Study Highlights Limitations of ChatGPT-4 in Cardiac Risk Assessment

 Heston and Lewis conducted a study to evaluate the performance of ChatGPT-4 in risk-stratifying patients with atraumatic chest pain. The researchers compared ChatGPT-4's risk scores with established tools like TIMI and HEART scores using simulated patient data. Although the mean scores correlated well, ChatGPT-4 provided different risk scores for identical patient data when presented on separate occasions. This inconsistency suggests that further refinement and customization are necessary before integrating ChatGPT-4 into clinical practice for cardiac risk assessment.

Citation: Heston TF, Lewis LM (2024) ChatGPT provides inconsistent risk-stratification of patients with atraumatic chest pain. PLOS ONE 19(4): e0301854. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0301854 

Improving Medical Research Communication: The Need for Structured Reporting

In this research article, I suggest adopting structured reporting formats similar to those used in clinical trial abstracts and manuscripts to address the challenges in medical research reporting by online news outlets. Implementing standardized inclusion criteria, such as background information, study methods, main results with statistical analyses, discussion of implications and limitations, and disclosure of conflicts of interest, could enhance the quality and transparency of medical research communication. Collaboration among journalists, news organizations, and medical researchers is crucial to establish and promote best practices, fostering informed public discourse on health topics and ultimately contributing to better health outcomes.

Citation: Heston TF. Critical Gaps in Medical Research Reporting by Online News Media. Cureus. 2024 Apr 2;16(4):e57457. doi: 10.7759/cureus.57457.

Harnessing the Power of Blockchain and AI for Climate Action

 The fight against climate change requires innovative solutions, and the integration of blockchain technology and large language models (LLMs) holds immense potential. Blockchain ensures the transparency and security of climate data, while LLMs analyze vast datasets to generate actionable insights. This powerful combination enhances data management, improves climate models, and enables evidence-based policymaking. By addressing current challenges and opening up new avenues for collaborative climate action, the synergy between blockchain and AI signifies a transformative shift in the global response to climate change.

Heston TF. A blockchain AI solution to climate change. International Journal of Science and Research Archive. 2024;11(02):450–4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/ijsra.2024.11.2.0471 

The Pitfalls of Statistical Fragility in Survey Research

  Survey research plays a crucial role in understanding complex issues, such as bias and work climate in medicine. However, the validity of the results heavily depends on the robustness of the statistical methods employed. A recent study by Carnes and colleagues serves as a reminder of the pitfalls of statistical fragility. Low response rates, small effect sizes, and multiple significance tests can lead to misleading conclusions. Researchers should strive for higher response rates and larger effect sizes to ensure the reliability of their findings and to drive meaningful change in their fields.

Heston TF. Statistical Fragility in Surveys. Acad Med 2024 Mar 1;99(3):240. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000005584. Epub 2023 Dec 7.

Finding Hope and Connection During Hardship

This musical essay recounts my experience with homelessness and the emotional toll of isolation and uncertainty. Yet even in the darkest moments, acts of compassion from strangers ignite sparks of resilience. The message conveyed is one of shared humanity - we all have value and can make a difference through small gestures of warmth and kindness.

Citation: Heston, TF. Two Left Shoes. Zenodo 2024. https://purl.archive.org/theston/two-left-shoes

Foundations of Ethical Academic Research

This article examines core principles underlying rigorous, ethical research across disciplines. It emphasizes judicious topic selection to address knowledge gaps, exhaustive literature analysis to contextualize studies, aligning methodologies to research questions, transparent analysis and reporting, proactive ethical considerations, and effective communication for impact. Sustaining integrity as research evolves requires individual and institutional commitment to moral purpose.

Citation: Heston TF. Foundations of scholarly writing. In: An overview on business, management and economics research. BP International; 2024. p. 113-51. doi: https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.10535789

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Assessing Need for Workup of Coronary Artery Disease in Symptomatic Versus Asymptomatic Diabetics

Should diabetic patients with chest pain be worked up more aggressively for coronary artery disease than diabetics without symptoms? A retrospective study of over 1000 patients undergoing nuclear stress testing found that although anginal symptoms do predict myocardial ischemia in non-diabetics, they do not reliably indicate the presence of ischemia or ventricular dysfunction in diabetics. Therefore, the decision to initiate an ischemic evaluation in patients with diabetes cannot depend primarily on the presence or absence of symptomatic chest pain.

Citation: Heston, Thomas F. (2005). Anginal symptoms are not predictive of myocardial perfusion in diabetics. Journal of Nuclear Cardiology, 12(4), S108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nuclcard.2005.06.028