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Ungulates exert a strong influence on the composition and diversity of vegetation communities. However, little is known about how ungulate browsing pressure interacts with episodic disturbances such as fire and stand thinning. We assessed shrub responses to variable browsing pressure by cattle and elk in fuels treated (mechanical removal of fuels followed by prescribed burning) and non-fuels treated forest sites in northeastern Oregon, US. Seven treatment paddocks were established at each site; three with cattle exclusion and low, moderate and high elk browsing pressure, three with elk exclusion and low, moderate and high cattle browsing pressure, and one with both cattle and elk exclusion. The height, cover and number of stems of each shrub species were recorded at multiple plots within each paddock at the time of establishment and six years later. Changes in shrub species composition over the six year period were explored using multivariate analyses. Generalized Linear Mixed Models were used to determine the effect of browsing pressure on the change in shrub diversity and evenness. Vegetation composition in un-browsed paddocks changed more strongly and in different trajectories than in browsed paddocks at sites that were not fuels treated. In fuels treated sites, changes in composition were minimal for un-browsed paddocks. Shrub diversity and evenness decreased strongly in un-browsed paddocks relative to paddocks with low, moderate and high browsing pressure at non-fuels treated sites, but not at fuels treated sites. These results suggest that in the combined absence of fire, mechanical thinning and ungulate browsing, shrub diversity is reduced due to increased dominance by certain shrub species which are otherwise suppressed by ungulates and/or fuels removal. Accordingly, ungulate browsing, even at low intensities, can be used to suppress dominant shrub species and maintain diversity in the absence of episodic disturbance events.

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) globally. We described and evaluated the outcomes of patients with CHB‐HCC in Canada. In this retrospective cross‐sectional cohort study, data were analysed from CHB mono‐infected subjects seen between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2022, and entered the Canadian Hepatitis B Network Registry. Descriptive analysis and chi‐squared modelling were used to compare cohorts, followed by multivariable survival analysis regarding survival post‐diagnosis. Statistical analyses were completed in R version 2.2. Of the 6711 patients with CHB who met inclusion criteria, 232 (3.5%) developed HCC. Compared with the CHB cohort, the majority of CHB‐HCC cohort were male, SEA and HBeAg negative and born in endemic area (80% vs. 56%, 73% vs. 55%, 84% vs. 54%, 64% vs. 40% and all p < 0001). Overall, median HBV DNA level was log 2.54 (IQR: 0–4.04). Advanced liver disease, defined as minimum Fibrosis stage F3, was seen in 9.4% of overall cohort, but 92% of HCC cohort. At diagnosis, median tumour size was 2.5 cm (IQR: 1.7–4.0) and mean tumour number was 1.33 (SD: 1.33), with 81% of patients BCLC 0‐A. Fifty‐three per cent of patients were diagnosed with HCC as part of surveillance protocols. The survival rate after HCC diagnosis was 78.7%, during the median follow‐up of 52.9 months (IQR: 17–90). In multivariable analysis, survival was significantly correlated with diagnosis through the screening programme. In this large cohort of patients with CHB‐HCC, the majority of patients were detected with early‐stage HCC and received treatment with curative intent, resulting in strong survival rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study examines Avicenna’s knowledge of dental anatomy and compares it with modern dental anatomy. The aim is to identify similarities and differences between ancient and contemporary understandings of dental structure.Materials and Methods: The original Arabic text of Canon of Medicine (القانون في الطب) and its English translation (1973, AMS Press) were used. Additionally, the Turkish translation of Tahbiz al-Mathun, a commentary on Canon by Tokadī Mustafa Efendi, was referenced. The dental anatomy sections from the first book and the basic anatomy of the mouth and tongue from the third book were analyzed, translated, and compared across the Arabic, English, and Turkish versions.Results: Despite some differences, Avicenna’s dental and oral anatomy descriptions largely align with modern knowledge. The sutures and structures of the jaw bones are similar, and Avicenna notes that teeth can sense temperature, a concept consistent with the contemporary understanding of dental nerves. However, his descriptions of the nerves and their functions do not fully match current anatomical knowledge. The arteries and veins of the mouth, as described by Avicenna, generally align with today’s anatomical understanding.Conclusion: The study reveals both agreement and discrepancies between Avicenna's dental anatomy and modern knowledge. While his insights into specific structures and functions are accurate, his explanations of nerve pathways and muscle anatomy require further clarification. This work emphasizes the importance of integrating ancient medical knowledge with modern scientific understanding, providing a foundation for future research in the history of medicine.

The integration of Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) and Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) significantly enhances 5G across a variety of technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), smart cities, and industrial automation. This work explores an active RIS-assisted NOMA uplink system aimed at mitigating jamming attacks while ensuring the reliability and latency requirements of ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) applications. We investigate the potential of RIS with active elements that adjust the phase and amplitude of the received signals for robust jamming mitigation. The study incorporates finite blocklength (FBL) and Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) strategies to handle real-world complex configurations effectively. A thorough examination of various network parameters is conducted, including user transmit powers, active RIS elements amplitude, and the number of RIS elements. The paper utilizes the surrogate optimization technique, particularly the Radial Basis Function (RBF), to address the non-convex optimization problem minimizing the power consumption. The complexity of the optimization problem, involving numerous interacting variables, leads us to develop a deep regression model to predict optimal network configurations, providing a computationally efficient approach as well as reducing the signaling overhead. The findings emphasize the delicate balance required in optimizing network parameters. For instance, increasing the blocklength from 100 to 150 increases the reliability feasibility by 12.19%. The results demonstrate an optimal range for the amplitude value of active RIS elements $(2\lt \beta \lt 15)$ . Exceeding this range results in over-amplification, high latency, and lower reliability, due to the interference related to NOMA cluster users. The deep regression model converges to a weighted mean square error (WMSE) of 10.6 for RIS with 25 elements and 15.8 for larger RIS size, highlighting the effectiveness of the deep regression model and RIS configuration’s importance.

OBJECTIVE: In Türkiye, anti-tobacco legislation (Law No. 4207 on the Prevention and Control of Harms of Tobacco Products) aims to ensure a “tobacco-free” life for current and future generations. Thus, there are observations of violations in the hospitality sector. In this study, we aimed to observe the status of hospitality venues’ violation of the law in 11 different cities in Türkiye. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This descriptive study examined 772 hospitality venues in Ankara, Burdur, Diyarbakır, Giresun, Hatay, İstanbul, İzmir, Kars, Kayseri, Samsun, and Zonguldak between August 1 and October 10, 2023. The Google Forms survey, Microsoft Excel, and IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 23) programs were used for data collection, entry, and analysis. A logistic regression model was used to understand the associations between non-compliance and the characteristics of the venues. RESULTS: During the observation of indoor spaces, tobacco products were used in 282 venues (37.1%). Non-compliance in bars, pubs, traditional coffee houses, and hookah cafes was statistically significantly higher than in the other venue types [odds ratio (OR)= 3.031, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.699 to 5.408, P < 0.001]. The presence of a retractable roof and/or side wall (OR=5.362, 95% CI: 3.518 to 8.173, p < 0.001), later hour observations (OR= 2.120, 95% CI: 1.399 to 3.212, p < 0.001), and the existence of outdoor venues where smoking is permitted (OR= 3.165, 95% CI: 2.170 to 4.617, p < 0.001) also increased indoor violations. CONCLUSION: The findings provided scientific evidence that violations of Turkish anti-tobacco legislation exist in hospitality venues. The public authorities are advised to play their vital role in preventing violations in indoor spaces.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the audiological and vestibular findings of two family members with progressive sensorineural-type hearing loss at high frequencies according to age. Methods: Pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry, and immittancemetry tests were performed for audiological evaluation of the two families participating in the study. A total of 11 volunteers were included: the mother, father, and three children from the first family; and the mother-father and four children from the second family. A videonystagmography was performed to rule out neurological diseases. A computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) was performed to evaluate postural control. Audiovestibular findings were recorded by year and analyzed using SPSS v.24. program. Results: Sensorineural-type hearing loss, which was evident at high frequencies, was detected in all family members. A significant progressive deterioration was observed in the hearing thresholds of family members and in the CDP results over the years. Conclusion: This study revealed that audiovestibular follow-up is essential for genetic hearing loss. The findings demonstrated the importance of follow-up and genetic counseling in terms of progressive hearing loss, even when newborns undergo hearing screening.

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is an ecologically and economically important tree species. In Sarıkamış region, one of the important distribution areas of Scots pine, the effects of planning period, age class and social class of the tree on single tree diameter at breast height increment were investigated. For this purpose, two increment pens perpendicular to each other were taken from 268 sample trees in 67 sample areas with Pressler increment borer at breast height. Diameter increments (mm) for the last 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 15 years were measured with the help of the increment pens. The sample trees were divided into three groups as young (age group- 1), middle (age group- 2) and old (age group- 3) in terms of age and into four groups as dominant, codominant, suppressed and subdominant in terms of social class. Diameter at breast height-diameter increment values in a single tree were compared by paired t test. Diameter increments in 10-year periods were selected as control group. As a result of the comparison, dominant and codominant trees as social class; 10, 15 and 7-year periods for age group 1; 10, 7 and 15-year periods for age group 2; and 15, 10 and 7-year periods for age group 3 were more successful in explaining diameter increment in single tree.

Türkiye, which has hosted the largest number of refugees in recent years, requires remedial intervention programs to facilitate adaptation and coexistence. The irony of harmony studies that guide these interventions seem incomplete due to limited sample characteristics and a lack of attention to personality traits. Hence, we aimed to explore relationships between personality traits, identification with common ingroup identity, and support for social policies toward refugees by sampling the advantaged majority and the disadvantaged largest minority in Türkiye across two correlational studies (Ntotal = 772). In Study 1, agreeableness, extraversion, openness, narcissism, and psychopathy were associated with support for positive social policies. On the other hand, neuroticism was linked with support for negative social policies. However, when identification with common ingroup identity was included in the model, the significance of personality traits in almost all models disappeared, indicating that only the prediction of identification with common ingroup identity remained. The findings of Study 2 replicated and extended the previous result by sampling disadvantaged group members. We suggest that it may be more effective to focus on intergroup variables rather than personality traits to strengthen support for refugee policies, as the overall findings pointed out.

PURPOSE: To determine how radiology, nuclear medicine, and medical imaging journals encourage and mandate the use of reporting guidelines for artificial intelligence (AI) in their author and reviewer instructions. METHODS: The primary source of journal information and associated citation data used was the Journal Citation Reports (June 2023 release for 2022 citation data; Clarivate Analytics, UK). The first-and second-quartile journals indexed in the Science Citation Index Expanded and the Emerging Sources Citation Index were included. The author and reviewer instructions were evaluated by two independent readers, followed by an additional reader for consensus, with the assistance of automatic annotation. Encouragement and submission requirements were systematically analyzed. The reporting guidelines were grouped as AI-specific, related to modeling, and unrelated to modeling. RESULTS: Out of 102 journals, 98 were included in this study, and all of them had author instructions. Only five journals (5%) encouraged the authors to follow AI-specific reporting guidelines. Among these, three required a filled-out checklist. Reviewer instructions were found in 16 journals (16%), among which one journal (6%) encouraged the reviewers to follow AI-specific reporting guidelines without submission requirements. The proportions of author and reviewer encouragement for AI-specific reporting guidelines were statistically significantly lower compared with those for other types of guidelines (P < 0.05 for all). CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that AI-specific guidelines are not commonly encouraged and mandated (i.e., requiring a filled-out checklist) by these journals, compared with guidelines related to modeling and unrelated to modeling, leaving vast space for improvement. This meta-research study hopes to contribute to the awareness of the imaging community for AI reporting guidelines and ignite large-scale group efforts by all stakeholders, making AI research less wasteful. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This meta-research highlights the need for improved encouragement of AI-specific guidelines in radiology, nuclear medicine, and medical imaging journals. This can potentially foster greater awareness among the AI community and motivate various stakeholders to collaborate to promote more efficient and responsible AI research reporting practices.

Introduction Intensive care unit (ICU) delirium is an acute brain dysfunction that affects up to 7 out of 10 patients admitted to ICUs. Patients who develop ICU delirium cannot think clearly, have trouble paying attention, do not understand what is happening around them and may see or hear things that are not there. ICU delirium increases the time patients spend in ICUs and hospitals and therefore healthcare costs. ICU delirium is also associated with increased mortality and dementia in the longer term. ICU delirium prevention and management strategies are likely to include both pharmacological and non-pharmacological components as part of a complex intervention, but it is unclear which components should be included. The objective of this meta-review is to systematically map the quantity and certainty of the available evidence from reviews and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, which will be used to design a multicomponent intervention to prevent and manage ICU delirium.Methods and analysis A systematic search strategy was performed in MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Elsevier), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO and Web of Science (from inception to 26 September 2023), as well as Epistemonikos (from inception to 19 July 2023). We will include all critically ill adults (aged≥18 years) and any ICU delirium prevention or management intervention (pharmacological or non-pharmacological). For pharmacological interventions, we will include reviews of RCTs. For non-pharmacological interventions, we will consider reviews of RCTs, quasi-experimental and cohort studies. We will use the International Consensus Study (Del-COrS) core outcome set for research evaluating interventions to prevent or manage ICU delirium and synthesise our findings using quantitative data description methods. We will involve our Patient and Public Involvement group of people who experienced ICU delirium to develop and comment on such aspects as the research question, methodology and which outcomes are most important.Ethics and dissemination No ethical approval is required for this study. The results of this meta-review will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conferences. They will also form part of an evidence map and logic model for the prevention and management of ICU delirium.PROSPERO registration number CRD42023473260

Conclusion: This analysis highlights the significant contributions of emergency medicine researchers and the notable development of CPR literature, particularly between the late 1990s and the early 2000s. While the most-cited studies originated from journals with high H-indices, the citation frequency of these articles showed a consistent decline over time. Furthermore, impactful articles in this field were predominantly published in general medical journals rather than in specialized emergency medicine journals. This study provides a foundational resource for researchers, especially early career academicians, seeking to engage in CPR-related research.

This research focusses on wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) of carbon steel components made of 3Dprint AM35 (grade S355) by cold metal transfer-based welding process. A finite element (FE) model is developed to simulate the deposition process, and the numerical results are rigorously validated against experimental measurements, demonstrating that the temperature, deformation, and stress fields developing during the additive process can be reproduced accurately. The sensitivity of the FE model to ambient temperature, element activation strategies, alignment errors of thermocouples and strain gauges, and the use of a sequentially coupled approach is analysed. The effect of boundary conditions on the longitudinal and transverse residual stress patterns is studied, revealing that they are highly sensitive to the bolt pretension forces and substrate joining methods. However, they redistribute in a similar manner after the removal of the substrate. Guidance is provided to monitor the residual stress distribution in the fabricated component.

Ozanlık/âşıklık geleneği Türk kültür tarihinin en önemli sözlü kültür gelenekleri arasındadır. Türklerin tarih sahnesinde görülmesiyle birlikte ozanlık olarak anılan gelenek, özellikle 16. yüzyıldan itibaren Türk-İslâm senteziyle birlikte yerini âşıklık geleneğine ve âşıklara bırakmıştır. Bu bağlamda çalışmada vurgulanan ozanlık/âşıklık kronolojik bir vurguya dikkat çekmektedir. Binlerce yıllık bir süreçte oluşan ve geleneksel uygulamalarını büyük ölçüde korumuş Âşıklık geleneği Türk halk kültürünün yaşatılmasında ve gelecek kuşaklara atarılmasında hala önemli bir görev üstlenmektedir. Ozanlar/âşıklar toplumsal hayat içerisinde ortaya çıktığı ilk dönemlerden günümüze sohbet, düğün, eğlence gibi çeşitli meclislerde saz ve söz kabiliyetini sergileyen müzisyen karakteristikleriyle bilinmektedir. Doğu Anadolu bölgesi yöreleri başta olmak üzere, İç Anadolu ve Güney Anadolu’da yaygınlık gösteren geleneğin temsilcileri, diğer yöre âşıklarını büyük ölçüde etkilemiştir. Türkülerin en önemli üretim kaynağı olan ozanların/âşıkların ürettiği eserler geleneğin öğretim ve aktarım modeli olan usta-çırak ilişkisiyle hâfızalarda yer edinmiş, halka mal olmuştur. Erzurum, geçmişte olduğu gibi günümüzde de âşıklık geleneğinin yaşadığı ve yaşatıldığı önemli bir merkezdir. Son yıllarda âşıklık geleneğinin bozulmasına, unutulmasına ve yeni temsilcilerinin yetişmemesine rağmen, Erzurum yöresinde âşıklık geleneği hâlâ sürdürülmektedir. Araştırmada bu noktada yöredeki âşıklık geleneği ve bu geleneğin sürdürüldüğüne dair güncel olarak icrâ edilen âşık müziğinin temsilcilerinin eserleri konu alınmıştır. Kültürel bir çalışma olması sebebiyle araştırmada kültür analizi deseni kullanılmıştır. Literatür taramasında elde edilen veriler üzerinde betimsel bir analizle geleneğin kuramsal çerçevesi oluşturulmuş, araştırmanın içerik analizi basamağında ise, Erzurum yöresinden amaçlı örneklem yöntemiyle belirlenen âşıklarının kaynaklık ettiği iki uzun hava, dört kırık hava olmak üzere toplam altı eser notaya alınmış müzikal ve edebi açıdan analiz edilmiştir. Video kayıtlarından notaya alınan eserlerde âşıkların kendi icrâları veya ulusala mal olmuş sanatçıların icrâları esas alınmıştır. Sonuç olarak, geleneğin son dönemlerde büyük ölçüde sekteye uğradığı düşünülse de Erzurum yöresinde, geleneğe bağlı kalarak usta-çırak ilişkisinin etkisiyle hala özgün nitelikli eserlerin üretilebildiği, bu eserlerin halk tarafından benimsendiği, geleneğin sürdürüldüğü, âşık kahvehane kültürünün devam ettirildiği ve bu yolla geleneğin yeni kuşaklara aktarıldığı ortaya çıkarılmıştır.

University students often face significant mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and difficulties in adjustment, which can be exaggerated by the demands of independent living and increased life responsibilities. These challenges are often compounded by barriers to seeking help, such as stigma and limited access to university resources, which can further deteriorate students' well-being. This protocol was created to assist college students in overcoming these obstacles and to assess, in comparison to a control group, the impact of a guided and unguided online intervention platform based on transdiagnostic CBT (UNIPDES) on depression, anxiety, and adjustment levels. The calculated sample size for the study will include 330 students, and the participants will be selected from five different universities located in Türkiye. Participants will be randomly assigned to either guided, unguided, or control groups. Guided and unguided group participants will receive six weeks of intervention, and the waitlist control group will receive the unguided version of the program after twelve weeks of randomization. Assessments will take place at baseline, post-test (8 weeks post-baseline) and follow-up (12 weeks post-baseline). A Mixed ANOVA will be employed to analyze the data, with Group (Guided, Unguided, Control) as the between-subjects factor and Time (Baseline, Post-Test, Follow-Up) as the within-subjects factor, as well as to assess the interaction effect between Group and Time on the primary outcomes—changes in depression, anxiety, and adjustment levels. Additionally, students’ reasons for dropout will be assessed qualitatively. The results from this study can build evidence for the effectiveness of transdiagnostic guided and unguided internet-based intervention for treating depression, anxiety, and adjustment problems of students. UNIPDES can provide a flexible, easy-to-access, and cost-effective treatment for the problems that students commonly face. Trial registration is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol Registration and Results System (Trial number: NCT06245200).

Background The Internet has transformed global information access, particularly through platforms like YouTube, which launched in 1995 and has since become the second largest search engine worldwide with over two billion monthly users. While YouTube offers extensive educational content, including health topics like cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and basic life support (BLS), it also poses risks due to potential misinformation. Our study focuses on evaluating the accuracy of CPR and BLS videos on YouTube according to the latest 2020 American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines. This research aims to highlight inconsistencies and provide insights into improving YouTube as a reliable educational resource for both lay rescuers and healthcare professionals. Methods In this cross-sectional observational study, English YouTube videos uploaded between October 21, 2020, and May 1, 2023, were searched using keywords related to CPR and basic life support. Videos were assessed for their source, duration, views, use of human or mannequin models, and mean assessment scores by two emergency medicine physicians. A third physician’s opinion was sought in cases of disagreement. The first assessment evaluated video validity based on specified information criteria, while the second assessed their ability to convey advanced medical information aligned with the 2020 AHA guidelines. Results In this study, 201 English YouTube videos uploaded between October 21, 2020, and May 1, 2023, were evaluated based on search terms related to CPR and BLS, resulting in 95 videos meeting inclusion criteria after excluding 106 due to various reasons. Most included videos were from healthcare professionals (49.5%), followed by anonymous sources (29.5%) and official medical organizations (21.1%). Video durations ranged widely from 43 to 6,019 seconds, with an average of 692 seconds. Videos featuring mannequins predominated (91.6%), followed by those using human subjects (5.3%) or both (3.2%). Healthcare professional and official medical organization videos scoring significantly higher than those of unknown origin (p = 0.001). Video length did not correlate significantly with view counts, although shorter videos under 5 minutes tended to have higher average views. Discussion The results presented in this study demonstrated that English-language videos on YouTube related to BLS and CPR, throughout the study period, did not conform to the 2020 AHA guidelines in terms of providing basic information for lay rescuers. Furthermore, healthcare professionals cannot obtain advanced medical knowledge through these videos. We recommend a professional oversight mechanism in health-related videos that does not tolerate such misinformation.

Introduction Prolonged ambulance response times and unacceptable emergency department (ED) wait times are significant challenges in urgent and emergency care systems associated with patient harm. This scoping review aimed to evaluate the evidence base for 10 urgent and emergency care high-impact initiatives identified by the National Health Service (NHS) England.Methods A two-stage approach was employed. First, a comprehensive search for reviews (2018–2023) was conducted across PubMed, Epistemonikos and Google Scholar. Additionally, full-text searches using Google Scholar were performed for studies related to the key outcomes. In the absence of sufficient review-level evidence, relevant available primary research studies were identified through targeted MEDLINE and HMIC searches. Relevant reviews and studies were mapped to the 10 high-impact initiatives. Reviewers worked in pairs or singly to identify studies, extract, tabulate and summarise data.Results The search yielded 20 771 citations, with 48 reviews meeting the inclusion criteria across 10 sections. In the absence of substantive review-level evidence for the key outcomes, primary research studies were also sought for seven of the 10 initiatives. Evidence for interventions improving ambulance response times was generally scarce. ED wait times were commonly studied using ED length of stay, with some evidence that same day emergency care, acute frailty units, care transfer hubs and some in-patient flow interventions might reduce direct and indirect measures of wait times. Proximal evidence existed for initiatives such as urgent community response, virtual hospitals/hospital at home and inpatient flow interventions (involving flow coordinators), which did not typically evaluate the NHS England outcomes of interest.Conclusions Effective interventions were often only identifiable as components within the NHS England 10 high-impact initiative groupings. The evidence base remains limited, with substantial heterogeneity in urgent and emergency care initiatives, metrics and reporting across different studies and settings. Future research should focus on well-defined interventions while remaining sensitive to local context.

PURPOSE: To systematically investigate the impact of image preprocessing parameters on the segmentation-based reproducibility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomic features. METHODS: The MRI scans of 50 patients were included from the multi-institutional Brain Tumor Segmentation 2021 public glioma dataset. Whole tumor volumes were manually segmented by two independent readers, with the participation of eight readers. Radiomic features were extracted from two sequences: T2-weighted (T2) and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (T1ce). Two methods were considered for discretization: bin count (i.e., relative discretization) and bin width (i.e., absolute discretization). Ten discretization (five for each method) and five resampling parameters were varied while other parameters were fixed. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used for reliability analysis based on two commonly used cut-off values (0.75 and 0.90). RESULTS: Image preprocessing parameters had a significant impact on the segmentation-based reproducibility of radiomic features. The bin width method yielded more reproducible features than the bin count method. In discretization experiments using the bin width on both sequences, according to the ICC cut-off values of 0.75 and 0.90, the rate of reproducible features ranged from 70% to 84% and from 35% to 57%, respectively, with an increasing percentage trend as parameter values decreased (from 84 to 5 for T2; 100 to 6 for T1ce). In the resampling experiments, these ranged from 53% to 74% and from 10% to 20%, respectively, with an increasing percentage trend from lower to higher parameter values (physical voxel size; from 1 x 1 x 1 to 2 x 2 x 2 mm3). CONCLUSION: The segmentation-based reproducibility of radiomic features appears to be substantially influenced by discretization and resampling parameters. Our findings indicate that the bin width method should be used for discretization and lower bin width and higher resampling values should be used to allow more reproducible features.

Abstract Overall quality of radiomics research has been reported as low in literature, which constitutes a major challenge to improve. Consistent, transparent, and accurate reporting is critical, which can be accomplished with systematic use of reporting guidelines. The CheckList for EvaluAtion of Radiomics research (CLEAR) was previously developed to assist authors in reporting their radiomic research and to assist reviewers in their evaluation. To take full advantage of CLEAR, further explanation and elaboration of each item, as well as literature examples, may be useful. The main goal of this work, Explanation and Elaboration with Examples for CLEAR (CLEAR-E3), is to improve CLEAR’s usability and dissemination. In this international collaborative effort, members of the European Society of Medical Imaging Informatics−Radiomics Auditing Group searched radiomics literature to identify representative reporting examples for each CLEAR item. At least two examples, demonstrating optimal reporting, were presented for each item. All examples were selected from open-access articles, allowing users to easily consult the corresponding full-text articles. In addition to these, each CLEAR item’s explanation was further expanded and elaborated. For easier access, the resulting document is available at https://radiomic.github.io/CLEAR-E3/ . As a complementary effort to CLEAR, we anticipate that this initiative will assist authors in reporting their radiomics research with greater ease and transparency, as well as editors and reviewers in reviewing manuscripts. Relevance statement Along with the original CLEAR checklist, CLEAR-E3 is expected to provide a more in-depth understanding of the CLEAR items, as well as concrete examples for reporting and evaluating radiomic research. Key points • As a complementary effort to CLEAR, this international collaborative effort aims to assist authors in reporting their radiomics research, as well as editors and reviewers in reviewing radiomics manuscripts. • Based on positive examples from the literature selected by the EuSoMII Radiomics Auditing Group, each CLEAR item explanation was further elaborated in CLEAR-E3. • The resulting explanation and elaboration document with examples can be accessed at https://radiomic.github.io/CLEAR-E3/ . Graphical Abstract

ObjectiveMinimally invasive treatment approaches for pilonidal disease have been described as controlled tissue damage of the sinus cavity via chemical agents or lasers. Although silver is a widely used chemical for healing wounds, there are limited studies about pilonidal disease management. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of silver nitrate on pilonidal disease.Patients and MethodsPatients who were diagnosed with pilonidal disease were treated with silver nitrate application. Silver nitrate was applied in the sinus tract following the excision of the sinus orifice with a small incision and debridement of the sinus cavity. Silver nitrate sticks were used to obtain controlled damage in the tissue of the sinus cavity for three sessions on the 0, 1st, and 7th days.ResultsForty-two patients with pilonidal disease were included in this study, and silver nitrate treatment was applied in our institute. The median age of the patients was 24 (16-56), and all of the treatment procedures were applied in the operating room. Thirthy-one of the patients (78.6%) was accepted as treated at the end of the 12-month follow-up duration.ConclusionsSilver nitrate treatment is a simple, safe, and inexpensive minimally invasive treatment technique for pilonidal disease. This treatment can be an alternative treatment choice to other minimally invasive techniques. It is easy to perform in outpatient clinics, and the results of this study might be promising.

PURPOSEThe reproducibility of relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) measurements among readers with different levels of experience is a concern. This study aimed to investigate the inter-reader reproducibility of rCBV measurement of glioblastomas using the hotspot method in dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (DSC–MRI) with various strategies.METHODSIn this institutional review board-approved single-center study, 30 patients with glioblastoma were retrospectively evaluated with DSC–MRI at a 3.0 Tesla scanner. Three groups of reviewers, including neuroradiologists, general radiologists, and radiology residents, calculated the rCBV based on the number of regions of interest (ROIs) and reference areas. For statistical analysis of feature reproducibility, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland–Altman plots were used. Analyses were made among individuals, reader groups, reader-group pooling, and a population that contained all of them.RESULTSFor individuals, the highest inter-reader reproducibility was observed between neuroradiologists [ICC: 0.527; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.21–0.74] and between residents (ICC: 0.513; 95% CI: 0.20–0.73). There was poor reproducibility in the analyses of individuals with different levels of experience (ICC range: 0.296–0.335) and in reader-wise and group-wise pooling (ICC range: 0.296–0.335 and 0.397–0.427, respectively). However, an increase in ICC values was observed when five ROIs were used. In an analysis of all strategies, the ICC for the centrum semiovale was significantly higher than that for contralateral white matter (P < 0.001).CONCLUSIONThe inter-reader reproducibility of rCBV measurement was poor to moderate regardless of whether it was calculated by neuroradiologists, general radiologists, or residents, which may indicate the need for automated methods. Choosing five ROIs and using the centrum semiovale as a reference area may increase reliability for all users.

With the advent of large language models (LLMs), the artificial intelligence revolution in medicine and radiology is now more tangible than ever. Every day, an increasingly large number of articles are published that utilize LLMs in radiology. To adopt and safely implement this new technology in the field, radiologists should be familiar with its key concepts, understand at least the technical basics, and be aware of the potential risks and ethical considerations that come with it. In this review article, the authors provide an overview of the LLMs that might be relevant to the radiology community and include a brief discussion of their short history, technical basics, ChatGPT, prompt engineering, potential applications in medicine and radiology, advantages, disadvantages and risks, ethical and regulatory considerations, and future directions.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in methicillin resistance and antibiotic susceptibility of staphylococcal strains isolated from various clinical samples of patients hospitalized in intensive care units over the years. Materials and Methods: A total of 5144 staphylococcal strains isolated from various clinical specimens of inpatients in intensive care units in a university health practice and research hospital medical microbiology laboratory between January 2018 and December 2021 were (96.51%) included in the study. Bacteria identification and antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed using conventional methods and an automated systems. Results: Of the total 5144 staphylococci strains, 4503 were identified as coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) (87.54%) and 641 as Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (12.46%). Of these strains, 1451 (28.21%) were isolated from anesthesiology and reanimation intensive care unit, and 4573 (88.90%) from blood samples. The most dramatic increase in both S. aureus and CNS in 2021 occurred in levofloxacin (S. aureus 100%; CNS 99.45%) and ciprofloxacin (S. aureus 100%; CNS 98.54%). While a high rate of resistance to fusidic acid (96.51%) was observed in CNSs, the resistance, which was over 65% in S. aureus strains, decreased significantly (5.40%) in 2021. The lowest antibiotic resistance was in daptomycin, linezolid, and teicoplanin in both bacterial groups. Methicillin resistance, which was 62.31% in 2018 in S. aureus strains, decreased to 33.10% in 2021, while it decreased from 86.68% to 75.06% in CNSs. The rate of resistance to all the examined antibiotics were found to be significantly higher in CNSs. Conclusion: To prevent the development of resistance, antimicrobial resistance profiles should be determined through effective surveillance studies, and each hospital should establish its own antibiotic use policy. Additionally, it is important to ensure the rational use of antibiotics and to take effective infection control measures.