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Abstract Background Intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has been increasingly used for patients with locally advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (LA‐NSCLC). However, there are some barriers to implementing IMRT for LA‐NSCLC, including the complexity of treatment plan optimization. This study aimed to evaluate the learning curve of lung dose optimization in IMRT for LA‐NSCLC and identify the factors that affect the degree of achievement of lung dose optimization. Methods We retrospectively evaluated 40 consecutive patients with LA‐NSCLC who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy at our institution. These 40 patients were divided into two groups: 20 initially treated patients (earlier group) and 20 subsequently treated patients (later group). Patient and tumor characteristics were compared between the two groups. The dose‐volume parameter ratio between the actually delivered IMRT plan and the simulated three‐dimensional conformal radiotherapy plan was also compared between the two groups to determine the learning curve of lung dose optimization. Results The dose‐volume parameter ratio for lung volume to receive more than 5 Gy (lung V5) and mean lung dose (MLD) significantly decreased in later groups. The spread of the beam path and insufficient optimization of dose coverage of planning target volume (PTV) might cause poor control of lung V5, MLD. Conclusions A learning curve for lung dose optimization was observed with the accumulation of experience. Appropriate techniques, such as restricting the beam path and ensuring dose coverage of PTV during the optimization process, are essential to control lung dose in IMRT for LA‐NSCLC.

Abstract Background In this study, we developed a simple method for evaluating achievement degree of lung dose optimization in individual patients with locally advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Methods Data of 28 patients with stage IIB to IIIC NSCLC were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were treated with IMRT and a simulated three‐dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D‐CRT) plan created for them. Dose‐volume parameters of lung were analyzed for their correlation with radiation pneumonitis (RP). Results Over a median follow‐up of 14 months, grade 1 pneumonitis was diagnosed in 14 patients (50%), grade 2 pneumonitis in 11 (39%), and grade 3 pneumonitis in one (4%). Two patients did not develop pneumonitis. None of the patients developed grade 4 or 5 pneumonitis. Regarding dose‐volume parameter ratios between IMRT and simulated 3D‐CRT, receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that mean lung dose (MLD)IMRT/MLD3D‐CRT had the largest area under curve (0.750). Cumulative 6‐month incidences of grade 2 or greater RP were 78.4% versus 19.5% (MLDIMRT/MLD3D‐CRT, ≥1.0 or less); this difference was significant (p

BackgroundCryptogenic stroke (CS) are heterogeneous in origin; however, most CS are embolic mechanism. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) is suspected to be a major type of CS that leads to severe cerebral infarction without anticoagulant use. Therefore, the identification of AF is vital in patients with CS. However, patients are often unaware of AF because they have no symptoms, and AF may not be detected on an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter ECG on admission. After patients with stroke are treated in the acute phase, they are promptly transferred to a rehabilitation hospital for functional recovery. Once the patient is transferred to a hospital, a few attempts are made to detect AF. In addition, rehabilitation therapists are considered to have insufficient awareness of the possibility of undiagnosed AF.ObjectiveThis study aimed to increase the understanding of the importance of AF detection in patients with ischemic stroke among therapists in rehabilitation hospitals and to investigate whether regular pulse screening can aid in the detection of AF. If AF was detected, we determined the rate and timing of AF detection and identified the patient characteristics.MethodsThis multicenter prospective observational study aimed to detect AF in patients with non-cardiac stroke at rehabilitation hospitals. Therapists performed pulse checks before, during, and after rehabilitation. If arrhythmia or tachycardia was detected, an ECG was performed, and the physician checked for AF. If the patient complained of chest symptoms, electrocardiography (ECG) was performed to check for AF. We investigated the characteristics, laboratory data, cognitive status, complications, such as stroke recurrence, and functional outcomes of patients with AF.ResultsThe study is in the enrollment phase. Recruitment began in September 2022 and will end in August 2023. Patients have provided written informed consent. The main results have been submitted for publication in your journal.ConclusionThe findings of this study will help identify patients with AF in rehabilitation hospitals and improve awareness among therapists.

A ploidy chimera of the Meiwa kumquat (Fortunella crassifolia Swingle), which had been induced by treating the nucellar embryos with colchicine, and had diploid (2n = 2x = 18) and tetraploid (2n = 4x = 36) cells, was examined for its ploidy level, morphological characteristics, and sizes of its cells in its leaves, flowers, and fruits to reveal the ploidy level of each histogenic layer. Furthermore, the chimera was crossed with the diploid kumquat to evaluate the ploidy level of its reproductive organs. The morphological characteristics and the sizes of the cells in the leaves, flowers, and fruits of the chimera were similar to those of the tetraploid Meiwa kumquat and the ploidy periclinal chimera known as “Yubeni,” with diploids in the histogenic layer I (L1) and tetraploids in the histogenic layer II (L2) and III (L3). However, the epidermis derived from the L1 of the chimera showed the same result as the diploid Meiwa kumquat in all organs and cells. The sexual organs derived from the L2 of the chimera were significantly larger than those of the diploid. Moreover, the ploidy level of the seedlings obtained from the chimera was mostly tetraploid. In the midrib derived from the L3, the chimera displayed the fluorescence intensity of a tetraploid by flow cytometric analysis and had the same size of the cells as the tetraploid and the Yubeni. According to these results, the chimera is thought to be a ploidy periclinal chimera with diploid cells in the outermost layer (L1) and tetraploid cells in the inner layers (L2 and L3) of the shoot apical meristem. The chimera had desirable fruit traits for a kumquat such as a thick pericarp, a high sugar content, and a small number of developed seeds. Furthermore, triploid progenies were obtained from reciprocal crosses between the chimera and diploid kumquat.

Hot filament chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system is investigated by using two dimensional reactive flow simulations. Simulation of the reactive flow system of an advanced CVD technique is affected by the reduction in the velocity of gas surrounding the filament. In the Ch4-H2 hot filament system, CH3 is a growth species.

An advanced hot-filament chemical vapor deposition method enables the accurate control of the substrate temperature, independent of other chemical vapors deposition parameters. This method is used in the growth of homoepitaxial (111), (110) and (100) diamond films, which are examined by optical microscopy and reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED). The deposition pressure, methane concentration in the feed gas and substrate temperature affect the surface morphology of the films. Atomically smooth surfaces were found on (111) substrates and (100) substrates at varying pressures and levels of methane concentration. Spotty patterns were found on the (110) substrates due to three-dimensional growth.

The behavior of the RD spectra of the Si(001) surface during the layer-by-layer oxidation is reported. The report revealed that the half period oscillation corresponds to the oxidation of 1 ML, which demonstrates the possibility of in situ counting and control of the number of oxidized layers.

In this work, we describe a novel “nickel nanoparticle method” for synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). We could readily synthesize CNTs from commercially available granulated polystyrene (PS) and nickel nanoparticles in a very short time by using a domestic microwave oven remodeled to control the temperature. In order to establish the best conditions for the synthesis of CNTs, we carried out the syntheses with changing temperature and/or time of microwave heating, and then the qualities of the resulting CNTs were checked by TEM, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. As a result, it was clarified that the best condition was at 800 °C for 10 min. Under this condition, we could easily synthesize CNTs in gram scale at a time, when the total amount of the mixture of PS and nickel nanoperticles increased to several grams with keeping the nickel weight ratio at 0.30. This may lead us to a bright prospect of rapid synthesis of large amounts of CNTs in kilogram scale by using a large-scale reactor in a factory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lung sound analysis is useful for objectively evaluating airways even in children with asymptomatic asthma. However, the relationship between lung sounds and morphological changes in the airways has not been elucidated. We examined the relationship between lung sounds and chronic morphological changes in the airways during the progression of asthma from onset in guinea pigs. Methods: Eleven male guinea pigs were examined; of these, seven were used as asthma models and four as controls. The asthma models were sensitized and repeatedly challenged by inhaling albumin chicken egg. We measured lung sounds and lung function twice a week for 21 weeks. After the final antigen challenge, the lungs were excised for histological examination. We measured the ratio of airway wall thickness to the total airway area and the ratio of the internal area to the total airway area in the trachea, third bronchi, and terminal bronchioles. Results: Among the lungs sounds, the difference between the two groups was greatest with respect to inspiratory sound intensity. The ratio of airway wall thickness to the total airway area of the terminal bronchioles was greater in the asthma models than in the controls, and it correlated best with the changes in inspiratory sound intensity in the 501–1000-Hz range (r = 0.76, p