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To investigate alteration of outer nuclear layer (ONL) and choroidal vascularity index (CVI) in different status of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). A retrospective review of 65 CSC eyes with subretinal fluid (manifest CSC) and 40 control eyes was conducted in a single tertiary university hospital. Differences in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), ONL, and CVI were compared. CVI was assessed both in the entire choroid (CVI-EC) and around the 1500 μm leakage area (CVI-1500). Measurements were repeated after the subretinal fluid resorption (quiescent CSC), and compared. CSC eyes showed worse BCVA, thinner ONL and greater CVI than controls. Quiescent CSC showed a recovery of ONL compared to the manifest CSC, along with the BCVA improvement. The resolution of the CSC revealed a decrease across all three choroidal areas (total, stromal and luminal), with a more pronounced reduction in the stromal than in the luminal choroidal area, leading to an increase in the CVI. This phenomenon was shown in both CVI-EC and CVI-1500. Conclusively, ONL thickness can be used as a quantitative biomarker for photoreceptor function in CSC. Increased CVI may reflect a disease activity. The stromal choroidal area is particularly sensitive in illustrating leakage from the choroidal vasculature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Intraoperative ultrasonography (IOUS) offers the advantage of providing real-time imaging features, yet it is not generally used. This study aims to discuss the benefits of utilizing IOUS in spinal cord surgery and review related literature. Materials and methods: Patients who underwent spinal cord surgery utilizing IOUS at a single institution were retrospectively collected and analyzed to evaluate the benefits derived from the use of IOUS. Results: A total of 43 consecutive patients were analyzed. Schwannoma was the most common tumor (35%), followed by cavernous angioma (23%) and ependymoma (16%). IOUS confirmed tumor extent and location before dura opening in 42 patients (97.7%). It was particularly helpful for myelotomy in deep-seated intramedullary lesions to minimize neural injury in 13 patients (31.0% of 42 patients). IOUS also detected residual or hidden lesions in 3 patients (7.0%) and verified the absence of hematoma post-tumor removal in 23 patients (53.5%). In 3 patients (7.0%), confirming no intradural lesions after removing extradural tumors avoided additional dural incisions. IOUS identified surrounding blood vessels and detected dural defects in one patient (2.3%) respectively. Conclusions: The IOUS can be a valuable tool for spinal cord surgery in identifying the exact location of the pathologic lesions, confirming the completeness of surgery, and minimizing the risk of neural and vascular injury in a real-time fashion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) has emerged as an innovative networking method that offers effective management and remarkable flexibility. However, current SDN-based solutions primarily focus on static networks or concentrate on backbone networks, where network dynamics have minimal impact. The existing methods for placing flow entries in Software-Defined Networking (SDN)-based Internet of Things (IoT) systems exhibit shortcomings in accurately predicting outcomes and efficiently reducing table misses and associated performance metrics. This research introduces a new approach, specifically the mobility-aware adaptive flow entry placement scheme for SDN-based Internet of Things (IoT) environments, to address the mobility aspect of networks. The proposed scheme utilizes the Q-learning algorithm to predict the next possible location of end devices, while the cost-sensitive AdaBoost algorithm is employed to select heavy and active flows. As a result, efficient flow rules for incoming flows can be dynamically implemented without controller intervention. Extensive computer simulations demonstrate that this approach significantly enhances match probability and prediction accuracy while concurrently reducing the number of table misses and resource expenditure compared to existing schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) poses a significant threat to health globally. During searching for new chemical entities regulating MDR- and XDR-Mtb, chemical investigation of the black oil beetle gut bacterium Micromonospora sp. GR10 led to the discovery of eight new members of arenicolides along with the identification of arenicolide A (Ar-A, 1), which was a previously reported macrolide with incomplete configuration. Genomic analysis of the bacterial strain GR10 revealed their putative biosynthetic pathway. Quantum mechanics-based computation, chemical derivatizations, and bioinformatic analysis established the absolute stereochemistry of Ar-A and arenicolides D-K (Ar-D-K, 2-9) completely for the first time. Biological studies of 1-9 revealed their antimicrobial activity against MDR and XDR strains of Mtb. Ar-A had the most potent in vitro antimicrobial efficacy against MDR- and XDR-Mtb. Mechanistically, Ar-A induced ATP depletion and destabilized Mtb cell wall, thereby inhibiting growth. Notably, Ar-A exerted a significant antimicrobial effect against Mtb in macrophages, was effective in the treatment of Mtb infections, and showed a synergistic effect with amikacin (AMK) in a mouse model of MDR-Mtb lung infection. Collectively, our findings indicate Ar-A to be a promising drug lead for drug-resistant tuberculosis., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The Korean Gynecologic Oncology Group (KGOG) was established in 2002 and is the only organization in Korea conducting multi-center clinical trials for gynecologic cancers. Since its re-establishment as a non-profit organization in 2021, KGOG has grown significantly, now including 207 gynecologic oncology specialists from 76 hospitals. This growth is a testament to the dedication and hard work of all those involved in the organization. KGOG is committed to maximizing the activation of multi-center clinical research through policies that support patients with rare diseases and gynecologic cancer research, focusing on strengthening institutional capacity, equalizing participation opportunities, and enhancing information sharing. A significant milestone for KGOG was becoming a member of the US Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) in 2005, allowing participation in GOG clinical trials. KGOG later joined the Gynecologic Cancer InterGroup (GCIG) and strengthened its capabilities by hosting the first Endometrial Cancer Consensus Conference-Clinical Research (ECCC-CR) in 2023. KGOG holds biannual meetings and symposia, as well as 224 operating committee meetings annually to review the discussions of the Tumor Site Committee. KGOG has conducted 156 investigator-initiated trial (IIT) or sponsor-initiated trial (SIT) studies as KGOG-led or participated in research. Currently, 18 studies are registered, and 10 are in preparation. To date, 68 papers have been published. KGOG conducts six national projects and collaborates with external organizations such as the NRG Oncology Foundation, Gynecologic Oncology Group Partners (GOG-P), GCIG, East Asian Gynecologic Oncology Trial group (EAGOT), and the Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group (JGOG). Through collaboration with renowned international research institutions, KGOG has significantly expanded the scope of its research, achieving noteworthy clinical outcomes. This report not only introduces the history and recent status of KGOG but also presents the exciting future direction of the organization, filled with potential breakthroughs and advancements in gynecologic oncology research.

Using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology to fabricate Bi 2 Te 3 -based thermoelectric (TE) generators opens a potential way to create shape-conformable devices capable of recovering waste heat from thermal energy sources with diverse surface morphologies. However, pores formed in 3D-printed Bi 2 Te 3 -based materials by the removal of the organic ink binder result in unsatisfactory performance compared to the bulk materials, which has limited the widespread application of the ink-based 3D printing process. Furthermore, managing the volatile Se element in the n-type materials poses significant technological challenges compared to the p-type counterparts, resulting in a scarcity of research on 3D printing of n-type Bi 2 Te 3 . Here, we synthesized edge-oxidized graphene (EOG)-incorporated Se-free n-type Bi 1.7 Sb 0.3 Te 3 (BST) using a direct ink writing (DIW) process with a binder-free novel ink. The incorporated EOG provides connectivity between small BST grains separated by pores and induces a bimodal-like grain structure during the DIW and sintering process. The optimal EOG content of 0.1 wt % in 3D-printed n-type BST simultaneously achieved both carrier transport control and active phonon scattering, due to its unique microstructure. A maximum ZT of 0.71 was obtained in the 0.1 wt % EOG/BST materials at 448 K, comparable to commercial bulk n-type Bi 2 Te 3 -based materials. Further, a single-element device composed of the EOG-BST material exhibited a 2-fold improvement in performance compared to pure-BST. These results open a technological route for the application of 3D printing technology for ink-based TE materials.