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Abundance and diversity of arthropods were compared in olive trees treated against the olive fruit fly with spinosad bait sprays and an untreated control, paying special attention to predators and parasitoids. Spinosad bait sprays did not reduce the abundance and diversity of arthropods as a whole in the canopy. However, principal response curve analysis revealed a significant deleterious effect of the treatments on natural enemies in the last of the three years of study. The most affected taxa were Anthocoridae (especiallyOriusspp.) and Aphelinidae. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

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Unlabelled: Our team explored the utility of unpaid versions of 3 artificial intelligence chatbots in offering patient-facing responses to questions about 5 common dermatological diagnoses, and highlighted the strengths and limitations of different artificial intelligence chatbots, while demonstrating how chatbots presented the most potential in tandem with dermatologists' diagnosis., (© Courtney Andrea Chau, Hao Feng, Gabriela Cobos, Joyce Park. Originally published in JMIR Dermatology (http://derma.jmir.org).)

Introduction: Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly explored for its potential applications in dermatology. Among various AI models, DALL-E 2 (San Francisco, CA: OpenAI), which generates de novoimages from textual inputs, has garnered significant attention for its remarkable photorealism. In our study, we aimed to analyze the performance of DALL-E 2 in the context of dermatology., Methods: The following 12 pediatric dermatological conditions common to ages <15 years were selected as tests: acne, atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, vitiligo, congenital melanocytic nevus, warts, molluscum contagiosum, seborrheic dermatitis, alopecia areata, infantile hemangioma, impetigo, and dermatophytosis, specifically tinea corporis. Representative morphological descriptions of each diagnosis, along with their corresponding names, were inputted into DALL-E 2 as textual prompts and subsequently compared. The accuracy of the generated images and their alignment with the intended descriptions were assessed., Results: Among the total of 24 images reported, 18 were photorealistic and six were cartoons. More cartoons were generated when providing the model with morphological descriptions as textual inputs compared to when diagnoses were inputted. While not entirely accurate, acne stood out as the only diagnosis that was the most consistent and closest to the actual diagnosis. Both images of acne portrayed erythematous papules scattered across the face. However, DALL-E 2 resulted in poor performance for the remaining eleven diagnoses. They did not accurately represent the intended diagnoses nor align with their counterpart image. Moreover, most of the generated images featured lighter skin tones., Conclusion: In assessing DALL-E 2's applications in dermatology, our study highlights the need for more domain-specific and demographically inclusive training data in its algorithms to improve performance., Competing Interests: Human subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve human participants or tissue. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Lim et al.)

Keloids and hypertrophic scars negatively impact the quality of life for millions of people in the world. Unfortunately, though many thera-peutic approaches are used to treat scars, they are often limited in efficacy with high rates of recurrence. Lately, a better understanding of the immune dysregulation of several dermatologic conditions has led to the emergence of multiple cytokine-targeted therapies for numerous conditions. Several studies have implicated T helper 2 (Th2) immune dysregulation in the development of scars and keloids, with interleukins (IL)-4 and -13 identified as pro-fibrotic mediators. Dupilumab is an IL-4 receptor alpha antagonist that inhibits the ex-pression of both IL-4 and -13. Herein, we describe a 44-year-old woman who developed numerous disfiguring hypertrophic scars and keloids after suffering from a severe herpes zoster infection. Given the number of scars, intralesional corticosteroid injections were not feasible. Therefore, treatment with systemic dupilumab was initiated. Many scars flattened, several even developing a cigarette-paper-like texture due to rapid involution. The largest and most recalcitrant keloid was further treated with intralesional dupliumab injec-tions every 2 weeks with an even more dramatic improvement noted in 2 months. To our knowledge, this is the first report of treating multiple keloids and hypertrophic scars with both systemic and intralesional dupilumab. Dermatologists may want to consider treating keloids that cover a large area with systemic dupilumab, a therapy with an established, reassuring safety profile. The most recalcitrant areas may further benefit from concentrating dupilumab by intralesional delivery. J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;22(12):1220-1222.&nbsp; doi:10.36849/JDD.6385.

The aim of this study was to determine the association between the mother’s periodontal condition and perinatal complications, such as preterm birth (PTB) and/or low birth weight (LBW), in a cohort of women in Valencia, Spain. Other related factors, such as tobacco, were also analysed. A prospective cohort study was carried out in a sample of 102 women with a single foetus and ages ranging between 18 and 42 years. Sociodemographic and obstetric variables, caries status, percentage of bleeding, clinical attachment loss (CAL), and probing pocket depth (PPD) data have been collected and analysed. The mean age was 32.4 years, and the BMI was normal. The average weight of new-borns (NB) was 3034 g. A total of 9.8% of the women smoked during their pregnancy. Bleeding percentage was 16.43% (SD 14.81%) and PPDs > 3 mm 8.8 (SD 11.08). The mean of CAL > 0 mm was 1.14 (SD 2.83). The frequency of PTB and LBW was 26%. No statistically significant differences were found between probing depth > 3 mm or CAL > 1 mm, with PTB and/or LBW. Periodontal disease in the mother was not statistically significantly related to either PTB or LBW. Tobacco use during pregnancy showed a statistical significance linked to LBW, but not with PTB.

Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest Dr Vleugels is a principal investigator for Pfizer. Dr Merola is a consultant and/or investigator for Abbvie, Dermavant, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Janssen, UCB, Celgene, Sanofi-Regeneron, Biogen, Pfizer, and Leo Pharma. If compensation is received, it is considered an honorarium. Drs Min, Mazori, Ho, Cobos, and LaChance and authors Kassamali, Gizelis, and Schaefer have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Competing Interests: None disclosed.

Raynaud&rsquo;s phenomenon (RP), a common presenting symptom of systemic sclerosis (SSc), is a painful and debilitating condition of the digits caused by increased vascular reactivity.1,2.

Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest Dr Vleugels is a principal investigator for Pfizer. Dr Merola is a consultant for Abbvie, Dermavant, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Janssen, UCB, Celgene, Biogen, Pfizer, and Leo Pharma (honoraria). Drs Min, Mazori, Cobos, LaChance and author Kassamali have no conflicts of interest to declare.

The use of genetically modified varieties tolerant to herbicides (HT varieties) and resistant to insects (Bt varieties) in combination with application of a broad-spectrum herbicide such as glyphosate could be an effective option for the simultaneous control of weeds and pests in maize. Nevertheless, the possible impact of these tools on nontarget arthropods still needs to be evaluated. In a field study in central Spain, potential changes in populations of canopy-dwelling arthropods in Bt maize under different weed management options, including glyphosate application, were investigated. Canopy-dwelling arthropods were sampled by visual inspection and yellow sticky traps. The Bt variety had no effect on any group of studied arthropods, except for the expected case of corn borers-the target pests of Bt maize. Regarding the effects of herbicide regimes, the only observed difference was a lower abundance of Cicadellidae and Mymaridae on yellow sticky traps in plots not treated with pre-emergence herbicides. This effect was especially pronounced in a treatment involving two glyphosate applications. The decrease in Cicadellidae and Mymaridae populations was associated with a higher density of weeds in plots, which may have hindered colonization of the crop by leafhoppers. These differences, however, were only significant in the last year of the study. The low likelihood of the use of glyphosate- and herbicide-tolerant varieties for weed control triggering important effects on the nontarget arthropod fauna of the maize canopy is discussed., (© 2020 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.)

Background: Appropriate patient selection is critical for successful deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson disease (PD). Subcortical atrophy is a possible determinant of postoperative DBS outcomes in patients with idiopathic PD, but it has not been well evaluated for DBS of the globus pallidus interna (GPi). We investigated perioperative subcortical atrophy measures in patients with PD and their relationship to postoperative motor response in bilateral GPi-targeted DBS., Methods: A retrospective cohort study examined correlations among indices of subcortical volumetry, disease duration, and age with postoperative outcomes at 6 months (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III motor score quotient, levodopa equivalent daily dosing, and 39-item Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire mobility subscore). Subcortical volumetry was assessed by bicaudate ratio, Evans index, and third ventricular width on perioperative imaging. Linear regression models established correlations between preoperative variables and postoperative outcomes., Results: Data from 34 patients with PD who were treated with GPi-targeted DBS were evaluated. Age was found to exhibit statistically significant positive correlations with all 3 measures of subcortical atrophy (P ≤ 0.002). None of the measures correlated with disease duration. Only Evans index and third ventricular width correlated with preoperative medication response (P < 0.05). Age and all 3 measures of atrophy exhibited statistically significant correlations with Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III motor score quotient (P ≤ 0.01), but not with levodopa equivalent daily dosing or 39-item Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire motor subscores (P > 0.05)., Conclusions: Perioperative age and subcortical atrophy as measured in this study correlated with motor responsiveness at 6 months postoperatively among patients receiving bilateral GPi-targeted DBS stimulation for PD., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is a chronic skin disease that significantly impacts quality of life (QOL). This study tested a novel method to measure QOL in CLE using willingness-to-pay (WTP) stated preferences, and aimed to determine which of nine domains of life are most affected by CLE. Twenty-one participants with CLE ranked the domains in order of impact on CLE-related QOL, and then stated how many United States dollars they would be willing to pay for a hypothetical cure for each domain. Eighty-one percent of participants were female; mean age was 42.4 years. Photosensitivity was ranked highest by 71.4% of respondents. Participants were willing to pay the most for a hypothetical cure for CLE specific to photosensitivity (median = $200,000), the least for a cure specific to self-care (median = $0). Participants were willing to pay a median of $1,000,000 for an overall cure for CLE. Limitations include a small sample size for this pilot study and that willingness-to-pay may be influenced by individual perception of money and socioeconomic factors. This study successfully pilot-tested a WTP method and ranking task for health-related QOL. Photosensitivity was the domain of life most affected by CLE, which is a domain unique to our novel tool.

Background: In patients with Parkinson disease (PD), motor symptoms coexist with several nonmotor neuropsychiatric symptoms. Various anxiety subtypes (generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder [SAD]) are more prevalent in patients with PD than in the general population., Objective: We estimated the prevalence of SAD in early patients with PD and the relationship between severity of SAD and PD symptoms., Methods: The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) III, which assess function impairment, were used to grade symptom severity among 41 patients with early PD. Ratings were compared and analyzed in relation to UPDRS subdivisions., Results: UPDRS III and LSAS scores were not significantly correlated (r = 0.23, P = 0.14), but LSAS and UPDRS I, which evaluate nonanxiety psychiatric symptoms, were significantly correlated (r = 0.44; P = 0.004) and were stronger in the group not treated for PD (r = 0.82) but were in the group treated for PD (r = 0.28), although this difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.07 using the Fisher r-to-z transformation). LSAS also correlated with total UPDRS and UPDRS II (P ≤ 0.04)., Conclusions: Results suggest that SAD symptoms in patients with PD correlate with PD symptoms as evaluated by the total UPDRS and UPDRS I and II. In our pilot study, this correlation was higher in levodopa-untreated patients with PD but was not statistically significant. Because the UPDRS III and LSAS were not statistically significantly correlated, a direct motor correlation with SAD symptoms cannot be suggested. Further investigation is needed to clarify the relationship of SAD in patients with PD and potential treatment options., (Copyright © 2020 Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus is an established therapeutic option for managing motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. We conducted a double-blind, sham-controlled, randomised controlled trial to assess subthalamic nucleus DBS, with a novel multiple independent contact current-controlled (MICC) device, in patients with Parkinson's disease., Methods: This trial took place at 23 implanting centres in the USA. Key inclusion criteria were age between 22 and 75 years, a diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease with over 5 years of motor symptoms, and stable use of anti-parkinsonian medications for 28 days before consent. Patients who passed screening criteria were implanted with the DBS device bilaterally in the subthalamic nucleus. Patients were randomly assigned in a 3:1 ratio to receive either active therapeutic stimulation settings (active group) or subtherapeutic stimulation settings (control group) for the 3-month blinded period. Randomisation took place with a computer-generated data capture system using a pre-generated randomisation table, stratified by site with random permuted blocks. During the 3-month blinded period, both patients and the assessors were masked to the treatment group while the unmasked programmer was responsible for programming and optimisation of device settings. The primary outcome was the difference in mean change from baseline visit to 3 months post-randomisation between the active and control groups in the mean number of waking hours per day with good symptom control and no troublesome dyskinesias, with no increase in anti-parkinsonian medications. Upon completion of the blinded phase, all patients received active treatment in the open-label period for up to 5 years. Primary and secondary outcomes were analysed by intention to treat. All patients who provided informed consent were included in the safety analysis. The open-label phase is ongoing with no new enrolment, and current findings are based on the prespecified interim analysis of the first 160 randomly assigned patients. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01839396., Findings: Between May 17, 2013, and Nov 30, 2017, 313 patients were enrolled across 23 sites. Of these 313 patients, 196 (63%) received the DBS implant and 191 (61%) were randomly assigned. Of the 160 patients included in the interim analysis, 121 (76%) were randomly assigned to the active group and 39 (24%) to the control group. The difference in mean change from the baseline visit (post-implant) to 3 months post-randomisation in increased ON time without troublesome dyskinesias between the active and control groups was 3·03 h (SD 4·52, 95% CI 1·3-4·7; p<0·0001). 26 serious adverse events in 20 (13%) patients occurred during the 3-month blinded period. Of these, 18 events were reported in the active group and 8 in the control group. One death was reported among the 196 patients before randomisation, which was unrelated to the procedure, device, or stimulation., Interpretation: This double-blind, sham-controlled, randomised controlled trial provides class I evidence of the safety and clinical efficacy of subthalamic nucleus DBS with a novel MICC device for the treatment of motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Future trials are needed to investigate potential benefits of producing a more defined current field using MICC technology, and its effect on clinical outcomes., Funding: Boston Scientific., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)