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Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate imaging conditions that allow for the rapid acquisition of mask images used in the subtraction method, one of the depiction improvement methods for brain magnetic resonance angiography, by employing compressed sensing (CS) combined with segmented time-of-flight (TOF)., Methods: The experiment was performed on healthy volunteers using 3.0T-MRI. We examined the blood flow signal suppression effects in arteries and veins at different numbers of segments. We determined the flip angle at which the signal value of fat in the mask image became equivalent to that in the angio image. We visually assessed the impact of mask images with varying CS factors on subtraction images and determined the optimal CS factor., Results: Effective blood flow signal suppression in arteries and veins was achieved with segment numbers of 12 or fewer, and a flip angle of 18° resulted in equivalent fat signal values. Even with a CS factor set to its maximum value of 12, no degradation in image quality was observed in the maximum intensity projection images., Conclusion: Using segmented TOF with CS, optimal imaging conditions for acquiring mask images for the subtraction method were determined to be segment number 9, flip angle 18°, and CS factor 12.

The modulation transfer function (MTF) is a fundamental tool for assessing the sharpness of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) systems and is primarily measured using edge devices. We compared the MTF of a Senographe Pristina DBT system using four-edge devices. These devices were composed of stainless steel with a thickness of 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 mm, and 1.0 mm tungsten, based on different international guidelines. We evaluated spatial frequencies at MTFs of 0.5 (MTF50%) and 0.1 (MTF10%). The collimator-equipped and non-collimator configurations of the DBT were compared. We found no appreciable differences between scan and chest wall-nipple directions. Both MTF50% (2.90-2.99 cycles/mm) and MTF10% (6.69-6.94 cycles/mm) demonstrated minimal variation across the different edge devices. The collimator-equipped system exhibited an MTF50% that was approximately 5% higher than that of the non-collimator configuration. The choice of the edge device did not appreciably impact the MTF., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Japanese Society of Radiological Technology and Japan Society of Medical Physics.)

Aldehyde reductase (Akr1a) has been reported to be involved in detoxification of reactive aldehydes as well as in the synthesis of bioactive compounds such as ascorbic acid (AsA). Because Akr1a is expressed at high levels in the liver and is involved in xenobiotic metabolism, our objective was to investigate the hepato-protective role of Akr1a in a thioacetamide (TAA)-induced hepatotoxicity model using Akr1a-deficient (Akr1a -/- ) mice. Wild-type (WT) and Akr1a -/- mice were injected intraperitoneally with TAA and the extent of liver injury in the acute phase was assessed. Intriguingly, the extent of TAA-induced liver damage was less in the Akr1a -/- mice than in the WT mice. Biomarkers for the ER stress-induced apoptosis pathway were markedly decreased in the livers of Akr1a -/- mice, whereas AsA levels in plasma did not change significantly in any of the mice. In the liver, TAA is converted to reactive metabolites such as TAA S-oxide and then to TAA S, S-dioxide via the action of CYP2E1. In Akr1a -/- mice, CYP2E1 activity was relatively lower than WT mice at the basal level, leading to reactive TAA metabolites being produced at lower levels after the TAA treatment. The levels of liver proteins that were modified with these metabolites were also lower in the Akr1a -/- mice than the WT mice after the TAA treatment. Furthermore, after a lethal dose of a TAA challenge, the WT mice all died within 36 h, whereas almost all of the Akr1a -/- mice survived. These collective results suggest that Akr1a -/- mice are resistant to TAA-induced liver injury, and it follows that the absence of Akr1a might modulate TAA bioactivation., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Network (DIAN) observational study compared pathophysiological markers between mutation carriers and non-carriers in autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease. This study revealed that changes in the biomarkers in the mutation carrier's brain start as early as 20 or even 25 years prior to the onset of symptoms. Doctors of the DIAN-Japan team have successfully implemented the DIAN study in Japan (DIAN-J) with effort and enthusiasm. The DIAN-J study is completely compatible with the DIAN study. All members of the DIAN-J team were certified by the NIH and Washington University. The DIAN researchers started a prevention trial (DIAN-TU) testing two monoclonal antibodies in 2013. Together with the DIAN global members including the Japanese team, they will start the new DIAN-TU NexGen Trial testing a BACE inhibitor in 2017. The API study is another clinical trial of anti-amyloid monoclonal antibody therapy for family members of patients with early-onset familial AD who carry the PSEN1 E280A mutation. This study has shown the same biomarker changes that were reported in the DIAN study.

We investigated the responses of mice that are defective in the superoxide-scavenging enzyme SOD1 to thioacetamide (TAA)-induced hepatotoxicity. When a lethal dose of TAA (500 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected, the wild-type (WT) mice all died within 36 h, but all of the SOD1-knockout (KO) mice survived. Treatment with an SOD1 inhibitor rendered the WT mice resistant to TAA toxicity. To elucidate the mechanism responsible for this, we examined the acute effects of a sublethal dose of TAA (200 mg/kg) on the livers of WT and KO mice. The extent of TAA-induced liver damage was less in the KO mice, but, instead, lipogenesis was further advanced in the SOD1-KO livers. The levels of proteins modified with acetyllysine, a marker for TAA-mediated injury, were lower in the KO mice than the WT mice upon the TAA treatment. The KO mice, which were under oxidative stress per se, exhibited a lower CYP2E1 activity, and this appeared to result in a decrease in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during TAA metabolism. Both cleaved ATF6, a transcriptional regulator that is activated by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and CHOP, a death signal mediator, were highly elevated in the WT mice as the result of the TAA treatment and consistent with the liver damage. We conclude that elevated TAA metabolites and reactive oxygen species that are produced by CYP-mediated drug metabolism trigger lipogenesis as well as liver damage via ER stress and determine the fate of the mice.

Under normal feeding conditions, oxidative stress stimulates lipid droplets accumulation in hepatocytes. We found that, despite the low visceral fat in Sod1-knockout (KO) mouse, lipid droplets accumulate in the liver to a greater extent than for the wild-type mouse upon fasting. Liver damage became evident in the KO mice. While fasting caused substantial endoplasmic reticulum stress in KO mice, the expression of genes involved in fatty acid production was suppressed. LC3-II, which is essential for the dynamic process of autophagosome formation, was activated in the wild-type mouse and enhanced in the KO mouse. However, the p62, an adapter protein with the ubiquitin- and LC3-binding activity, accumulated abnormally in the livers of KO mice, implying an abortive lipophagic process as the cause for the impaired lipid metabolism and the hepatic damage that occurs upon fasting., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

59-year-old man falling from the roof was transported to our hospital by ambulance. When thoracic drainage was done for tension pneumothorax of the left lung, massive intrathoracic hemorrhage was noted as well. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed contusion of left lower lobe. Emergency operation was done, but complete hemostasis was not achieved. To control hemorrhage from lung, intrathoracic packing was performed. After improving general condition, left pneumonectomy could be performed by 2nd operation. His postoperative course was uneventful.

62-year-old man with obstructive pneumonitis due to metastatic lung cancer admitted for surgery. Anticancer chemotherapy combined with bevacizumab had been canceled 8 weeks before surgery. Right lower lobectomy and wedge resection of right upper lobe were performed. Subcutaneous emphysema and prolonged air leakage appeared 5 days after surgery. Re-operation was performed 6 days after surgery, in order to control air leakage from suture line of the lung. The reason of prolonged air leakage was possibly the side effect of bevacizumab.

Two cases of induction chemoradiation followed by surgical resection were reported. A 53-year-old man and a 68-year-old man who had been suffering form alleviate pain in their left shoulder and arms were referred to our hospital. Physical examination revealed Horner's syndrome on the left side in both patients. A transcutaneous needle biopsy confirmed non-small-cell lung cancer. Under the diagnosis of superior sulcus tumor in stage IIIB (T4N0M0), induction chemotherapy and radiation were given. After tumor reduction, they underwent resection through cervical anterior approach because subclavian vessel invasion was suspected. The clavicle was divided for the resection and reconstruction of subclavian artery in case 2. For the treatment of anterior superior sulcus tumors, anterior approach provides a safe and effective exposure.

Objective: Identifying the relationship between workload content and health complaints would likely aid the establishment of preventative health care strategies., Participants: The study population consisted of 137 male workers from a pharmaceutical company., Methods: The workloads of the target subjects were divided into three groups (A, B, and C+D) according to the scores of a self-administered questionnaire. The results of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ, 12 items version) for assessing health complaints were also analyzed., Results: The percentages of workers who reported feelings of stress in response to overtime work, irregular work, business trips, nighttime work, no rest and/or no nap, mental workload, and physical workload were 22.6%, 15.3%, 2.9%, 8.0%, 13.9%, 58.3%, and 18.2%, respectively. The significant odds ratio of workload predicting health complaints was 6.9 for subjects in group B and 13.9 for subjects in group C+D. Among them, the significant odds ratios of mental workload predicting health complaints and a positive GHQ were 5.7 and 4.0, respectively. Having no regular exercise also resulted in ORs of greater than 3 for health complaints and a positive GHQ., Conclusions: To cope with the health complaints of workers, mental health support by reducing individual workloads is recommended.

Background: The establishment of limited resection procedures for non-small cell lung cancer is expected. Many groups have suggested noninvasive bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) to be a potential indication for limited resection., Methods: We designed a prospective phase II study evaluating limited resection for noninvasive BAC diagnosed by intraoperative pathologic examination. From 1999 to 2007, limited resection was the procedure in 46 patients (16 men and 30 women; median age, 69 years; range, 49 to 83) who were diagnosed intraoperatively as having noninvasive BAC. The first end point was the predictive value of the intraoperative pathologic examination for noninvasive BAC diagnosis. The second end point was overall survival, disease-free survival, and cancer-specific survival, calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method., Results: We performed wedge resections for 44 patients and segmentectomy for 2 patients. Permanent pathologic examination revealed 3 patients had primary lung adenocarcinomas other than noninvasive BAC. The predictive value of intraoperative pathologic examination for noninvasive BAC diagnosis was 94%. During a median 51-month follow-up, there were only 2 cancer unrelated deaths. The 5-year overall survival rate and the disease-free survival rate were 93%, and the 5-year cancer-specific survival rate was 100%., Conclusions: The results of our prospective phase II study indicate that limited resection, mainly by wedge resection, is a potentially curative surgical procedure and may be an acceptable alternative to lobectomy for patients with noninvasive BAC. Furthermore, an intraoperative pathologic diagnosis of noninvasive BAC is strongly predictive and allows for an intraoperative decision to perform a limited resection in these patients.

We report a new 1.5 mum femtosecond fiber soliton laser incorporating a polymer saturable absorber that consists of polycarbonate (PC) with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). We installed the polymer in a fiber laser with a cavity length of 5.1 m, in which an erbium-doped fiber was used as the gain medium. Stable passive mode-locking was achieved for a pump power of 303 mW at 39 MHz, and a pulse width of 115 fs with an average output power of 3.4 mW was obtained.

We fabricated a fiber-connector-type saturable absorber in which SWNTs and P3HT (poly-3-hexylthiophene) were coated on the fiber connector end. This saturable absorber allowed us to realize a short laser cavity length. We used a soliton cavity configuration to generate the shortest pulse (147 fs) at the highest repetition rate (51 MHz) yet obtained with carbon nanotubes (CNT) related saturable absorbers., ((c) 2008 Optical Society of America)

Transabdominal esophageal mucosal transection with devascularization, a direct operation for varices, has been done upon 63 patients with marked esophageal varices that had bled or had a potential bleeding hazard. As of May 1978, 55 of the 63 patients are alive, and the over-all results appear to be satisfactory.