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Analysis of the alternating opaque and translucent zones in fish otoliths is a widely used method to determine age in fish. The mechanisms underlying the annual periodicities in the formation of these zones remain unknown, although various interpretations and explanations have been presented to explain the appearance of the opaque zones. Here I review the biological and structural characteristics of the opaque zones in otoliths from a number of fish species. The results of this review suggest that the opaque zones can be classified into four different types. Type A is a dark opaque zone, displaying minute, dense crystals, and is typically formed at a young life-history stage. Type B comprises an aggregation of grooves and discontinuous crystals that are formed during growth-stagnant periods. Type C can be described as a washy black zone that has the appearance of an object that is smeared with ink; it is formed during seasons of active growth. Type D has deep grooves, appears luminous in transmitted light in etched otolith sections, and is formed during the spawning season. Types A and C otolith opaque zones are typical of younger fish and are formed during growing periods. They are complementary to Types B and D otolith opaque zones which are formed during periods of stagnant growth and/or during the spawning seasons and which are typical of older fish, which generally lack Type A zones. To ensure precise age determination in fish, it is therefore necessary to understand the structural and biological characteristics that produce these four distinct types of opaque zones.

Size-related changes in reproductive potential are essential for understanding population dynamics and life history strategies; however, the mechanisms driving variation between individuals and sexes remain unclear. Using a diet-switch experiment and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (SIRs) as quantitative indicators, we investigated how large (parents) and small (offspring) spawning male and female Japanese anchovies ( Engraulis japonicus ) allocate energy to reproduction. Large individuals of both sexes exhibited higher energy investment in gamete production than small individuals, reflecting a trade-off between growth and reproduction. The turnover rates of SIRs after a diet switch suggest that anchovies predominantly rely on income breeding. However, significant differences in turnover rates between large and small individuals indicate that large fish can also utilize facultative capital resources for gamete production. Notably, males exhibited slower isotopic turnover than females, partly due to the influence of sperm storage. These findings demonstrate that spawning individuals display temporal diversity in resource use for reproduction, with large individuals showing greater flexibility in energy allocation strategies. This study advances our understanding of size- and sex-dependent resource allocation in Japanese anchovy and contributes to a broader understanding of reproductive strategies in small pelagic fishes.

The blue shark (Prionace glauca) is a pelagic species widely distributed in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The trophic roles of blue sharks across different developmental stages and between sexes remain poorly understood. Fifty-four sharks were sampled (October 2022–March 2024) for precaudal length (PCL) and stable isotope levels (δ13C, δ15N) in the muscle tissue (n = 52). Mean PCL varied based on the month of sampling (p = 0.034), with the smallest individuals occurring in July (143.0 ± 4.3 cm) and the largest in October (178.0 ± 2.6 cm). Stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N) indicated consistent offshore habitat use (δ13C: from −20.70 to −18.82‰) and significant nitrogen isotopic differences among life history (δ15N: from 10.23 to 15.72‰; Kruskal–Wallis test, p = 0.037). The elevated δ15N values observed in the subadult group (relative to juvenile individuals) are likely due to trophic enrichment associated with morphological development. Females exhibited markedly larger isotopic niches (SEAc = 2.42‰2) than did males (0.57‰2), and niche overlap was greater within each sex (40–52%) than between sexes (<21%). These results revealed sex-specific ecological roles and trophic strategies throughout the life history of P. glauca. Understanding these foraging differences can help with catch reduction and habitat-protection measures in the transboundary pelagic fisheries of the northwestern Pacific.

Objective We aimed to develop and validate a preoperative nomogram that predicts low-grade, non-muscle invasive upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (LG-NMI UTUC), thereby aiding in the accurate selection of endoscopic management (EM) candidates. Methods This was a retrospective study that included 454 patients who underwent radical surgery (Cohort 1 and Cohort 2), and 26 patients who received EM (Cohort 3). Utilizing a multivariate logistic regression model, a nomogram predicting LG-NMI UTUC was developed based on data from Cohort 1. The nomogram's accuracy was compared with conventional European Association of Urology (EAU) and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) models. External validation was performed using Cohort 2 data, and the nomogram’s prognostic value was evaluated via disease progression metrics in Cohort 3. Results In Cohort 1, multivariate analyses highlighted the absence of invasive disease on imaging (odds ratio [OR] 7.04; p  = 0.011), absence of hydronephrosis (OR 2.06; p  = 0.027), papillary architecture (OR 24.9; p  < 0.001), and lack of high-grade urine cytology (OR 0.22; p  < 0.001) as independent predictive factors for LG-NMI disease. The nomogram outperformed the two conventional models in predictive accuracy (0.869 vs. 0.759–0.821) and exhibited a higher net benefit in decision curve analysis. The model’s clinical efficacy was corroborated in Cohort 2. Moreover, the nomogram stratified disease progression-free survival rates in Cohort 3. Conclusion Our nomogram ( https://kmur.shinyapps.io/UTUC_URS/ ) accurately predicts LG-NMI UTUC, thereby identifying suitable candidates for EM. Additionally, the model serves as a useful tool for prognostic stratification in patients undergoing EM.

Pembrolizumab is the standard for the first and second lines in treating metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the value of pretreatment clinical characteristics and hematologic biomarkers for prognosticating response to pembrolizumab in patients with metastatic UC. PUBMED®, Web of Science™, and Scopus® databases were searched for articles published before May 2021 according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses) statement. Studies were deemed eligible if they evaluated overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma treated with pembrolizumab and pretreatment clinical characteristics or laboratory examination. Overall, 13 studies comprising 1311 patients were eligible for the meta-analysis. Several pretreatment patients’ demographics and hematologic biomarkers were significantly associated with worse OS as follows: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG-PS) ≥ 2 (Pooled hazard ratio [HR]: 3.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.57–4.09), presence of visceral metastasis (Pooled HR: 1.84, 95% CI 1.42–2.38), presence of liver metastasis (Pooled HR: 4.23, 95% CI 2.18–8.20), higher neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (Pooled HR: 1.29, 95% CI 1.07–1.55) and, higher c-reactive protein (CRP) (Pooled HR: 2.49, 95% CI 1.52–4.07). Metastatic UC patients with poor PS, liver metastasis, higher pretreatment NLR and/or CRP have a worse survival despite pembrolizumab treatment. These findings might help to guide the prognostic tools for clinical decision-making; however, they should be interpreted carefully, owing to limitations regarding the retrospective nature of primary data.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess and compare the perioperative and oncological outcomes of intracorporeal (ICUD) and extracorporeal (ECUD) urinary diversion following robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC). A systematic literature search of articles was performed in PubMed®, Web of Science®, and Scopus® databases according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis statement. We included studies that compared patients who underwent RARC with ICUD to those with ECUD. Twelve studies including 3067 patients met the eligibility criteria. There were no significant differences between ICUD and ECUD in overall and major complications, regardless of the period (short-term [≤ 30 days] or mid-term [> 30 days]). Subgroup analyses demonstrated that ICUD performed by high-volume centers exhibited a significantly reduced risk of major complications (short-term: OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.37–0.86, p = 0.008, mid-term: OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.46–0.94, p = 0.02). Patients who underwent ICUD had lower estimated blood loss (MD -102.3 ml, 95% CI − 132.8 to − 71.8, p < 0.00001), less likely to receive blood transfusion rates (OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.20–0.62, p = 0.00003); and these findings were consistent in subgroup analyses by low-volume centers (MD-121.6 ml, 95% CI − 160.9 to − 82.3, p < 0.00001 and OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.20–0.62, p = 0.00003, respectively). ICUD had a higher lymph node yield (MD 3.68, 95% CI 0.80–6.56, p = 0.01). Patients receiving ICUD provided comparable complications, superior perioperative outcomes, and similar oncological outcomes compared with ECUD. Centralization of patients may contribute to a reduction of postoperative complications, while maintaining the advantages.

BackgroundThe aim of this study is to compare the perioperative outcomes and learning curves between intracorporeal and extracorporeal urinary diversion at our medium-sized institution.MethodsBetween January 2018 and September 2020, a single surgeon at our institution performed 46 consecutive robot-assisted radical cystectomies with ileal conduit. We compared the perioperative outcomes between patients who underwent intracorporeal versus extracorporeal urinary diversion. We also investigated learning curves for the first and last 10 patients in each group.ResultsThe extracorporeal group had shorter overall operative time (P = 0.003) and urinary diversion time (P < 0.0001) than the intracorporeal group. The intracorporeal group had shorter length of hospital stay (P = 0.02). There was no difference in complication and readmission rates. The extracorporeal group demonstrated no difference between the first and last 10 patients for overall operative time or time for cystectomy, lymph node dissection, or urinary diversion. However, the intracorporeal group had shorter urinary diversion time for the last 10 patients compared with the first 10 patients. The first 10 patients in the extracorporeal group had shorter overall operative time than the first 10 in the intracorporeal group, but there was no difference for the last 10 patients.ConclusionsIntracorporeal urinary diversion requires longer overall operative time than extracorporeal diversion for the first 10 patients, due to longer urinary diversion time. However, there is no difference in overall operative time for the last 10 patients. The benefit of intracorporeal over extracorporeal urinary diversion was not confirmed at our medium-sized institution.

Recent phase 3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrate the promising impact of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based combination therapies on locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC). However, comparative data on the efficacy and toxicity of different ICI-based combinations are lacking. This study aims to compare the efficacy of first-line ICI-based combination therapies for locally advanced or metastatic UC using phase 3 RCT data. In November 2023, three databases were searched for RCTs evaluating oncological outcomes in patients with locally advanced or metastatic UC who were treated with first-line ICI-based combination therapies. Network meta-analysis (NMA) was conducted to compare outcomes, including overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rates (ORRs), complete response rates (CRRs), and treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). Subgroup analyses were based on PD-L1 status and cisplatin eligibility. The NMA included five RCTs. Enfortumab vedotin (EV) + pembrolizumab ranked the highest for improving OS (100%), PFS (100%), ORR (96%), and CRR (96%), followed by nivolumab + chemotherapy. EV + pembrolizumab combination superiority held across PD-L1 status and cisplatin eligibility. In patients who are cisplatin-eligible, EV + pembrolizumab significantly improved OS (HR: 0.68, 95%CI 0.47–0.99) and PFS (HR: 0.67, 95%CI 0.49–0.92) compared to nivolumab + chemotherapy. Durvalumab + tremelimumab was the safest combination for severe TRAEs, and EV + pembrolizumab ranked second. Our analyses support EV + pembrolizumab combination as a first-line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic UC. Thus, EV + pembrolizumab may become a guideline-changing standard treatment.