses from theoretical concepts into real-world applications. However, functional outcomes remain limited, especially in visual acuity. This review aims to summarize current developments in retinal and cortical prostheses (RCPs) and critically assess the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in advancing these systems.

Ethnic differences in protein biomarkers of peripartum cardiomyopathy: a proteomic study on the EORP cohort.

Aims: The diagnosis of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is often delayed due to the absence of disease-specific biomarkers. Recently, serum proteins-QSOX1, adiponectin (ADIPOQ) and ITIH3-have shown potential for improving diagnostic accuracy, especially when used with NT-proBNP. However, the influence of ethnicity on their expression remains unclear.

Development and evaluation of a lightweight large language model chatbot for medication enquiry.

Large Language Models (LLMs) show promise in augmenting digital health applications. However, development and scaling of large models face computational constraints, data security concerns and limitations of internet accessibility in some regions. We developed and tested Med-Pal, a medical domain-specific LLM-chatbot fine-tuned with a fine-grained, expert curated medication-enquiry dataset consisting of 1,100 question and answer pairs.

Clinical Patterns and Prognostic Outcomes of Asian Ocular Adnexal Marginal Zone Lymphoma.

Background: Ocular adnexal marginal zone lymphoma (OAMZL) is the most common subtype of primary ocular lymphoma and has been rising in incidence in Asian populations.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 95 patients diagnosed with OAMZL within a multi-ethnic cohort from Singapore. Clinical characteristics, survival outcomes including overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) on staging F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18-FDG-PET/CT) were investigated.

Breastfeeding and Its Impact on Glucose Trends and Hypoglycaemia Risk in At-Risk Neonates: A Prospective Observational Study.

Introduction: Neonatal glucose regulation undergoes a rapid transition after birth, with glucose levels declining within the first few hours before stabilising. At-risk neonates, including those who are preterm, small-for-gestational-age (SGA), large-for-gestational-age (LGA), or born to mothers with diabetes or obesity, face an increased risk of hypoglycaemia. Early feeding is recommended to support glucose homeostasis, yet the impact of feeding type on glucose trends and hypoglycaemia risk remains unclear.

Detection and quantification of fluorescein angiography leakage: From manual grading to advances in machine learning.

Fluorescein angiography (FA) has long been a cornerstone for evaluating retinal vascular leakage in diseases like uveitis, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration, but its interpretation relies on subjective grading that can vary between clinicians. With the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), there is a push to transform this qualitative assessment into objective, quantifiable metrics. We conducted a comprehensive literature search using PubMed, Embase, and Scopus, combining keywords and MeSH terms related to fluorescein angiography leakage, artificial intelligence, and retinal vascular diseases.

Macular Buckle, Vitrectomy or combined approach for the management of Macular Hole Retinal Detachment: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Topic: There is no consensus regarding management of macular hole retinal detachment (MHRD). Techniques such as trans pars plana vitrectomy (TPPV), macular buckle (MB), and combined approach have been described.

Clinical Relevance: To review anatomical and functional outcomes of different surgical interventions for MHRD.

Robust evaluation of vaccine effects based on estimation of vaccine efficacy curve.

The Cox model and its extensions assuming proportional hazards is widely used to estimate vaccine efficacy (VE). However, when VE wanes over time, estimates can become sensitive to study duration and timing of vaccine delivery relative to disease seasonality, and may be biased due to sample attrition. Additionally, estimates of vaccine impact such as number of cases averted (NCA) are sensitive to background disease incidence and timing of vaccine delivery.

Molecular Detection and Isolation of Species in Bats and Their Ectoparasites Along the China-Myanmar Border.

are parasitic pathogens that infect many mammals, including humans, and cause significant diseases. This study investigates the presence, genetic diversity, and tissue tropism of in bats and their ectoparasites along the China-Myanmar border. Bats and ectoparasites were collected from Yingjiang, Ruili, and Gengma Counties.

Enhanced versus standard fortification of pasteurized donor human milk for growth in very low birth weight infants: a randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: Very-low-birthweight (VLBW) infants on pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) have poorer growth compared to infants on fortified mother's milk, suggesting that standard fortification methods for PDHM are inadequate.

Methods: We designed a randomized controlled trial to determine whether an enhanced method of fortification (EF) improved growth in VLBW infants compared to standard fortification (SF). VLBW infants admitted to our tertiary-level neonatal intensive care unit were randomized to receive a bovine powdered human milk fortifier (HMF) added to PDHM (SF), or specially selected high-fat PDHM (fat concentration ≥3.

REFINE2: A simplified simulation tool to help epidemiologists evaluate the suitability and sensitivity of effect estimation within user-specified data.

Epidemiologists have access to various methods to reduce bias and improve statistical efficiency in effect estimation, from standard multivariable regression to state-of-the-art doubly-robust efficient estimators paired with highly flexible, data-adaptive algorithms ("machine learning"). However, due to numerous assumptions and trade-offs, epidemiologists face practical difficulties in recognizing which method, if any, may be suitable for their specific data and hypotheses. Importantly, relative advantages are necessarily context-specific (data structure, algorithms, model misspecification), limiting the utility of universal guidance.

Chromosome-scale genome assembly and gene annotation of the hydrothermal vent annelid Alvinella pompejana yield insight into animal evolution in extreme environments.

Background: The Pompeii worm Alvinella pompejana, a terebellid annelid, has long been an exemplar of a metazoan that lives in an extreme environment, on the chimney wall of deep-sea hydrothermal vents, but this very environment has made it difficult to study. Comprehensive assessment of Alvinella pompejana genome content, and the factors that could explain its ability to thrive in seemingly hostile conditions has been lacking.

Results: We report the chromosome-level genome sequence of Alvinella pompejana and population-level sequence variants.