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Understanding the current status and recent development of the population genetics and connectivity of sea turtles is crucial for effective conservation management of the species. Five sea turtle species, green turtle (Chelonia mydas), loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) and leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), are recorded in the East Asia Region situated in the western side of the North Pacific Ocean. We compiled information from 35 published genetic studies on the five sea turtle species, with a focus on green turtle and loggerhead turtle, which are the most studied species (in 30 studies) in view of their commonness and occurrence of nesting populations. We provided an overview of the key methods and findings of these previous studies, addressing two main objectives on genetic structure of the rookeries and their differences compared to other populations, and connectivity of the rookeries and foraging aggregations. By identifying information gaps and conservation needs, we discussed future developments for sea turtle genetic studies and conservation implications in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: There are no consensus guidelines for patients with acute cholecystitis undergoing percutaneous cholecystostomy who are unfit for interval cholecystectomy. The current study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of endoscopic gallbladder drainage, i.e. conversion from percutaneous cholecystostomy (including endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder stenting and endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage), and conservative treatment after percutaneous cholecystostomy tube removal. Methods: This retrospective review included patients who underwent percutaneous cholecystostomy for acute cholecystitis between January 2017 and December 2020. Consecutive patients who underwent endoscopic gallbladder drainage or percutaneous cholecystostomy tube removal without interval cholecystectomy were included. Outcome measures included recurrent acute cholecystitis and unplanned readmission due to gallstone-related diseases. Results: During the study period, 238 patients were selected (63 underwent endoscopic gallbladder drainage conversion and 175 underwent conservative treatment). Patients who underwent endoscopic gallbladder drainage conversion had lower rates of recurrent acute cholecystitis (3 [4.76%] vs 31 [17.71%], p=0.012) and unplanned readmission due to gallstone-related diseases (6 [9.52%] vs 40 [22.86%], p=0.022) than those who underwent conservative treatment following percutaneous cholecystostomy tube removal. In the univariate and multivariate analyses, calculus cholecystitis (odds ratio, 13.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.83 to 102.83; p=0.011) and conversion of endoscopic gallbladder drainage (odds ratio, 0.23; 95% confidence interval, 0.06 to 0.78; p=0.019) were significant predictive factors for recurrent acute cholecystitis. Conclusions: Endoscopic gallbladder drainage conversion led to more favorable outcomes than conservative treatment after percutaneous cholecystostomy tube removal. Therefore, endoscopic gallbladder drainage conversion may be considered a promising treatment option for patients undergoing percutaneous cholecystostomy who are at a high surgical risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its development, the use of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) in the pancreas and the biliary tract has become increasingly important. The accuracy of EUS varies depending on the experience of the endoscopist. Hence, quality control measures using appropriate indicators are required to reduce these variations. American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy have announced the EUS quality indicators. Here, we reviewed the quality indicators of the EUS procedure in the current published guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eccrine spiradenomas are rare benign adnexal tumors that originate from the eccrine glands. They mainly arise in the head, neck, and upper trunk of young adults and are sometimes accompanied by pain and tenderness. Although spontaneous pain is a typical symptom of eccrine spiradenoma, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We report the case of a patient who had a spiradenoma in the subcutaneous tissue of the left forearm that was accompanied by agonizing pain triggered by pressure. A 42-year-old man who had undergone surgical excision of a left forearm mass 5 years ago presented for relapsed pain and a palpable mass at the previous excision site. The agonizing pain had been triggered a few days ago, in response to even a slight touch. The mass measured approximately 0.8×0.8 mm, and ther e were no changes visible around the scar. Irregularly shaped masses, each measuring approximately 5 mm, were removed with a 2-mm safety margin from the subcutaneous fat. A histopathologic examination revealed the resected nodules were surrounded by delicate fibrous capsules, some parts of which contained blood vessels and prominent thickened nerve fibers. By the time of the 6-month follow-up, the masses had not recurred, and the biopsy site was well maintained without pain. We describe the surgical and histopathologic findings of an isolated eccrine spiradenoma accompanied by recurrent agonizing pain. The peculiar microscopic arrangement of the thickened nerve fibers encasing the nodule of eccrine spiradenoma may correlate with its pain mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intraoperative real-time confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) is an alternative modality for frozen tissue histology that enables visualization of the cytoarchitecture of living tissues with spatial resolution at the cellular level. We developed a new CLE with a "Lissajous scanning pattern" and conducted a study to identify its feasibility for fluorescence-guided brain tumor diagnosis. Materials and methods: Conventional hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) histological images were compared with indocyanine green (ICG)-enhanced CLE images in two settings (1): experimental study with in vitro tumor cells and ex vivo glial tumors of mice, and (2) clinical evaluation with surgically resected human brain tumors. First, CLE images were obtained from cultured U87 and GL261 glioma cells. Then, U87 and GL261 tumor cells were implanted into the mouse brain, and H&E staining was compared with CLE images of normal and tumor tissues ex vivo. To determine the invasion of the normal brain, two types of patient-derived glioma cells (CSC2 and X01) were used for orthotopic intracranial tumor formation and compared using two methods (CLE vs. H&E staining). Second, in human brain tumors, tissue specimens from 69 patients were prospectively obtained after elective surgical resection and were also compared using two methods, namely, CLE and H&E staining. The comparison was performed by an experienced neuropathologist. Results: When ICG was incubated in vitro, U87 and GL261 cell morphologies were well-defined in the CLE images and depended on dimethyl sulfoxide. Ex vivo examination of xenograft glioma tissues revealed dense and heterogeneous glioma cell cores and peritumoral necrosis using both methods. CLE images also detected invasive tumor cell clusters in the normal brain of the patient-derived glioma xenograft model, which corresponded to H&E staining. In human tissue specimens, CLE images effectively visualized the cytoarchitecture of the normal brain and tumors. In addition, pathognomonic microstructures according to tumor subtype were also clearly observed. Interestingly, in gliomas, the cellularity of the tumor and the density of streak-like patterns were significantly associated with tumor grade in the CLE images. Finally, panoramic view reconstruction was successfully conducted for visualizing a gross tissue morphology. Conclusion: In conclusion, the newly developed CLE with Lissajous laser scanning can be a helpful intraoperative device for the diagnosis, detection of tumor-free margins, and maximal safe resection of brain tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: New variants of the virus responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continue to emerge. However, little is known about the effect of these variants on clinical outcomes. This study evaluated the risk factors for poor pulmonary lung function test (PFT). Methods: The study retrospectively analyzed 87 patients in a single hospital and followed up by performing PFTs at an outpatient clinic from January 2020 to December 2021. COVID-19 variants were categorized as either a non-delta variant (November 13, 2020-July 6, 2021) or the delta variant (July 7, 2021-January 29, 2022). Results: The median age of the patients was 62 years, and 56 patients (64.4%) were male. Mechanical ventilation (MV) was provided for 52 patients, and 36 (41.4%) had restrictive lung defects. Forced vital capacity (FVC) and diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) were lower in patients on MV. Male sex (odds ratio [OR], 0.228) and MV (OR, 4.663) were significant factors for decreased DLCO. The duration of MV was associated with decreased FVC and DLCO. However, the type of variant did not affect the decrease in FVC (P=0.750) and DLCO (P=0.639). Conclusions: Among critically ill COVID-19 patients, 40% had restrictive patterns with decreased DLCO. The reduction of PFT was associated with MV, type of variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interrupting swap-allowed blocking job shop problem (ISBJSSP) is a complex scheduling problem that is able to model many manufacturing planning and logistics applications realistically by addressing both the lack of storage capacity and unforeseen production interruptions. Subjected to random disruptions due to machine malfunction or maintenance, industry production settings often choose to adopt dispatching rules to enable adaptive, real-time re-scheduling, rather than traditional methods that require costly re-computation on the new configuration every time the problem condition changes dynamically. To generate dispatching rules for the ISBJSSP problem, we introduce a dynamic disjunctive graph formulation characterized by nodes and edges subjected to continuous deletions and additions. This formulation enables the training of an adaptive scheduler utilizing graph neural networks and reinforcement learning. Furthermore, a simulator is developed to simulate interruption, swapping, and blocking in the ISBJSSP setting. By employing a set of reported benchmark instances, we conduct a detailed experimental study on ISBJSSP instances with a range of machine shutdown probabilities to show that the scheduling policies generated can outperform or are at least as competitive as existing dispatching rules with predetermined priority. This study shows that the ISBJSSP, which requires real-time adaptive solutions, can be scheduled efficiently with the proposed method when production interruptions occur with random machine shutdowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a machine learning (ML)-based Tropical Cyclones (TCs) Rapid Intensification (RI) prediction model has been developed by using the Net Energy Gain Rate Index (NGR). This index realistically captures the energy exchanges between the ocean and the atmosphere during the intensification of TCs. It does so by incorporating the thermal conditions of the upper ocean and using an accurate parameterization for sea surface roughness. To evaluate the effectiveness of NGR in enhancing prediction accuracy, five distinct ML algorithms were utilized: Decision Tree, Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, K-Nearest Neighbors, and Feedforward Neural Network. Two sets of experiments were performed for each algorithm. The first set used only traditional predictors, while the second set incorporated NGR. The outcomes revealed that models trained with the inclusion of NGR exhibited superior performance compared to those that only used traditional predictors. Additionally, an ensemble model was developed by utilizing a hard-voting method, combining the predictions of all five individual algorithms. This ensemble approach showed a noteworthy improvement of approximately 10% in the skill score of RI prediction when NGR was included. The findings of this study emphasize the potential of NGR in refining TC intensity prediction and underline the effectiveness of ensemble ML models in RI event detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Based on their anatomy, cholangiocarcinomas (CCAs) are classified into intrahepatic, hilar, and distal CCAs. Although the diagnosis and treatment of each type of CCA are thought to be different, real-world data studies on the current practice are limited. Therefore, this study was designed to capture the current practice of diagnosing and treating perihilar CCA in Korea. Methods: We conducted a survey using an online platform. The questionnaire consisted of 18 questions designed to evaluate the current practice of diagnosing and treating perihilar CCA in Korea. The targets of this survey were biliary endoscopists who are members of the Korean Pancreatobiliary Association. Results: In total, 119 biliary endoscopists completed the survey. Of the respondents, 89.9% thought that the use of the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11) system is necessary to classify CCA. Approximately half of the respondents would recommend surgery or chemotherapy until patients were 80 years of age. For the pathological diagnosis of CCA, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with biopsy was the most preferred modality. Routine preoperative biliary drainage was performed by 44.5% of the respondents. For operable CCAs, 64.7% of the respondents preferred endoscopic biliary drainage using plastic stents. For palliative biliary drainage, 69.7% of the respondents used plastic stents. For palliative endoscopic biliary drainage using metal stents, 63% of the respondents preferred the stent-in-stent method. Conclusions: A new coding system using the ICD-11 is needed for classifying CCAs. Guidelines for diagnosing and treating CCA based on the clinical situation in Korea are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoor sports clubs, gymnasiums, and sports blocks and complexes have the potential for causing significant casualties in the event of a fire. As a result, there is a significant amount of research being done on fire safety. The impact of sales stands on fire safety is a vital aspect that needs to be considered to ensure comprehensive safety measures. This study seeks to assess the effect of sales stands on the time it takes to evacuate indoor sports blocks in the event of a fire. A fire and evacuation simulation programme were utilised to analyse the characteristics of fire and evacuation. The findings indicated that the sales stand had an impact on the time it took for sports athletes and physical workers to complete the evacuation, particularly when the corridor width was wide. However, there was no significant effect observed when the hallway width was narrow. Instead, they expanded the congested area in the hallway, resulting in a longer resolution time. It is evident that sales stand in indoor sports blocks and sports centres or complexes could potentially jeopardise evacuation safety. This study can serve as a basis for implementing safety measures. It examines how obstacles in corridors, such as those found in schools and hotels, impact the evacuation behaviour of individuals. These findings are particularly relevant for indoor sports facilities, which share similar spatial characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited data are available regarding the in vitro activity of SPR719, a derivative of benzimidazole, against diverse nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) species. We investigated the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of SPR719 against clinical NTM isolates, including clarithromycin- and amikacin-resistant strains. NTM isolates were obtained from patients with NTM-pulmonary disease caused by various NTM species, including Mycobacterium avium complex, M. abscessus (subspecies abscessus and massiliense), M. kansasii, and M. fortuitum. Regardless of clarithromycin or amikacin resistance, the MIC and MBC values of SPR719 were comparable among these major pathogenic NTM species. In over 70% of the isolates, the MIC values were = 2 µg/mL with MBC values of = 4 µg/mL. The MIC and MBC values of M. kansasii were relatively lower than those of the other species with little difference between them, demonstrating the bactericidal properties of SPR719. The in vitro activity of SPR719 against major clinical NTM species suggests that SPR719 can serve as a novel treatment option for NTM-pulmonary disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative anatomical characteristics and their radial variation in compression (COW), lateral (LAW), and opposite (OPW) woods of Agathis loranthifolia and Pinus merkusii stem woods growing in Indonesia were observed and compared to understand wood quality. The length, diameter, wall thickness, and lumen diameter of tracheids and ray height and numbers were observed using optical microscopy. In both species, COW had the shortest tracheid length, smallest tracheid and lumen diameter, thickest cell wall, and highest ray numbers among the parts, while LAW and OPW showed comparable or variable values in quantitative characteristics. In A. loranthifolia, COW had the highest ray height, whereas, in P. merkusii, it had the lowest uniseriate and fusiform ray heights. No significant difference was observed in ray numbers and heights between LAW and OPW. In both species, the tracheid length and lumen-to-diameter ratio in COW, LAW, and OPW tended to increase from near the pith to near the bark while the wall-to-diameter ratio decreased. The ray heights of all parts increased with increasing distance from the pith, whereas the ray number decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the sclereids in the bark of oak species, a convolutional neural network (CNN) was employed to validate species classification performance and its influencing factors. Three optimizers including stochastic gradient descent (SGD), adaptive moment estimation (Adam), root mean square propagation (RMSProp), and dataset augmentation were adopted. The accuracy and loss stabilized at approximately 15 to 20 and 70 to 80 epochs for the augmented and non-augmented condition, respectively. In the last five epochs, the RMSProp-augmented condition achieved the highest accuracy of 89.8%, whereas the Adam-augmented condition achieved the lowest accuracy of 73.8%. Regarding the loss, SGD-non-augmented condition was the lowest at 0.498, whereas Adamaugmented condition was the highest at 2.740. The highest accuracy was influenced by RMSProp at 0.194. Dataset augmentation had a significant influence on accuracy at 0.456. Homogeneous subsets among the validation conditions indicated that the accuracy and loss were classified into the same subset using an augmented dataset during the training, regardless of the optimizer. Only Adam and RMSProp with nonaugmented datasets were categorized into the same subset during the test. Hence, species classification using CNN and sclereid characteristics in the bark was feasible, and RMSProp with augmented datasets showed optimal performance for species classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]