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Assessment of tumor response during treatment is one of the most important purposes of imaging. Before the appearance of immunotherapy, response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST) and positron emission tomography response criteria in solid tumors (PERCIST) were, respectively, the established morphologic and metabolic response criteria, and cessation of treatment was recommended when progressive disease was detected according to these criteria. However, various types of immunotherapy have been developed over the past 20 years, which show novel false positive findings on images, as well as distinct response patterns from conventional therapies. Antitumor immune response itself causes 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in tumor sites, known as “flare phenomenon”, so that positron emission tomography using FDG can no longer accurately identify remaining tumors. Furthermore, tumors often initially increase, followed by stability or decrease resulting from immunotherapy, which is called “pseudoprogression”, so that progressive disease cannot be confirmed by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging at a single time point. As a result, neither RECIST nor PERCIST can accurately predict the response to immunotherapy, and therefore several new response criteria fixed for immunotherapy have been proposed. However, these criteria are still controversial, and also require months for response confirmation. The establishment of optimal response criteria and the development of new imaging technologies other than FDG are therefore urgently needed. In this review, we summarize the false positive images and the revision of response criteria for each immunotherapy, in order to avoid discontinuation of a truly effective immunotherapy.

Two-stage meso- and thermophilic anaerobic digestion (TSMTAD) of food waste was examined and its microbiological structure was investigated. The first stage was designed for the primary storage of perishable food waste and the second stage for central biogas production. Mesophilic storage with initial neutralization and inoculation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) resulted in an accumulation of lactic acid (21–23 g/L) with a decreased pH, in which bacterial members in facultative hetero-fermentation-type LAB dominated. Repeated fed-batch storage showed stable accumulation of lactic acid, retaining 89.3% (av.) carbon and preventing the growth of exogenous food pathogens. When the second stage of TSMTAD was compared with direct single-stage anaerobic digestion (SSAD) at 55 °C, the amount of methane accumulated was 1.48-fold higher (896 NmL/g-vs.). The methane yield of the original food refuse was 6.9% higher in the case of TSMTAD. The microbial community structures of both cases were similar, consisting of a sole thermophilic hydrogen-assimilating methanogen, Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus. However, the abundance of bacteria belonging to two functional groups, H2 CO2 and acetic acid producer, and syntrophic acetate-oxidizing bacteria increased in TSMTAD. This may change the metabolic pathway, contributing to the stimulation of methane productivity.

Background: This study aims to investigate the impact of test conditions on the results of the compression testing of microneedle arrays (MNAs). Methods: Uniaxial compression tests were conducted on polyglycolic acid-fabricated biodegradable MNAs. Load–displacement curves were obtained for varying conditions, including the number of microneedles (MNs) compressed simultaneously, compression speeds, and compression angles. Subsequently, the buckling load and stiffness were calculated, and the MN deformation during compression was observed. Results: The buckling load and stiffness per MN decreased significantly with a simultaneous increase in compressed MNs. The mean buckling load and stiffness of 52 MNs in single-needle compression tests were 0.211 ± 0.008 N and 13.9 ± 1.3 N/mm, respectively, with no variation among the three MNAs. However, a significant difference in buckling load and stiffness was observed among the MNs within the MNAs. Additionally, buckling loads and stiffnesses were significantly lower in certain MNs at the same location in different MNAs. Buckling load and stiffness decreased significantly during inclined compression compared to during vertical compression. While the tests evaluate the mechanical properties of MNAs, test results may vary depending on test conditions. Conclusions: Compression testing of the individual MNs comprising an MNA helps evaluate the mechanical properties of MNs and ensure the quality of MNAs.

In radiation therapy, patient setup is important for improving treatment accuracy. The six-axis couch semi-automatically adjusts the patient’s position; however, adjusting the patient to twist is difficult. In this study, we developed and evaluated a virtual reality setup training tool for medical students to understand and improve their patient setup skills for radiation therapy. First, we set up a simulated patient in a virtual space to reproduce the radiation treatment room. A gyro sensor was attached to the patient phantom in real space, and the twist of the phantom was linked to the patient in the virtual space. Training was conducted for 24 students, and their operation records were analyzed and evaluated. The training’s efficacy was also evaluated through questionnaires provided at the end of the training. The total time required for patient setup tests before and after training decreased significantly from 331.9 s to 146.2 s. As a result of the questionnaire regarding the usability of training to the trainee, most were highly evaluated. We found that training significantly improved students’ understanding of the patient setup. With the proposed system, trainees can experience a simulated setup that can aid in deepening their understanding of radiation therapy treatments.

Parthenocarpy, the pollination-independent fruit set, can raise the productivity of the fruit set even under adverse factors during the reproductive phase. The application of plant hormones stimulates parthenocarpy, but artificial hormones incur extra financial and labour costs to farmers and can induce the formation of deformed fruit. This study examines the performance of parthenocarpic mutants having no transcription factors of SlIAA9 and SlTAP3 and sldella that do not have the protein-coding gene, SlDELLA, in tomato (cv. Micro-Tom). At 0 day after the flowering (DAF) stage and DAFs after pollination, the sliaa9 mutant demonstrated increased pistil development compared to the other two mutants and wild type (WT). In contrast to WT and the other mutants, the sliaa9 mutant with pollination efficiently stimulated the build-up of auxin and GAs after flowering. Alterations in both transcript and metabolite profiles existed for WT with and without pollination, while the three mutants without pollination demonstrated the comparable metabolomic status of pollinated WT. Network analysis showed key modules linked to photosynthesis, sugar metabolism and cell proliferation. Equivalent modules were noticed in the famous parthenocarpic cultivars ‘Severianin’, particularly for emasculated samples. Our discovery indicates that controlling the genes and metabolites proffers future breeding policies for tomatoes.

Background: Echocardiography requires a high degree of skill on the part of the examiner, and the skill may be more improved in larger volume centers. This study investigated trends and outcomes associated with the use and volume of echocardiographic exams from a real-world registry database of heart failure (HF) hospitalizations. Methods: This study was based on the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database in the Japanese Registry of All Cardiac and Vascular Datasets (JROAD-DPC). A first analysis was performed to assess the trend of echocardiographic examinations between 2012 and 2016. A secondary analysis was performed to assess whether echocardiographic use was associated with in-hospital mortality in 2015. Results: During this period, the use of echocardiography grew at an average annual rate of 6%. Patients with echocardiography had declining rates of hospital mortality, and these trends were associated with high hospitalization costs. In the 2015 sample, a total of 52,832 echocardiograms were examined, corresponding to 65.6% of all HF hospital admissions for that year. We found that the use and volume of echocardiography exams were associated with significantly lower odds of all-cause hospital mortality in heart failure (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 0.48 for use of echocardiography and 0.78 for the third tertile; both p < 0.001). Conclusions: The use of echocardiography was associated with decreased odds of hospital mortality in HF. The volumes of echocardiographic examinations were also associated with hospital mortality.

Limonium sinuatum (L.) Mill. (2n = 2x = 16) is a popular ornamental plant with dimorphism of pollen grains (type A and type B) and stigmas (papilla and cob-like). We applied polyploidy breeding to this species in order to introduce desirable traits. Tetraploid and mixoploid L. sinuatum plants were successfully obtained with oryzalin treatment of L. sinuatum ‘Early Blue’ seeds. All three tetraploids had increased leaf width, stomatal size, flower length, and pollen width compared to those of the diploid, and tetraploids had four germinal pores of pollen grains, whereas the diploid had three. All tetraploids had type A pollen grains and cob-like stigmas. Furthermore, the growth of cultivated tetraploid plants was slow, with later bolting and flowering times. Mixoploids Mixo-1 and Mixo-3 were estimated to be polyploidy periclinal chimeric plants consisting of a tetraploid L1 layer and diploid L2 layer, and Mixo-2 was estimated to be a polyploidy periclinal chimeric plant consisting of the diploid L1 layer and tetraploid L2 layer. Mixo-4 had tetraploid L1 and L2 layers. Mixoploids, except Mixo-4, had type A pollen grains and cob-like stigmas, whereas Mixo-4 had type B pollen grains and papilla stigmas. These polyploids will be useful as polyploidy breeding materials.

Because weevils are the most damaging pests of sweetpotato, the development of cultivars resistant to weevil species is considered the most important aspect in sweetpotato breeding. However, the genes and the underlying molecular mechanisms related to weevil resistance are yet to be elucidated. In this study, we performed an RNA sequencing-based transcriptome analysis using the resistant Kyushu No. 166 (K166) and susceptible Tamayutaka cultivars. The weevil resistance test showed a significant difference between the two cultivars at 30 days after the inoculation, specifically in the weevil growth stage and the suppressed weevil pupation that was only observed in K166. Differential expression and gene ontology analyses revealed that the genes upregulated after inoculation in K166 were related to phosphorylation, metabolic, and cellular processes. Because the weevil resistance was considered to be related to the suppression of larval pupation, we investigated the juvenile hormone (JH)-related genes involved in the inhibition of insect metamorphosis. We found that the expression of some terpenoid-related genes, which are classified as plant-derived JHs, was significantly increased in K166. This is the first study involving a comprehensive gene expression analysis that provides new insights about the genes and mechanisms associated with weevil resistance in sweetpotato.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is characterized by idiopathic biliary stricture followed by progressive cholestasis and fibrosis. When diagnosing PSC, its differentiation from other types of sclerosing cholangitis and cholangiocarcinoma is necessary. The cholangioscopic findings of PSC have not been investigated sufficiently. PSC and IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis are difficult to distinguish by peroral cholangioscopy (POCS), but POCS is useful for excluding cholangiocarcinoma. POCS findings vary according to the condition and stage of disease. In the active phase, findings such as mucosal erythema, ulceration, fibrinous white exudate, and an irregular surface are observed and may reflect strong inflammation in the biliary epithelium. On the other hand, findings such as scarring, pseudodiverticula, and bile duct stenosis appear in the chronic phase and may reflect fibrosis and stenosis resulting from repeated inflammation. Observation of inside the bile duct by POCS might confirm the current PSC activity. Because POCS offers not only information regarding the diagnosis of PSC and PSC-associated cholangiocarcinoma but also the current statuses of biliary inflammation and stenosis, POCS could significantly contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of PSC once the characteristic findings of PSC are confirmed by future studies.

Coherent resonant soft X-ray scattering was utilized to examine the magnetic textures in a thin plate of the cubic B20 compound FeGe. Small-angle scattering patterns were measured with controlled temperatures and magnetic fields exhibiting magnetic scattering from a helical texture and skyrmion lattice. By measuring the scattering pattern in a saturation magnetic field, magnetic and charge scattering were distinguished and an iterative phase retrieval algorithm was applied to reconstruct the magnetic texture in the real-space. Results of the real-space reconstruction of magnetic texture from two independently measured datasets were used to compare the reliability of the retrieval.