Enhancing circular plastic waste management: Reducing GHG emissions and increasing economic value in Rayong province, Thailand.

This study evaluates the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and economic value creation of plastic waste (PW) management in Rayong, Thailand, a city on the eastern Gulf Coast with a significant amount of generated and leaked PW. By analyzing current practices, and developing and evaluating improvement scenarios, the study explores strategies for reducing GHG and enhancing economic benefits across the PW management chain. Four primary routes with varying capacities handle approximately 5,445.

US-guided adiofrequency blation plus chemotherapy chemotherapy alone for ancreatic cancer (ERAP): An observational open-label pilot study.

Background: No study has compared EUS-guided radiofrequency ablation (EUS-RFA) plus systemic chemotherapy (CMT) with CMT alone for unresectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Methods: This study compared the results of treatment in patients receiving EUS-RFA plus concomitant CMT (group A; = 14) with those receiving CMT (group B; = 14) as a pilot study.

Results: From July 2017 to August 2018, 4 and 2 patients from groups A and B, respectively, withdrew from the study because of progression of the disease.

Improvement of adenoma detection rate by two computer-aided colonic polyp detection systems in high adenoma detectors: a randomized multicenter trial.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the benefits of a self-developed computer-aided polyp detection system (SD-CADe) and a commercial system (CM-CADe) for high adenoma detectors compared with white-light endoscopy (WLE) as a control.

Methods: Average-risk 50-75-year-old individuals who underwent screening colonoscopy at five referral centers were randomized to SD-CADe, CM-CADe, or WLE groups (1:1:1 ratio). Trainees and staff with an adenoma detection rate (ADR) of ≥35% were recruited.

Towards sustainability through the circular economy of plastic packaging waste management in Rayong Province, Thailand.

The circularity of plastic packaging waste (PPW) material via recycling is critical to its circular economy towards sustainability and carbon neutrality of society. The multi-stakeholders and complex waste recycling loop of Rayong Province, Thailand, is herein analysed using an actor-network theory to identify key actors, roles, and responsibilities in the recycling scheme. The results depict the relative function of three-actor networks, namely policy, economy, and societal networks, which play different roles in PPW handling from its generation through various separations from municipal solid wastes to recycling.

Risk factors of active upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with COVID-19 infection and the effectiveness of PPI prophylaxis.

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is one of the most impactful complications in patients hospitalized from COVID-19 infection. Limited study has focused on patients with upper GI bleeding (UGIB). This study aimed to identify the risk factors of patients who were hospitalized from COVID-19 infection and developed UGIB as well as the effectiveness of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) prophylaxis in those patients.

Computer-aided detection, mucosal exposure device, their combination, and standard colonoscopy for adenoma detection: a randomized controlled trial.

Background And Aims: Computer-aided detection (CADe) and a mucosal exposure device can improve adenoma detection rate (ADR). Potential benefits of combining the 2 modalities have never been studied. This study aimed to compare ADR differences among CADe alone, endocuff-assisted colonoscopy (EAC) alone, and the combination of CADe and EAC (CADe+EAC) with standard colonoscopy.

Endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) from peritoneal lesions: a prospective cohort pilot study.

Background: Diagnostic laparoscopy is often a necessary, albeit invasive, procedure to help resolve undiagnosed peritoneal diseases. Previous retrospective studies reported that EUS-FNA is feasible on peritoneal and omental lesions, however, EUS-FNA provided a limited amount of tissue for immunohistochemistry stain (IHC).

Aim: This pilot study aims to prospectively determine the effectiveness of EUS-FNB regarding adequacy of tissue for IHC staining, diagnostic rate and the avoidance rate of diagnostic laparoscopy or percutaneous biopsy in patients with these lesions.

Linked color imaging, mucosal exposure device, their combination, and standard colonoscopy for adenoma detection: a randomized trial.

Background And Aims: By different mechanisms, image-enhancement techniques (linked color imaging [LCI]) and mucosal exposure devices (Endocuff-assisted colonoscopy [EAC]) can improve the adenoma detection rate (ADR) during screening colonoscopy. The impact of the combination of the 2 techniques has never been studied. This study aimed to compare the ADR between the combination of LCI and EAC (LCI+EAC), LCI alone, EAC alone, and standard high-definition (HD) colonoscopy.

Usefulness of mean number of adenomas per positive screenee for identifying meticulous endoscopists among those who achieve acceptable adenoma detection rates.

Background: Adenoma detection rate (ADR) is a quality indicator for colonoscopy. However, many missed adenomas have subsequently been identified after colonoscopies performed by endoscopists with ADR ≥ 25 %. Adenomas per positive participant (APP; mean number of adenomas detected by an endoscopist among screenees with positive findings) correlates well inversely with adenoma miss rate.

Low rate of recurrent bleeding after double-balloon endoscopy-guided therapy in patients with overt obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.

Background: Double-balloon endoscopy (DBE) provides both diagnosis and treatment in overt obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB). The aim of this study was to evaluate the rebleeding rate after DBE.

Methods: This retrospective review was conducted between January 2006 and July 2018, 166 patients with overt OGIB who underwent DBE were enrolled.

Walled-off Peripancreatic Fluid Collections in Asian Population: Paradigm Shift from Surgical and Percutaneous to Endoscopic Drainage.

Background And Objectives: Drainage of symptomatic walled-off peripancreatic fluid collections (WPFCs) can be achieved by endoscopic, percutaneous, and surgical techniques. The aim of this study was to determine the current trends in management of WPFCs and the outcome of such modalities in Asian population.

Methods: In this retrospective analysis, all patients diagnosed with pancreatitis from 2013 to 2016 in King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, were analyzed.

International Integrative Photodermatology in Southeast Asia.

Within the broader field of dermatology, the practice of photodermatology is quite important. Many patients suffer from incurable, chronic, long-lasting, and psychologically traumatizing skin conditions, such as severe psoriasis, devastating vitiligo, intolerable atopic dermatitis, and refractory mycosis fungoides, for which standard medical treatments have produced limited results. Advanced targeted medicines, including the new biologics, offer higher efficacy rates, but the treatment costs are so exorbitant that most patients simply cannot afford to pay them.

Overweight as an Additional Risk Factor for Colorectal Neoplasia in Lean Population.

Background: Overweight in Thailand is not as common as in Western countries. We sought to evaluate overweight as the additional risk factor that can increase the prediction of colorectal neoplasia (CRN) detection in Thais apart from the Asia-Pacific Colorectal Screening (APCS) score. Methods: We prospectively enrolled asymptomatic 338 subjects who underwent screening colonoscopy between November 2016 and September 2017.

Hepatopleural Fistula with Empyema Thoracis: A Rare Complication of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease.

We report a 70-year-old man with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) who presented with right-sided extended-spectrum beta-lactamases empyema thoracis. Chest and abdominal computed tomography showed hepatopleural fistula. The patient refused a surgical operation and was treated with tube thoracotomy, percutaneous drainage of dominant liver cyst, and intravenous antibiotics.

Impact of Fecal Hb Levels on Advanced Neoplasia Detection and the Diagnostic Miss Rate For Colorectal Cancer Screening in High-Risk vs. Average-Risk Subjects: a Multi-Center Study.

Objectives: The Asia-Pacific Colorectal Screening (APCS) scoring system was developed to identify high-risk subjects for advanced neoplasia. However, the appropriate fecal immunochemical test (FIT) cutoff for high-risk population may be different from that of average-risk population. We aimed to evaluate the FIT performance at different cutoffs in high-risk subjects undergoing colorectal cancer (CRC) screening.

The risk of gastric cancer in patients with gastric intestinal metaplasia in 5-year follow-up.

Background: Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) is the premalignant stage of gastric cancer; however, consensus on its management has not been established.

Aim: To determine the risk factors for gastric cancer in a population of patients with GIM to guide the appropriate clinical recommendations in a low prevalence area for gastric cancer.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study.

The Optimal Cut-Off Level of The Fecal Immunochemical Test For Colorectal Cancer Screening in a Country with Limited Colonoscopy Resources: A Multi-Center Study from Thailand.

Background: Selecting the cut-off point for the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programs is of prime importance. The balance between the test performance for detecting advanced neoplasia and the available colonoscopy resources should be considered. We aimed to identify the optimal cut-off of FIT for advanced neoplasia in order to minimize colonoscopy burden.

Flexible Spectral Imaging Color Enhancement and Probe-based Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy in Minimal Change Esophageal Reflux Disease.

Background/aims: Although flexible spectral imaging color enhancement (FICE) can facilitate the diagnosis of minimal change esophageal reflux disease (MERD), the complicated diagnostic criteria cause suboptimal inter-observer agreement. Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) yields good diagnostic results but its inter-observer agreement has never been explored. This study compares the diagnostic value of magnifying FICE and probe-based CLE (pCLE) for MERD and evaluates the inter-observer agreement of both techniques.

Influence of vitamin C on the elicitation of allergic contact dermatitis to p-phenylenediamine.

Background: Hair dyes represent one of the most important causes of allergic contact dermatitis resulting from the use of cosmetic products. The principal causative chemistry is associated with oxidation products of p-phenylenediamine (PPD) and closely related substances.

Objectives: To examine whether prior application of the antioxidant vitamin C to the skin was able to reduce the cutaneous allergic response to PPD.

The Secondary Quality Indicator to Improve Prediction of Adenoma Miss Rate Apart from Adenoma Detection Rate.

Objectives: Adenoma detection rate (ADR) cannot distinguish between endoscopists who detect one adenoma and those who detect ≥2 adenomas. Hypothetically, adenoma miss rate (AMR) may be significant for endoscopists with high ADRs who examine the rest of colon with less care after detecting first polyp. Our objective was to evaluate other quality indicators plus ADR vs.