The rise of health care AI raises concerns over whether patent disclosure supports reproducibility and legal validity. This study analyzes 865 granted medical AI patents (2015–2025) from the US, China, and the EU using a five-dimensional framework (algorithm transparency, training data accessibility, model reproducibility, result verifiability, and mathematical support) implemented through NLP-assisted expert scoring. Results suggest limited technical transparency; approximately 40% of patents score zero in at least two dimensions. Performance varies significantly: algorithm transparency is relatively strong (>60% score 2), while training data accessibility is less prevalent (4.6% score 2) and mathematical support is frequently omitted (39.4% score 0). Statistical testing indicates US patents significantly outperform Chinese patents (p < 0.001), while EU results remain exploratory (N = 31, mean 6.2). These patterns appear associated with institutional factors, strategic applicant behaviour, and technical complexity. Such limitations may pose risks to enforceability and market development, highlighting the need for targeted disclosure improvements. This study contributes a replicable framework for translating legal standards into measurable indicators, providing cross-jurisdictional evidence to guide examination, litigation, and policy refinement in medical AI governance.

We describe a new species of the genus Platynosomoides Yamaguti, 1971 (Trematoda: Dicrocoeliidae) from the bile ducts of the cricetid Akodon cursor (Winge, 1887) (Rodentia: Sigmodontinae) from Itatiaia National Park (Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, PNI), in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The species is characterized by the following diagnostic features: body size; dimensions and relative proportions of the testes in relation to the body length; extracecal and asymmetrical vitelline glands commencing at the level of the acetabulum, the left vitellarium terminating at the mid-region of the second third of the body, and the right one extending to the anterior margin of the posterior third; and the relative size of the suckers, with the ventral sucker being approximately 60% larger than the oral sucker. The morphological characteristics were described with the assistance of optical microscopy images to observe the internal structures, and their external details were provided by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Additionally, molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the 18S rRNA gene were conducted to assess the phylogenetic placement of the genus within Dicrocoeliidae. These analyses accompany the description of Platynosomoides macrotestis sp. nov. and contribute to a better understanding of trematode diversity. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of parasitological research in conserving helminth biodiversity. Its occurrence in conservation areas, such as the PNI, supports the maintenance of unique ecological interactions and species conservation.

Enterovirus A71 was first isolated in California in 1969, with the earliest retrospective detection traced back to 1963 in the Netherlands, but its early spread remains unclear. Using age-specific seroprevalence data from children aged 1–10 years in Kawasaki City, Japan, collected annually from 1966–1973, we applied serocatalytic models to estimate annual force of infection during 1959–1973. Several models were tested, incorporating different assumptions about time-varying force of infection, age-dependent susceptibility, and seroreversion, to identify the best fit to the data. Model comparison identified the models with independent annual infection probability or two distinct outbreak periods, both including age-dependent force of infection and seroreversion, as optimal. All top models consistently identified two major transmission periods: 1961–1962 and 1968–1969. The two-outbreak model estimated mean attack rates of 21.8% and 37.8% for the earlier and later outbreaks under seroreversion, and 19.8% and 34.9% under age-dependent force of infection. Our findings provide evidence of enterovirus A71 circulation in Japan during two distinct periods in the 1960s, coinciding with early detections in Europe and the USA, suggesting global distribution by that decade. This study underscores the value of testing archived sera for reconstructing pathogen emergence and spread.

Sarcopenia is a progressive skeletal muscle disorder characterized by the loss of muscle mass and strength. The concept of pro-anabolic modulators (including vitamin D, leucine, omega-3 fatty acids, and probiotics) as nutritional agents to counteract sarcopenia has been introduced as a promising strategy to restore anabolic balance in aging muscle. This systematic review aimed to synthesize recent evidence on the effectiveness of these compounds on muscle mass and physical performance. A total of 53 randomized controlled trials were included: 30 evaluated vitamin D, 8 leucine, 9 omega-3, and 6 probiotics. Across studies, although results for vitamin D were heterogeneous, daily supplementation suggested a more consistent potential for beneficial effects compared to bolus regimens, particularly when co-administered with other agents or physical exercise. Leucine demonstrated greater efficacy when combined with resistance training or other pro-anabolic agents. Most studies on omega-3 fatty acids reported improvements in muscle strength and functional outcomes, especially in long-duration interventions. Probiotics also showed promising results, with almost all studies reporting positive effects on muscle mass and strength, despite variability in strains and protocols. Given the low to very low certainty of evidence for most outcomes (except for physical performance, which reached moderate certainty), these results should be interpreted with caution, despite a general trend toward favorable outcomes. These findings suggest that combining pro-anabolic modulators (or pairing them with exercise or additional nutrients) may enhance their efficacy on muscle-related outcomes. Further research is warranted to define optimal protocols and to clarify the mechanisms underlying their potential synergistic effects.

Cercariae of two trematode species from the family Notocotylidae were found in the snails Radix auricularia and Boreoelona ussuriensis. Sexually mature flukes were obtained by experimentally infecting a duckling and a few chickens, respectively, with metacercariae from the found cercariae. Based on a combination of morphological and molecular (nuclear and mitochondrial markers) evidence, the trematodes grown in the duckling were identified as Notocotylus ikutai. The adult flukes obtained from the infected chickens were assigned to trematodes previously grouped into the genus Catatropis on the basis of morphological characteristics, including the structure of tegumental papillae. However, according to molecular data, the found trematodes were differentiated at the generic level from other Notocotylidae. Based on the above evidence, we here erect a genus, Neocatatropis n. g., to accommodate the type species Neocatatropis primorskii n. g. n. sp.