Accuracy of natural language processors for patients seeking inguinal hernia information.

Background: NLPs such as ChatGPT are novel sources of online healthcare information that are readily accessible and integrated into internet search tools. The accuracy of NLP-generated responses to health information questions is unknown.

Methods: We queried four NLPs (ChatGPT 3.

Evidence of depot-specific regulation of all-trans-retinoic acid biosynthesis in human adipose tissue.

The prevalence of obesity continues to rise, underscoring the need to better understand the pathways mediating adipose tissue (AT) expansion. All-trans-retinoic acid (atRA), a bioactive vitamin A metabolite, regulates adipogenesis and energy metabolism, and, in rodent studies, aberrant vitamin A metabolism appears a key facet of metabolic dysregulation. The relevance of these findings to human disease is unknown, as are the specific enzymes implicated in vitamin A metabolism within human AT.

Single institution and statewide performance of ultrasound in diagnosing appendicitis in pregnancy.

Objective: Assess the performance of ultrasound (US) in pregnant patients presenting with acute abdominal pain concerning for appendicitis.

Methods: Descriptive analysis of pregnant patients who underwent an US for acute abdominal pain over a 6-year period using data from a statewide quality improvement collaborative and a single center.

Results: Statewide, 131 pregnant patients underwent an appendectomy and 85% had an US.

Pancreatic fistulae: are we making progress?

Background/purpose: Pancreatic fistulae constitute a morbid outcome of pancreatic surgery. Yet, a definition of a pancreatic fistula does not exist that can be reliably used to report on and study this outcome. We compare reported fistula, morbidity, and mortality rates with fistula parameters in order to identify high-risk fistulae predictive of morbid outcomes.

The use of a gamma probe and radioactive technetium to identify obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.

Lower gastrointestinal bleeding is a common cause of hospital admission. This bleeding is most often secondary to diverticuli, malignancy, or colitis. Rarely, the location of lower gastrointestinal bleeding cannot be identified after exhaustive efforts with endoscopy, angiography, and other modalities.

Recurrent symptoms after fundoplication with a negative pH study--recurrent reflux or functional heartburn?

Introduction: A small cohort of patients present after antireflux surgery complaining of recurrent heartburn. Over two thirds of these patients will have a negative 24-h pH study. The aim of our study is to determine whether these patients have an associated functional disorder or abnormal cytokine activity and to examine the reproducibility of pH testing.