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Works (1066)

51. Intravenous and Subcutaneous Pharmacokinetic Modeling to Support the Development of Long-Acting Multipurpose Prevention Technology for HIV and Pregnancy

Title Tesim:: Intravenous and Subcutaneous Pharmacokinetic Modeling to Support the Development of Long-Acting Multipurpose Prevention Technology for HIV and Pregnancy
Creator:: Sykes, Craig, Engel, Nathan, Le, Thy, Schauer, Amanda P., Cottrell, Mackenzie, Oliveira, Daniel, Benhabbour, Soumya Rahima, and King, Jasmine L.
Date of publication:: April 10, 2026
Abstract Tesim:: Background/Objectives: Women and girls, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, face high risks for both HIV and unintended pregnancy. Inconsistent condom use underscores the need for new multipurpose prevention technologies (MPTs) that combine HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and contraception. Long-acting (LA) injectables are especially promising. To this end, an LA cabotegravir (CAB)/medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) in situ-forming implant (ISFI) has been developed. We report pharmacokinetic (PK) modeling to characterize CAB and MPA disposition and absorption to support the development of the MPT ISFI. Methods: Female BALB/c mice received single intravenous (IV) or subcutaneous (SQ) bolus doses of CAB or MPA. Sparse plasma samples were collected (~3 mice/timepoint) for PK analysis by LC-MS/MS. Noncompartmental analysis assessed SQ bioavailability. Macroparameterized compartmental PK models were fit to IV data to derive unit impulse responses (UIRs) for each drug. Results: CAB and MPA exhibited 61% and 42% bioavailability, respectively. CAB IV PK was best described by a two-compartment model with macroconstant parameters: A = 16,621 ng/mL, α = 4.52 h−1, B = 30,206 ng/mL, and β = 0.053 h−1. MPA IV PK was also best described by a two-compartment model, with A = 2506 ng/mL, α = 10.5 h−1, B = 439 ng/mL, and β = 0.65 h−1. These values define the UIR for CAB and MPA. Conclusions: Our IV PK modeling framework fully characterizes CAB/MPA disposition in mouse, enabling downstream deconvolution-based estimation of absorption from controlled-release formulations. This provides a foundation for in vitro–in vivo correlation, facilitating preclinical evaluation of long-acting formulations such as ISFIs.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, and UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/t9b1-sr89
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: Dimensions ID: pub.1200386914 and DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14040873
ISSN:: 2227-9059
Journal Issue:: 4
Journal Title:: Biomedicines
Journal Volume:: 14
Keyword:: acetate, long-acting formulation, LC-MS/MS, pre-exposure prophylaxis, use, Africa, PK model, implantation, bioavailability, preclinical evaluation, two-compartment model, situ-forming implants, data, vitro-in vivo correlation, contraception, unintended pregnancy, development, framework, UIR, prophylaxis, PrEP, prevention technologies, women, absorption, IV data, sub-Saharan Africa, cab, drug, plasma samples, disposition, response, modeling framework, multipurpose prevention technologies, pharmacokinetic model, model, female BALB/c mice, pregnancy, samples, inconsistent condom use, controlled-release formulation, HIV, injection, BALB/c mice, impulse, IV, MPa, technology, estimation, ISFIs, PK analysis, girls, values, analysis, long-acting, compartmental PK model, impulse response, mice, formulation, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, condom use, risk, noncompartmental analysis, parameters, and correlation
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
ORCID:: , https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6948-5202, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7026-7224, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0291-5111, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4738-5871, and https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8986-6868
Other Affiliation:
Page Start:: 873
Person:: Sykes, Craig, Engel, Nathan, Le, Thy, Schauer, Amanda P., Cottrell, Mackenzie, Oliveira, Daniel, Benhabbour, Soumya Rahima, and King, Jasmine L.
Publisher:: MDPI
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

52. Artificial Intelligence in Ocular Surface Tumors: Current Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions

Title Tesim:: Artificial Intelligence in Ocular Surface Tumors: Current Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions
Creator:: Salari, Farhad, Rahimi, Shakiba, Soleimani, Mohammad, Toghyani DolatAbadi, Mohammadreza, Bayan, Nikoo, and Ghanbari, Hamidreza
Date of publication:: 2026
Abstract Tesim:: Ocular surface tumors (OSTs) are rare but potentially life-threatening neoplasms encompassing entities such as ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN), conjunctival melanoma, and lymphoma. Accurate diagnosis often requires expert ophthalmologists and pathologists, compounded by the reliance on advanced imaging modalities, with excisional biopsy being the gold standard. These limitations underscore the need for less invasive, accessible diagnostic approaches, where artificial intelligence (AI) holds significant promise. This review provides a comprehensive overview of AI advancements in OST management. It begins with definitions of AI and its key branches, followed by an examination of AI models applied to ophthalmic tumors using imaging data. Current developments in AI-related diagnostic tools for OSTs are discussed, highlighting their potential to enhance patient management, with classifications based on imaging modalities and specific OST types. Finally, the review addresses main challenges in AI implementation, including data limitations and ethical considerations, while outlining future directions to integrate AI into clinical ophthalmology practice. By bridging technological innovation with clinical needs, AI shows promise in OST diagnosis and management, ultimately improving outcomes in this challenging condition.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: School of Medicine and Department of Ophthalmology
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/e0t1-ya66
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16071103, PMID: 41975814, and PMCID: PMC13072765
ISSN:: 2075-4418
Journal Issue:: 7
Journal Title:: Diagnostics
Journal Volume:: 16
Keyword:: patient engagement, sexual dysfunction, glaucoma, Lobectomy, antineoplastic protocols, TSS = transsphenoidal surgery, testicular plasmacytoma, SRS = stereotactic radiosurgery, exploratory pilot study, Instability, participation, hyperactive rhizopathy, literature review, virtual reality, Streptozotocin, fungal antagonists, Simulation-based education, conjunctival melanoma, few-cycle pulse, natural products, Artificial Intelligence, chromosomal abnormalities, rapid recurrence, trigeminal neuralgia, ultrasound, cytotoxic drugs, Deep learning, codon usage bias, Biota/FAPESP, attitudes, adolescents, realist synthesis, metabolic risk factors, municipal care, health care accessibility, GI = gastrointestinal, thoracolumbar spine, POD = postoperative day, conjunctival lymphoma, treatment options, orbitocranial tumor, severe malaria, the Yellow Sea, portal hypertension (PHT), MEK = mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, Hybrid, intraspecific aggression, PNS = peripheral nervous system, spinal deformity, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, virtual patients, honey extracts, housing affordability, olfactory training, FGF21, AR = augmented reality, Erhai lake, systems, Healthcare education, forensic odontology, preadipocytes, occupational exposure, health outcomes, sepsis, Dosage optimization, cost-effectiveness, bite mark analysis, fracture repair, corn silage, IPL = inferior parasellar ligament, mental health, RF = radiofrequency, salivary cortisol, electronic patient-reported outcome measure, gastrointestinal, eosinophilic granuloma, area of compression, hollow-core fiber, nursing students, musculoskeletal pain, likelihood ratio, microdiscectomy, feature engineering, dysphasia, concept development, Hormones, COVID-19, person-centered care, ICA = internal carotid artery, existential philosophy, phenolics, laboratory diagnosis, physician-led factors, responsible artificial intelligence, blood carotenoids, SMA = supplementary motor area, explainable artificial intelligence, youth, Professional identity, Stereotactic body radiation therapy, disconnection, social cognitive theory, molecular mechanism, environmental modulation, macroalgal bloom, inter-canine distance (I-CD), bile duct, intrinsic capacity, synovial fluid, biliary atresia, gastrointestinal functionality, upper limb function, RFA = radiofrequency thermoablation, training, Dislocation, surveillance activities, caregivers, Bethesda system, human disease, Mirabilis jalapa, SWI = susceptibility-weighted imaging, large language model, personalized recommendations, IGF-1 = insulin-like growth factor-1, nordic musculoskeletal symptoms questionnaire, electronic patient-reported experience measure, stroke, cauda equina neuroendocrine tumor, family environment, Essential medicine, overweight, augmented reality, multidrug-resistant bacteria, IAC = internal auditory canal, clinical trial, viral hepatitis, urinary dysfunction, PGIC = Patient Global Impression of Change, ecophysiology, egg production system, inter-system concordance, scoping review, Shokunin, Multiple primary lung cancers, clinical decision support, MRC = Medical Research Council, meningitis, farmed animal welfare, digital dentistry, molnupiravir, NC = nucleus caudalis, OPG = optic pathway glioma, male patients, escape rooms, hematology, TN = trigeminal neuralgia, proliferation and differentiation, cirrhosis, user engagement, lumbar disc herniation, paper-based records, sustainability, allergy audit, CN = cranial nerve, microalgae cultivation, Ecological environmental management, Schistosomiasis, depression, myopia control, drug Kardex, cesarean section, Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, oral radiology, Drug shortage, measles virus, URLN = upper reference limit of normal, simple sequence repeats (SSRs), vagus nerve, ACTH, Orobanchaceae, damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP), fixed-bed bioreactor, ACR TI-RADS, CES-R = retention-type CES, mental well-being, persistent poverty, MDD = major depressive disorder, molecular characterisation, cyberaggression, FGF8, transcriptome analysis, aesthetic experience, ribavirin, digital well-being, gene regulatory network (GRN) inference, metastatic ameloblastoma, Fisher’s information matrix, genomic structure, responsible AI, non-invasive parameters scores, prevention, consumer perception, MVD = microvascular decompression, skull base, green energy, Epistemology, antigen-presenting cell, myogenesis, ITS-2, phylogenetic analysis, decompressive hemicraniectomy, bacterial–fungal community, Orthodontics, nursing informatics, inflammatory bowel disease, OGTT = oral glucose tolerance test, social determinants of health, neoadjuvant therapy, social determinants, Egypt, headache, drug allergy documentation, 1753, clinical outcome, Hybrid-pathotype, dental imaging, data preprocessing, atropine, driver mutations, PET-CT, mitochondrial genome, chemotherapy, congenital anomalies, ODI = Oswestry Disability Index, lung neoplasms, integrative bioinformatics, phytochemicals, myocyte, patient safety, SSA = somatostatin analog, India, overall survival (OS), extracellular vesicles, veterans, Enhanced Recovery after Surgery, S. cerevisiae, artificial intelligence, clinical reasoning, diffusion of innovation, interview, SESN3, behavioral adoption, international classification of diseases 11th revision (ICD-11), IIEF-5 = 5-item International Index of Erectile Function, pharmacy practices, Economic evaluation, logic-in-memory, stress, global epidemiology, health knowledge, ECOG = electrocorticography, treatment, Continuous outcomes, triticale silage, PhIP-Seq, respiratory disease, Artificial intelligence, spontaneous regression, TR-NC = tractotomy-nucleotomy, overexpression, SQSTM1/p62, unilateral biportal endoscopy, Schistosomiasis control, Important, ST-elevation myocardial infarction, co-design, social needs, chemotherapeutic drugs, intradural spinal tumor, liver fibrosis, thyroxine, differential diagnosis, ocular surface squamous neoplasia, Craftsmanship, self-administered, root entry zone, spin orbit torque, calcium channel, economic, age-standardized incidence rate, cytotoxicity, essential oil, informatics, mHealth, testicular mass, electrocardiogram, visual rehabilitation, Evidence-based dentistry, decisional conflict, synthetic antiferromagnet, Health technology assessment, trigeminal neuropathic pain, Raman spectroscopy, Drug importation, fatigue, non-invasive, Whole genome sequencing, giant disc herniation, Liver Cirrhosis, GHRA = GH receptor antagonist, AIMS-OD, context-dependent behavior, textile electrodes, mental health services, first 1000 days, plasma cell neoplasm, Confidence intervals, diagnostic accuracy, DA = dopamine agonist, malnutrition, knee pain, forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii), Lung cancer, Metabolic Dysregulation, sarcoma, practice pattern, chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), N-hydroxycytidine, emergency department, epilepsy, RNA editing, patch-type ultrasound, prostate-specific antigen, corolla movement, nasopharyngeal microbiome, Analgesic Cocktail, Tranexamic Acid, Migrant health, GLP-1RA, genetic disorders, surface electromyography, pain intensity, smart textiles, Sestrins, eating disorders, translation, Liver Function Tests, Patient engagement, Lake governance, meniscal tear, horses, health equity, SLR = straight leg raise, telemedicine, stairclimbing wheelchair , antioxidant capacity, actionable mutations, mesenchymal stem cells, tumor, fecal microbiota, interfragmentary compression, combined immunodeficiency, Delphi survey, erythrocyte positivity, EMA = epithelial membrane antigen, MASH, oropharyngeal dysphagia, ICD-10 coding, Joint, MHC class I, genetics, real-world study, teachers, institute-based monitoring, Pain, Large Language Models, corneal toxicity, SF-36 = 36-item Short-Form Health Survey, patient-centered care, microbial dysbiosis, inflammatory phenotype, EOL care, systematic review, physical activity tracking, WORMS, neuroplasticity, adolescents and young adults, VA = vertebral artery, trigeminal nerve, CENET = cauda equina neuroendocrine tumor, Spinopelvic mobility, cortical lag screws, ARFID, UBE = unilateral biportal endoscopic, broiler performance, FFL = fluid-fluid level, fetal MRI, digital health, Alzheimer’s disease, IC, COM-B model, harmful algae, hTERT, extramedullary disease, comparative genomics, prostate cancer, sEMG, poultry farming, microscopic propagules, DT, delivery of health care, AA, clinical prediction models, hemispherotomy, stereotactic radiosurgery, wellness tourism, cervical cancer, fibrosis, MTF = military treatment facility, refractive errors, photonic crystal fiber, Multiple serous effusions, pilot evaluation, health services needs and demand, treatment planning, sex, headless compression screws, Inflammatory Biomarkers, diagnosis, co-mutations, liver, metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease, views, genomic cluster, explainable AI, shared decision-making, TCR-Seq, CD8α deficiency, alcohol-associated liver disease, hemodynamic monitoring, quality improvement, Local Infiltration Analgesia, coding scheme, autonomous Republic of Adjara, Philosophy of science., SESN2, Virulence, TNP = trigeminal neuropathic pain, pediatric, artificial synapse, social determinant of health, Total Knee Arthroplasty, clinical notes, CES = cauda equina syndrome, stylistic features, transplant, muramidase, sunken flap syndrome, minimally invasive, obesity, gadoxetic-acid-enhanced MRI, generative artificial intelligence, acromegaly, decision aids, alert app, post-partum, SS = superficial siderosis, Total hip arthroplasty, congenital malformations, autophagy, genetic mutations, optical parametric chirped pulse amplification, host–mycobiome interaction, Elaeagnus oxycarpa, PPAR, digital twin, health and life insurance, ergonomic design, STEMI, digital follow-up, large language models, heart rate, LCH = Langerhans cell histiocytosis, ocular adverse events, behavioral variability, visual symptoms, case report, massive brain swelling after cranioplasty, wearable device, Dunaliella salina, children, swallowing disorders, NF1 = neurofibromatosis type, Whipple’s disease, colorimetric sensing, double-duty actions, food avoidance, Ovariectomy, forensic genetics, TikTok, rural, H2O2, Reflection, CES-I = incomplete CES, medication safety, cognitive impairment, screening services, postoperative pain, radiofrequency ablation, playfulness, Machine learning, brown bear, transient elastography, neurosurgery, thyroid nodules, sinopulmonary infection, mirvetuximab soravtansine, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, diagnostic performance, beliefs, protocol, serious games, cancer, Clinical prediction models, phylogeny, Sample size, EG = eosinophilic granuloma, knee osteoarthritis, microvascular decompression, autonomic dysfunction, pilot randomized controlled trial, autoimmune, non-small-cell lung carcinoma, Mn-CeO2, milk composition, cytokine, spinal cord displacement, ocular surface tumors, MWCS = medial wall of the cavernous sinus, surface electrodes, Patient and public involvement, neurovascular conflict, vision, coffee leaf rust, UBED = UBE discectomy, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta, sheep, PTTN = posttraumatic TNP, fine-needle aspiration biopsy, mobile phone, health-related quality of life, massage therapy, primary health care, Praziquantel, prenatal diagnosis, minimum inhibitory concentration, SSF = sinking skin flap, resveratrol, medication experience, chronic disease, heparin-binding protein, behavioral individuality, prehospital-hospital coordination, GKRS = Gamma Knife radiosurgery, qualitative research, pre-exposure prophylaxis, peroxidase activity, ENT = ear, nose, and throat, Tropheryma whipplei, anxiety, fascial closure, GAD = generalized anxiety disorder, VAS = visual analog scale, GCKR, plasma, bright light, behavior change interventions, adapted interventions, wearables, Gamma Knife, early mobilization, foliose liverwort, ponies, Cohen’s kappa, Cytotoxicity, DTI = diffusion tensor imaging, T cell responses against teast, therapeutic effect, Italy, distribution models, treatment outcome, Delivery of health care, older adults, D. melanogaster, CD14+CD16− monocytes, data dashboard, mixed methods, antigen presentation, safe handling, practice, cervical meningocele, GFAP = glial fibrillary acidic protein, phycoremediation, mobile health, intracranial hypotension, Medicine access, SESN1, SQUIRE, Intracerebroventricular, nutrition surveillance, core outcome sets, machine learning, history taking, antiproliferative, GH = growth hormone, neurodegenerative diseases, arthroplasty, retrospective cohort study, yoga, machine learning-based gene panel discovery, PRFT = pulsed radiofrequency therapy, disability, Aging, team performance, amyloid and tau pathology, lifestyle medicine, instrument development, NF-κB signaling pathway, maximum voluntary contraction, gait analysis, etiology, lifeworld theory, Pedicularis henryi, socio-ecological factors, PICA = posterior inferior cerebellar artery, biopsy, subjective cognitive decline, lactating dairy cows, core needle biopsy, Infectious diseases of poverty, comorbidity, QUADAS-3, mindfulness, mixed-methods study, Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, OR = operating room, SWOT-ANP-ADAM approach, postoperative cerebral edema, Neglected tropical diseases, Ulva Linnaeus, CCL = carotidoclinoidal ligament, meta-analysis, superficial siderosis, flavonoids, online mind-body interventions, Pathogenic Escherichia coli, donkeys, electroencephalography, cerebral palsy, dural ectasia, theory-driven intervention, treatment delay, medical education, implementation, artificial neuron, potassium channel, intestinal morphology, TAM, B cell responses against yeast, Pakistan, mycoparasitism, Systemic Inflammation Response Index, serum, survival, technology acceptance model, human factors engineering, animal personality, taguchi design, rehabilitation, genetic susceptibility, avatar, medial wall of the cavernous sinus, Surgery, ventriculitis, chloroplast genome, neurofibromatosis type 1, MBSC = massive brain swelling after cranioplasty, completeness, cholestasis, cauda equina syndrome, electronic health records, data-survey, biomarkers, multivariable cox analysis, Ghana, Deliberate practice, burnout, Schistosoma japonicum, feasibility study, Oxidative stress, cerebrospinal fluid, GGT-to-Lymphocyte Ratio, T cells, biliary epithelial cells, autism spectrum disorder, lung cancer, Spine-hip relationship, user-centered design, longitudinal study, AI, machine translation, chronic hepatitis E, patient participation, DC = decompressive craniectomy, antibody response against yeast, ambulatory surgery, psychometrics, Neuroinflammation, physical activity, Convincing, single-cell transcriptomics analysis, aura phenomenology, ASC = ambulatory surgery center, life course, health behavior, Cognitive debt, design consistency, Georgia, likert scale, sEEG = stereo-electroencephalography, IR = interventional radiology, group chats, Isotachis, ICP = intracranial pressure, medical informatics, inflammation, myopia, optic pathway glioma, aging, usability evaluation, pituitary adenoma, clinical trials, gamification, gene expression, antibody–drug conjugates, Homelessness, bystander intervention, MASLD, hepatocellular carcinoma, ultrabroadband pulse, Fairness, consultation summary, survivors of cancer, PSA screening, epileptic focus localization, and students
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
ORCID:: , https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6546-3546, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7264-0953, and https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1480-8393
Other Affiliation:: Eye Research Center, Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, , and School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Person:: Salari, Farhad, Rahimi, Shakiba, Soleimani, Mohammad, Toghyani DolatAbadi, Mohammadreza, Bayan, Nikoo, and Ghanbari, Hamidreza
Publisher:: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

53. Hierarchical YOLO-SAM: A Scalable Pipeline for Automated Segmentation and Morphometric Tracking of Coral Recruits in Time-Series Microscopy

Title Tesim:: Hierarchical YOLO-SAM: A Scalable Pipeline for Automated Segmentation and Morphometric Tracking of Coral Recruits in Time-Series Microscopy
Creator:: Van Horn, Meg, Chen, Cuixian, Zhao, Richard S., and Fogarty, Nicole D.
Date of publication:: April 8, 2026
Abstract Tesim:: Coral reef ecosystems are declining rapidly due to climate change, disease, and anthropogenic stressors, driving the expansion of land-based coral propagation for reef restoration. A major bottleneck in these efforts is the manual measurement of coral recruit tissue area from microscopy images, which requires 2–7 min per image and limits scalability. We present a hierarchical deep learning pipeline that automates this measurement by integrating YOLO-based detection with Segment Anything Model (SAM) segmentation. YOLO localizes recruits and classifies them by developmental stage; stage-specific fine-tuned SAM models then segment live tissue using bounding box and background point prompts to suppress segmentation leakage and improve boundary precision. Surface area is computed directly from the segmented masks using pixel size extracted from image metadata. The pipeline reduces processing time to approximately 3–5 s per image—a 24–140× speedup over manual tracing. Evaluated on 3668 microscopy images from two national coral research facilities, the system achieves a mean IoU exceeding 95% and an auto-acceptance rate (AAR) of 71.51%, where predicted-to-ground-truth area ratios fall within a ±5% tolerance of expert annotation, substantially reducing manual workload while maintaining measurement reliability across species, developmental stages, and imaging conditions. This workflow addresses a critical bottleneck in restoration research and demonstrates the broader applicability of AI-based image analysis in marine ecology.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: College of Arts and Sciences and Department of Computer Science
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/r04e-1b98
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: Dimensions ID: pub.1200319247 and DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/s26082291
ISSN:: 1424-8220
Journal Issue:: 8
Journal Title:: Sensors
Journal Volume:: 26
Keyword:: species, microscopy images, tolerance, surface area, automated segmentation, measurements, disease, bounds, pixel size, images, process, annotation, scalable pipeline, system, climate change, surface, model, workflow, propagation, measurement reliability, stage, pixel, tissue area, restoration, research facilities, YOLO, bounding boxes, developmental stages, time series, size, restoration research, coral recruitment, metadata, facilities, precision, tissue, coral reef ecosystems, ecology, climate, conditions, stressors, microscopy, changes, IoU, deep learning pipeline, manual tracing, imaging conditions, rate, leakage, corals, reliability, segmentation leakage, manual workload, recruitment, living tissues, expansion, reefs, bottleneck, anthropogenic stressors, morphometrics, automation, scalability, image analysis, detection, boundary precision, workload, box, area, manual measurements, marine ecology, ratio, ecosystem, approximately 3, reef restoration, AI-based image analysis, coral propagation, reef ecosystems, learning pipeline, research, analysis, image metadata, pipeline, trace, expert annotations, area ratio, applications, and segments
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: Department of Biology and Marine Biology, Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA, and
Page Start:: 2291
Person:: Van Horn, Meg, Chen, Cuixian, Zhao, Richard S., and Fogarty, Nicole D.
Publisher:: MDPI
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

54. Artificial Intelligence in Ocular Surface Tumors: Current Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions

Title Tesim:: Artificial Intelligence in Ocular Surface Tumors: Current Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions
Creator:: Bayan, Nikoo, Soleimani, Mohammad, Salari, Farhad, Toghyani DolatAbadi, Mohammadreza, Rahimi, Shakiba, and Ghanbari, Hamidreza
Date of publication:: April 6, 2026
Abstract Tesim:: Ocular surface tumors (OSTs) are rare but potentially life-threatening neoplasms encompassing entities such as ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN), conjunctival melanoma, and lymphoma. Accurate diagnosis often requires expert ophthalmologists and pathologists, compounded by the reliance on advanced imaging modalities, with excisional biopsy being the gold standard. These limitations underscore the need for less invasive, accessible diagnostic approaches, where artificial intelligence (AI) holds significant promise. This review provides a comprehensive overview of AI advancements in OST management. It begins with definitions of AI and its key branches, followed by an examination of AI models applied to ophthalmic tumors using imaging data. Current developments in AI-related diagnostic tools for OSTs are discussed, highlighting their potential to enhance patient management, with classifications based on imaging modalities and specific OST types. Finally, the review addresses main challenges in AI implementation, including data limitations and ethical considerations, while outlining future directions to integrate AI into clinical ophthalmology practice. By bridging technological innovation with clinical needs, AI shows promise in OST diagnosis and management, ultimately improving outcomes in this challenging condition.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: School of Medicine and Department of Ophthalmology
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/qkv4-he97
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16071103 and Dimensions ID: pub.1200198356
ISSN:: 2075-4418
Journal Issue:: 7
Journal Title:: Diagnostics
Journal Volume:: 16
Keyword:: type, ethical considerations, limitations, squamous neoplasia, considerations, accurate diagnosis, overview, conjunctival, model, direction, images, challenges, biopsy, data, advanced imaging modalities, intelligence, review, approach, excisional biopsy, diagnostic approach, expert ophthalmologists, pathologists, neoplasia, comprehensive overview, melanoma, neoplasms, entities, ophthalmic tumors, diagnostic tool, clinical ophthalmology practice, AI advancements, standards, life-threatening neoplasm, classification, implementation, gold, advances, lymphoma, ophthalmology practice, tumor, surface tumors, needs, technological innovation, tools, management, definition of AI, ocular surface tumors, AI models, AI implementation, patients, modalities, data limitations, potential, diagnosis, development, outcomes, conditions, gold standard, ophthalmologists, image data, practice, definition, artificial intelligence, conjunctival melanoma, experts, innovation, examination, clinical need, ocular surface squamous neoplasia, branches, patient management, and imaging modalities
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, , Eye Research Center, Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran, and School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Page Start:: 1103
Person:: Bayan, Nikoo, Soleimani, Mohammad, Salari, Farhad, Toghyani DolatAbadi, Mohammadreza, Rahimi, Shakiba, and Ghanbari, Hamidreza
Publisher:: MDPI
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

55. Determinants of Cochlear Implant Evaluation Completion and Uptake in Children

Title Tesim:: Determinants of Cochlear Implant Evaluation Completion and Uptake in Children
Creator:: Sapp, Caitlin, Woodard, Jennifer S., Richter, Margaret E., Turner, Dahvae, Park, Lisa R., Dillon, Margaret T., and Culbertson, Shannon R.
Date of publication:: April 4, 2026
Abstract Tesim:: Background/Objectives: Approximately half of US children who meet traditional cochlear implant (CI) candidacy criteria receive an implant. As candidacy expands to include a broader range of hearing configurations, identifying factors that influence referral completion and CI uptake is increasingly important. This study examined the predictors of CI evaluation completion and surgery among children referred for CI assessment, including both traditional and non-traditional candidates. Methods: The medical records of pediatric patients referred for an initial CI evaluation from 2018 through 2024 were reviewed. Referral outcomes were categorized as evaluation not completed, candidate who declined surgery, or candidate who proceeded with surgery. Two binomial logistic regression models assessed the demographic, audiologic, and contextual predictors of CI evaluation completion and CI uptake, including age at referral, candidate type, insurance, referral year, communication mode, race/ethnicity, unaided thresholds, rurality, and county-level social health determinants. Results: The completion of the CI evaluation was significantly influenced by race/ethnicity, candidate type, referral year, and age. Mixed-race children demonstrated higher completion rates than White children. Completion was lower among children with single-sided deafness (SSD), children referred in 2022, and older children. Among children determined to be candidates, 69% proceeded with surgery. CI uptake showed similar patterns, with lower rates among Hispanic children, children with residual hearing or SSD, children referred in 2022, and older children. Conclusions: CI uptake at this center exceeded national averages but was associated with race/ethnicity, candidate type, age, and year of referral. Targeted counseling and outreach may improve timely referral and informed decision-making.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: School of Medicine and Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/gmhb-4914
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcm15072731 and Dimensions ID: pub.1200198741
ISSN:: 2077-0383
Journal Issue:: 7
Journal Title:: Journal of Clinical Medicine
Journal Volume:: 15
Keyword:: years, single-sided deafness, pediatric patients, threshold, insurance, uptake, CI evaluation, configuration, national average, implantation, predictors, Children, patterns, average, evaluation, race/ethnicity, unaided thresholds, factors, patients, older children, assessment, model, binomial logistic regression model, white children, logistic regression models, rate, candidacy, communication, non-traditional candidates, year of referral, CI assessment, candidates, health determinants, completion, center, children, Rural, deafness, completion rates, records of pediatric patients, hearing, informed decision-making, counseling, referral completion, cochlear implantation, referral, contextual predictors, mixed-race children, social health determinants, Hispanic children, targeted counseling, residual hearing, referral years, Ci uptake, referral outcomes, regression models, age, criteria, associated with race/ethnicity, medical records, medical records of pediatric patients, determination, US children, outreach, candidacy criteria, declined surgery, study, mode, decision-making, surgery, hearing configuration, evaluate completeness, outcomes, and communication mode
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: Department of Audiology, UNC Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA and
Page Start:: 2731
Person:: Sapp, Caitlin, Woodard, Jennifer S., Richter, Margaret E., Turner, Dahvae, Park, Lisa R., Dillon, Margaret T., and Culbertson, Shannon R.
Publisher:: MDPI
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

56. Effectiveness of Adjunctive Measures to Limit Recurrence and Reoperation After Laparoscopic Repair of Large Paraesophageal Hernias: A Single-Institution Series

Title Tesim:: Effectiveness of Adjunctive Measures to Limit Recurrence and Reoperation After Laparoscopic Repair of Large Paraesophageal Hernias: A Single-Institution Series
Creator:: Hodges, Maggie M., Feeney, Timothy, Farrell, Timothy M., Higgins, Madeleine, Cook, Lauren M., Kessel, Julia, Hsu, Justin, Agala, Chris B., and Varvoglis, Dimitrios N.
Date of publication:: April 4, 2026
Abstract Tesim:: Background: Despite surgical repair, large paraesophageal hernias (PEHs) often recur. To minimize recurrence, adjunctive measures, such as mesh and gastropexy, have been explored, but their impact on recurrence and reoperation rates remains unclear. Therefore, we analyzed our single-institution case series, where absorbable hiatal overlay mesh and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) placement were utilized systematically. Methods: Patients undergoing laparoscopic large PEH repair by a single surgeon between 1 January 2006 and 31 May 2021 were identified. Demographic data, hernia size, number of hiatal sutures used, use of mesh and/or PEG, fundoplication type, and complications were extracted by retrospective chart review. Hernia recurrence was assessed though postoperative radiographic and endoscopic studies or need for reoperation. Fisher’s exact, chi-square, Mood’s two-median and t-tests were used for between-group comparisons. Generalized linear models were used to assess associations between mesh and PEG placement and number of hiatal sutures and to compare risk differences for recurrence between treatment types (partial versus complete fundoplication; mesh versus no mesh; and PEG versus no PEG). Kaplan–Meier estimator with log-rank test was used to assess time to recurrence. Results: Overall, 413 patients (median age 66 years) underwent laparoscopic large PEH repair and fundoplication (51% partial and 49% complete fundoplications). Of these, 78% had overlay absorbable mesh and 51% had a PEG. With an average follow-up time of over 5 years, we found 19.9% had radiographic or endoscopic recurrence. Although cohort stratification based on mesh implementation and fundoplication type did not identify differences in recurrence rates, significantly lower recurrence rates were noted in patients with PEG compared to no-PEG (14.8% vs. 23.5%, p = 0.01). Notably, of five reoperations, all were in complete fundoplication patients, and one occurred in a patient with PEG placement at the index operation. Conclusions: PEG placement during laparoscopic PEH repair may lead to fewer recurrences in high-risk patients. Future prospective studies are warranted.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Gillings School of Global Public Health, and Department of Epidemiology
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/wz88-6j57
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcm15072741 and Dimensions ID: pub.1200198751
ISSN:: 2077-0383
Journal Issue:: 7
Journal Title:: Journal of Clinical Medicine
Journal Volume:: 15
Keyword:: recurrence rate, overlay mesh, retrospective chart review, comparison, study, effect, association, differences, single-institution series, model, fundoplication, limit recurrence, follow-up time, time, mood, treatment, index operation, stratification, years, series, laparoscopic PEH repair, reoperation, chi-square, index, endoscopic recurrence, PEH repair, operation, review, laparoscope, paraesophageal, mesh implementation, cohort, linear model, mesh, rate, t-test, endoscopic studies, single-institution, laparoscopic repair, high-risk patients, impact, suture, estimation, generalized linear model, Fisher, overlay, adjunctive measures, hernia size, between-group comparisons, PEG placement, Kaplan-Meier estimates, demographic data, recurrence, case series, cohort stratification, between-group, risk, PEG, average follow-up time, chart review, hernia recurrence, measurements, test, type, reoperation rate, surgeons, single-institution case series, placement, absorbable mesh, paraesophageal hernia, implementation, prospective study, log-rank test, size, fundoplication patients, complications, data, patients, hernia, treatment type, gastropexy, repair, surgical repair, fundoplication type, and risk difference
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Page Start:: 2741
Person:: Hodges, Maggie M., Feeney, Timothy, Farrell, Timothy M., Higgins, Madeleine, Cook, Lauren M., Kessel, Julia, Hsu, Justin, Agala, Chris B., and Varvoglis, Dimitrios N.
Publisher:: MDPI
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

57. Deciphering RTK-RAS and MAPK Pathway Dependencies in Gemcitabine-Treated Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Through Conversational Artificial Intelligence

Title Tesim:: Deciphering RTK-RAS and MAPK Pathway Dependencies in Gemcitabine-Treated Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Through Conversational Artificial Intelligence
Creator:: Velazquez-Villarreal, Enrique, Carranza, Francisco G., Manjarrez, Sophia, Diaz, Fernando C., and Waldrup, Brigette
Date of publication:: 2026
Abstract Tesim:: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal malignancy marked by substantial molecular heterogeneity and variable response to gemcitabine-based therapy. While KRAS mutations are nearly universal, the broader RTK-RAS and MAPK signaling architecture and its relationship to treatment response remain incompletely defined. We conducted an integrative clinical-genomic analysis of 184 PDAC tumors stratified by age at diagnosis and gemcitabine exposure, interrogating somatic alterations across curated RTKRAS/MAPK gene sets. Conversational artificial intelligence agents (AI-HOPE-RTK-RAS and AI-HOPE-MAPK) enabled dynamic cohort construction and pathway-level analyses, with findings validated using standard statistical methods. In late-onset PDAC, ERBB2 and RET mutations were significantly enriched in gemcitabine-treated tumors. Early-onset cases demonstrated differential enrichment of CACNA2D family alterations in non-treated tumors and higher frequencies of FLNB and TP53 mutations in treated disease. Importantly, late-onset patients not treated with gemcitabine who lacked RTK-RAS or MAPK alterations
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: N.C. Cancer Hospital and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/f6mm-kb40
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27073011
ISSN:: 1422-0067
Journal Issue:: 7
Journal Title:: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Journal Volume:: 27
Keyword:: artificial intelligence, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), precision oncology, RTK-RAS pathway, gemcitabine, MAPK pathway, LLM, and AI-agents
Language Label:: English
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: Department of Integrative Translational Sciences, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA and
Person:: Velazquez-Villarreal, Enrique, Carranza, Francisco G., Manjarrez, Sophia, Diaz, Fernando C., and Waldrup, Brigette
Publisher:: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Source:: 58d7df78-67ae-4c77-868f-68738c2a989e

58. Biological Advances and Current Challenges for Pediatric Rhabdomyosarcoma

Title Tesim:: Biological Advances and Current Challenges for Pediatric Rhabdomyosarcoma
Creator:: Patel, Anand G., Vakoc, Christopher R., Gatz, Susanne A., Stewart, Elizabeth A., Schoot, Reineke A., Ignatius, Myron S., Hebron, Katie E., Ford, Heide L., Yohe, Marielle E., Heske, Christine M., Chen, Eleanor Y., Kendall, Genevieve C., Lupo, Philip J., Hatley, Mark E., Thomas, Craig J., Wei, Yun, Durbin, Adam D., Stanton, Benjamin Z., Schito, Marco, Rota, Rossella, Langenau, David M., Linardic, Corinne M., Yustein, Jason T., Casey, Dana L., Houghton, Peter J., Vaseva, Angelina V., Odeniyide, Patience, Shern, Jack F., Dela Cruz, Filemon S., Crompton, Brian D., Hammond, Sharon, Venkatramani, Rajkumar, Hettmer, Simone, Swindlehurst, Cathy A., Barr, Frederic G., Pomella, Silvia, Khan, Javed, Wexler, Leonard H., Henssen, Anton G., and Gryder, Berkley E.
Date of publication:: 2026
Abstract Tesim:: Despite comprehensive and multi-modal therapy, outcomes for children and adolescents with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) have plateaued over the past four decades. This is not for a lack of progress in the basic and translational studies of RMS. Indeed, advances in animal models and/or patient tissue sample acquisition and analysis have improved our understanding of RMS biology. Large-scale sequencing efforts have generated transcriptomic, genomic, and epigenomic datasets that highlight the heterogeneity of RMS and have the potential to improve prognostication and the application of precision medicine in patients with RMS. However, few of these discoveries have been clinically translated, and limitations to the accessibility, uniformity, and application of these new models and
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: School of Medicine and Department of Radiation Oncology
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/krp9-pj60
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18060888
ISSN:: 2072-6694
Journal Issue:: 6
Journal Title:: Cancers
Journal Volume:: 18
Keyword:: tumor heterogeneity, skeletal muscle malignancy, cells of origin, pediatric sarcoma, and animal models
Language Label:: English
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
Other Affiliation:: Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, NY, Department of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK, Princess Máxima Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands, Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Signaling, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany, Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, Division of Molecular Oncology, Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, UGenome AI, Tucson, AZ, Department of Hematology and Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, Winship Cancer Institute and Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, , Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, Division of Pediatric Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, Summer’s Way Foundation, Centennial, CO, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, University Medicine Halle, Pediatrics, Martin Luther University Halle, Halle, Germany, Katalytic Therapeutics, San Diego, CA, Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, Genetics Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, and Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH
Person:: Patel, Anand G., Vakoc, Christopher R., Gatz, Susanne A., Stewart, Elizabeth A., Schoot, Reineke A., Ignatius, Myron S., Hebron, Katie E., Ford, Heide L., Yohe, Marielle E., Heske, Christine M., Chen, Eleanor Y., Kendall, Genevieve C., Lupo, Philip J., Hatley, Mark E., Thomas, Craig J., Wei, Yun, Durbin, Adam D., Stanton, Benjamin Z., Schito, Marco, Rota, Rossella, Langenau, David M., Linardic, Corinne M., Yustein, Jason T., Casey, Dana L., Houghton, Peter J., Vaseva, Angelina V., Odeniyide, Patience, Shern, Jack F., Dela Cruz, Filemon S., Crompton, Brian D., Hammond, Sharon, Venkatramani, Rajkumar, Hettmer, Simone, Swindlehurst, Cathy A., Barr, Frederic G., Pomella, Silvia, Khan, Javed, Wexler, Leonard H., Henssen, Anton G., and Gryder, Berkley E.
Publisher:: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: f43a289f-3638-4b0c-a273-51512653790b

59. Eicosapentaenoic Acid Suppresses Tumor Growth and Enhances Chemosensitivity via AKT/mTOR Signaling in Uterine Serous Carcinoma

Title Tesim:: Eicosapentaenoic Acid Suppresses Tumor Growth and Enhances Chemosensitivity via AKT/mTOR Signaling in Uterine Serous Carcinoma
Creator:: Zhou, Chunxiao, Diggs, Alexandra, Singleton, Miller, Shen, Xiaochang, Vranes, Chelsey, Bae-Jump, Victoria L., Chen, Shuning, Kong, Weimin, Boyles, Glenn, and Zhang, Haomeng
Date of publication:: 2026
Abstract Tesim:: Background/Objectives: Uterine serous carcinoma (USC) is an aggressive subtype of endometrial cancer characterized by high recurrence rates and poor response to conventional therapies, resulting in unfavorable clinical outcomes. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, has demonstrated anti-cancer activity in multiple malignancies. Methods: This study used two USC cell lines, ARK1 and SPEC2, to evaluate the effects of EPA on cell proliferation, invasion, cell cycle profile, stress response, and apoptosis. The potential synergistic effects of EPA combined with carboplatin were also examined. Western blotting was used to examine EPA’s effects on downstream pathways related to cellular stress, inflammation, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Results: EPA treatment markedly reduced cell proliferation and colony formation, with IC50 values of 28.96 μM for ARK-1 cells and 14.96 μM for SPEC-2 cells compared with control groups. It also induced G1 phase cell cycle arrest, increased cellular stress, triggered caspase-dependent apoptotic cell death, and suppressed invasive capacity. Moreover, EPA effectively counteracted TNF-α-stimulated upregulation of COX-2 and phosphorylated NF-κB. The combined treatment with EPA and carboplatin resulted in synergistic inhibition of cell viability and migration. Western blotting analysis showed that EPA attenuates the NF-κB and AKT/mTOR signaling pathways, promotes the expression of cellular stress-related proteins, and inhibits the expression of EMT-related proteins in both cell lines. Conclusions: EPA exhibits potent anti-tumor activity against USC cells and enhances the efficacy of carboplatin. These data indicate that EPA has potential as a low-toxicity, multi-target adjuvant treatment for USC, necessitating additional pre-clinical and clinical investigation.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/pyzg-2e90
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18071120
ISSN:: 2072-6694
Journal Issue:: 7
Journal Title:: Cancers
Journal Volume:: 18
Keyword:: uterine serous carcinoma, invasion, apoptosis, synergy, and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
Language Label:: English
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
Other Affiliation:: and Department of Gynecology, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Person:: Zhou, Chunxiao, Diggs, Alexandra, Singleton, Miller, Shen, Xiaochang, Vranes, Chelsey, Bae-Jump, Victoria L., Chen, Shuning, Kong, Weimin, Boyles, Glenn, and Zhang, Haomeng
Publisher:: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: 93eb4a94-5228-4fbd-a799-5fa9a96c665a

60. Twelve Weeks of In-Season Strength Training at Moderate Intensities Improve Strength and Body Composition Without Increasing Muscle Damage or Inflammation in Elite Young Female Soccer Players

Title Tesim:: Twelve Weeks of In-Season Strength Training at Moderate Intensities Improve Strength and Body Composition Without Increasing Muscle Damage or Inflammation in Elite Young Female Soccer Players
Creator:: Zouita, Sghaeir, Bousselmi, Mariem, Hmid, Ahlem Ben, Hackney, Anthony C., Zouhal, Hassane, Karamti, Houssem M., Coso, Juan Del, Zouita, Amira Ben Moussa, Granacher, Urs, and Darragi, Manel
Date of publication:: 2026
Abstract Tesim:: Strength training (ST) is commonly implemented to enhance soccer-related fitness qualities such as sprinting, jumping, and changes-of-direction while also contributing to injury risk reduction. It is traditionally emphasized in the pre-season period. In-season ST may confer these benefits, but it can also induce muscle damage and inflammation. To examine the effects of a 12-week in-season ST program on maximal dynamic strength, muscle damage biomarkers, and inflammatory biomarkers, 24 elite young female soccer players (Tier 4 according to the McKay et al. classification) aged 14.9 ± 0.8 years and a maturity offset of +2.6 ± 1.1 years were randomly allocated to an ST group (STG, n = 12) or an active control group (CG, n = 12). Both groups followed the same soccer training program. However, in the STG, two weekly soccer sessions were replaced with ST. Overall training volume was comparable between groups. Maximal dynamic strength (1-RM tests for bench press, lat pull-down, and leg press), blood biomarkers of muscle damage (creatine phosphokinase [CPK], lactate dehydrogenase [LDH]), and inflammation (interleukin-6 [IL-6], tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α]) were assessed before (T1) and after (T2) the interventions. Analyses showed significant increases for STG for the 1-RM bench press, the 1-RM lat pull-down, and the 1-RM leg press (p < 0.001). No significant interactions were detected for any blood marker of muscle damage (LDH and CPK) or inflammation (IL-6 and TNF-α) (all p > 0.05). Results support a 12-week in-season ST program improved maximal dynamic strength in elite young female soccer players without altering resting levels of muscle damage or inflammatory markers measured 48 h after training compared to regular soccer training. These findings suggest that ST can be safely implemented during the competitive season in young female soccer players without overreaching or overtraining.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: College of Arts and Sciences and Department of Exercise and Sport Science
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/sfyc-ne21
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: https://doi.org/10.3390/sports14040136
ISSN:: 2075-4663
Journal Issue:: 4
Journal Title:: Sports
Journal Volume:: 14
Keyword:: blood biomarkers, resistance training, exercise training, football, and neuromuscular adaptations
Language Label:: English
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
Other Affiliation:: Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Ksar Said, University of Manouba, Manouba, Tunisia, High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia, Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infections (LR11IPT02), Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia, , International Institute of Sport Sciences (2I2S), Rennes, France, Sport Sciences Research Centre, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain, Research Laboratory (LR23JS01) “Sports Performance, Health & Society”, University of Manouba, Manouba, Tunisia, and Department of Sport and Sport Science, Exercise and Human Movement Science, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
Person:: Zouita, Sghaeir, Bousselmi, Mariem, Hmid, Ahlem Ben, Hackney, Anthony C., Zouhal, Hassane, Karamti, Houssem M., Coso, Juan Del, Zouita, Amira Ben Moussa, Granacher, Urs, and Darragi, Manel
Publisher:: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: faa80668-d7b5-4942-a4de-eaa946645bc7