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Introduction: This study focused on the psychological evaluation of an avatar robot in two distinct regions, Dubai in the Middle East and Japan in the Far East. Dubai has experienced remarkable development in advanced technology, while Japan boasts a culture that embraces robotics. These regions are distinctively characterized by their respective relationships with robotics. In addition, the use of robots as avatars is anticipated to increase, and this research aimed to compare the psychological impressions of people from these regions when interacting with an avatar as opposed to a human. Methods: Considering that avatars can be presented on screens or as physical robots, two methodologies were employed: a video presentation survey (Study 1, Dubai: n = 120, Japan: n = 120) and an experiment involving live interactions with a physical robot avatar (Study 2, Dubai: n = 28, Japan: n = 30). Results and discussion: Results from the video presentations indicated that participants from Dubai experienced significantly lower levels of discomfort towards the avatar compared to their Japanese counterparts. In contrast, during live interactions, Japanese participants showed a notably positive evaluation towards a Japanese human operator. The findings suggest that screen-presented avatars may be more readily accepted in Dubai, while humans were generally preferred over avatars in terms of positive evaluations when physical robots were used as avatars. The study also discusses the implications of these findings for the appropriate tasks for avatars and the relationship between cultural backgrounds and avatar evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water pressure method (WPM) is useful for colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), characterized not only by underwater conditions but also by active water pressure via the waterjet function. However, the extension of the colorectum by injecting excess water and contaminating the operative field by stool and bleeding have been issues. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a novel perfusion system using a continuous liquid‐suction catheter attachment (CLCA) in colorectal ESD with WPM. We retrospectively reviewed cases in which the perfusion system was used in colorectal ESD with WPM between August 2022 and September 2023. We evaluated clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes, volume of injection by the waterjet function, volume of suction by the endoscope and CLCA, and concentration of floating matter in the operative field over time. Thirty‐one cases were enrolled. The median lesion size was 30 (range, 15–100) mm. In all cases, en bloc resection was achieved without perforation. The median injection volume was 2312 (range, 1234–13,866) g. The median suction volumes by the endoscope and CLCA were 918 (range, 141–3162) and 1147 (range, 254–11,222) g, respectively. The median concentration of floating matter in the operative field (measured in 15 cases) was 15.3 (range, 7.3–112) mg/mL when the endoscope arrived at the lesion and 8.0 (range, 3.2–16) mg/mL after endoscopically washing at the beginning of the ESD. It ranged from 7.6 to 13.4 mg/dL every 20 min during ESD. This perfusion system could prevent the extension of the lumen and maintain a good field of view in colorectal ESD with WPM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Dual visual pathways reaching the telencephalon appear to be an ancient vertebrate trait, but some teleost fish seem to possess only one pathway via the optic tectum. We undertook the present study to determine if and when this loss occurred during evolution. Tracer injection experiments to the optic nerve, the optic tectum, and the dorsal telencephalon were performed in the present study, to investigate ascending visual pathways to the dorsal telencephalon in an acanthopterygian teleost, the yellowfin goby Acanthogobius flavimanus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845). We confirmed the presence of a nucleus prethalamicus (PTh) in the goby, which has been convincingly identified only in holocentrids, suggesting that this nucleus is present in other acanthopterygians. We found that the optic tectum projects to the PTh bilaterally. The PTh projects in turn to the dorsal telencephalon, ipsilaterally. These results suggest that the yellowfin goby possesses only an extrageniculate‐like pathway, while a geniculate‐like pathway could not be identified. This situation is common with that of holocentrids and may be a character common in acanthopterygians. It is possible that a geniculate‐like system was lost in the common ancestor of acanthopterygians, although the scenario for the evolution of ascending visual systems in actinopterygians remains uncertain due to the lack of precise knowledge in a number of actinopterygian taxons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients undergoing haemodialysis require long-term treatment and suffer from physical limitations and emotional distress due to restrictions in daily life, such as food and fluid restrictions, which can lead to self-criticism and depression. To address these issues, the concept of self-compassion, which is important for patients undergoing haemodialysis, has gained attention., Objective: This study aimed to identify self-compassion in patients undergoing haemodialysis., Design: This is an interview-based qualitative study., Participants: Participants were recruited from a regional general hospital in Japan between August and September 2022. They were ≥18-year-old patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease and visited the hospital for maintenance haemodialysis. Fifteen patients who agreed to participate in the study were interviewed., Approach: Semistructured interviews were conducted, and each interview was recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was conducted using reflecxive thematic analysis (TA)., Findings: Thematic analysis generated three themes-acceptance, affirmation, and reinvention-from the seven subthemes. A different concept, "reinvention", has been generated in this study. Regarding the sequential nature of the themes, it was predicted that they would proceed in the order of acceptance, affirmation, and reinvention, moving back and forth through these stages., Conclusions: It can be said that nurses can support patients undergoing haemodialysis by providing feedback to them about their thoughts and feelings, which were captured based on the themes and subthemes of this study, to promote the patients' awareness and increase their self-compassion., (© 2024 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.)

Background and study aims: Live swine have a high degree of coagulation and aggregation and using them for training about how to manage intraoperative bleeding during endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is unsatisfactory. This study aimed to identify the appropriate heparin dose in an intraoperative bleeding model and validate its applicability. Methods: First, we explored the dose of heparin required for a swine bleeding model in which the activated clotting time reached and maintained the upper limit of measurement (1500 s) after 10 minutes. Second, we compared intraoperative bleeding and hematoma frequency during ESD for 2-cm lesions between the heparinized bleeding model and control groups. Intraoperative bleeding was classified according to the Forrest classification. Results: The combination of a bolus (300 U/kg), continuous infusion (300 U/kg/h), and a bolus dose (150 U/kg) of heparin 10 minutes after the first infusion was identified as the dose for the bleeding model. Five ESDs were performed in each heparinized bleeding model and the control group. The median number of intraoperative bleeds was significantly higher in the heparinized model than in the control group (5 interquartile range [IQR] 4-7 vs. 3 [IQR 0-4, P = 0.028). All of the intraoperative bleeding events oozing (Forrest Ib) rather than spurting (Forrest Ia). The median number of hematomas was significantly higher in the heparinized model group than in the control group (3 [IQR 1-4] vs. 0 [IQR 0-1], P = 0.023). Conclusions: High doses of heparin significantly increased intraoperative bleeding and hematoma during swine ESD., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).)