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Background: To evaluate the efficacy of computed tomography (CT) lymphangiography after direct mesenteric lymph node injection for thoracic duct (TD) visualization in mice. Methods: Twelve female BALB/c mice were injected with 35 μL of iodinated contrast medium (iomeprol 350 mgI/mL) into the mesenteric (mesenteric group) or popliteal (popliteal group) lymph nodes. CT images were acquired before injection and 1 min, 3 min, 5 min, 10 min, and 15 min after injection using a micro-CT scanner. Contrast ratios (CRs) were measured at the cisterna chyli and three levels of the TD (diaphragm, carina, and venous angle). Two experienced radiologists qualitatively assessed images as good, fair, or poor. Results: The mesenteric group had significantly higher mean (± standard deviation) CRs than the popliteal group for all examined regions at 1 min after injection: cisterna chyli (14.01 ± 4.77 versus 1.47 ± 1.21, p < 0.001), diaphragm (7.28 ± 2.50 versus 0.85 ± 0.61, p = 0.0011), carina (10.33 ± 3.42 versus 0.44 ± 0.40, p < 0.001), and venous angle (6.26 ± 2.02 versus 0.79 ± 0.75, p < 0.001). For the TD between the cisterna chyli and the diaphragm, 6/6 mice in the mesenteric group showed strong enhancement, whereas 5/6 mice in the popliteal group showed minimal or no enhancement. The visual scores of the mesenteric group were significantly higher than those of the popliteal group for all the evaluated regions (p = 0.002). Conclusion: CT lymphangiography via mesenteric lymph node injection provides better imaging of the TD in mice than popliteal lymph node injection. Relevance statement: This study enhances TD visualization in mice, advancing preclinical research on lymphatic disorders and improving translational applications for better clinical diagnostics and treatments. Key Points: Mesenteric lymph node injection improved the efficacy of TD CT lymphangiography in mice. Mesenteric injection provided significantly better TD visualization than popliteal injection. Enhanced TD visualization in mice advances preclinical research on lymphatic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of iterative motion correction (IMC) on reducing artifacts in brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with deep learning reconstruction (DLR). The study included 10 volunteers (between September 2023 and December 2023) and 30 patients (between June 2022 and July 2022) for quantitative and qualitative analyses, respectively. Volunteers were instructed to remain still during the first MRI with fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequence (FLAIR) and to move during the second scan. IMCoff DLR images were reconstructed from the raw data of the former acquisition; IMCon and IMCoff DLR images were reconstructed from the latter acquisition. After registration of the motion images, the structural similarity index measure (SSIM) was calculated using motionless images as reference. For qualitative analyses, IMCon and IMCoff FLAIR DLR images of the patients were reconstructed and evaluated by three blinded readers in terms of motion artifacts, noise, and overall quality. SSIM for IMCon images was 0.952, higher than that for IMCoff images (0.949) (p < 0.001). In qualitative analyses, although noise in IMCon images was rated as increased by two of the three readers (both p < 0.001), all readers agreed that motion artifacts and overall quality were significantly better in IMCon images than in IMCoff images (all p < 0.001). In conclusion, IMC reduced motion artifacts in brain FLAIR DLR images while maintaining similarity to motionless images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess and compare the efficacy of three treatment modalities for central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO): conservative therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), and endovascular retinal surgery (ERS). Patients and methods: We retrospectively analyzed the cases of CRAO patients treated at the Toyama University Hospital. Their age range was 44–87 years; a balanced gender distribution was observed. The conservative therapy group included 13 eyes (6 males, 7 females, average age 74 years). HBOT group: 11 eyes from 10 patients (5 males, 5 females, average age 70 years). ERS group: 10 eyes (7 males, 3 females, average age 74 years). The treatments were as follows. Conservative group: ocular massage and sublingual nitroglycerin. HBOT: 60-min sessions at 2 atmospheres. ERS: vitrectomy followed by tissue plasminogen activator injection using a 47-ga. microneedle. Visual acuity was assessed using logMAR units, with statistical analyses by paired t-test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and Mann–Whitney U-test with Bonferroni correction. Results: The conservative group showed a slight visual acuity change from 1.96 ± 0.53 to 1.88 ± 0.56 (p = 0.56). The HBOT group exhibited a significant improvement from 1.79 ± 0.80 to 1.28 ± 0.81 (p = 0.007). The ERS group displayed the most substantial improvement, with scores moving from 1.98 ± 0.36 to 0.68 ± 0.49 (p = 0.0000413). The ERS group's outcomes were significantly superior to those of the other groups. Conclusion: These results suggest that while conservative treatment may not be sufficient, both HBOT and endovascular retinal surgery show promise, with the latter demonstrating the most significant improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate whether super-resolution deep learning reconstruction (SR-DLR) is superior to conventional deep learning reconstruction (DLR) with respect to interobserver agreement in the evaluation of neuroforaminal stenosis using 1.5T cervical spine MRI. This retrospective study included 39 patients who underwent 1.5T cervical spine MRI. T2-weighted sagittal images were reconstructed with SR-DLR and DLR. Three blinded radiologists independently evaluated the images in terms of the degree of neuroforaminal stenosis, depictions of the vertebrae, spinal cord and neural foramina, sharpness, noise, artefacts and diagnostic acceptability. In quantitative image analyses, a fourth radiologist evaluated the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by placing a circular or ovoid region of interest on the spinal cord, and the edge slope based on a linear region of interest placed across the surface of the spinal cord. Interobserver agreement in the evaluations of neuroforaminal stenosis using SR-DLR and DLR was 0.422–0.571 and 0.410–0.542, respectively. The kappa values between reader 1 vs. reader 2 and reader 2 vs. reader 3 significantly differed. Two of the three readers rated depictions of the spinal cord, sharpness, and diagnostic acceptability as significantly better with SR-DLR than with DLR. Both SNR and edge slope (/mm) were also significantly better with SR-DLR (12.9 and 6031, respectively) than with DLR (11.5 and 3741, respectively) (p < 0.001 for both). In conclusion, compared to DLR, SR-DLR improved interobserver agreement in the evaluations of neuroforaminal stenosis using 1.5T cervical spine MRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dog leukocyte antigen (DLA) polymorphisms have been found to be associated with inter-individual variations in the risk, susceptibility, and severity of immune-related phenomena. While DLA class II genes have been extensively studied, less research has been performed on the polymorphisms of DLA class I genes, especially in beagle dogs commonly used as laboratory animals for safety evaluations in drug development. We genotyped four DLA class I genes and four DLA class II genes by locus-specific Sanger sequencing using 93 laboratory beagle dogs derived from two different strains: TOYO and Marshall. The results showed that, for DLA class I genes, 11, 4, 1, and 2 alleles, including a novel allele, were detected in DLA-88, DLA-12/88L, DLA-64, and DLA-79, while, for DLA class II genes, 1, 10, 6, and 7 alleles were detected in DLA-DRA, DLA-DRB1, DLA-DQA1, and DLA-DQB1, respectively. It was estimated that there were 14 DLA haplotypes, six of which had a frequency of ≥ 5%. Furthermore, when comparing the DLA diversity between TOYO and Marshall strains, the most common alleles and haplotypes differed between them. This is the first study to genotype all DLA loci and determine DLA haplotypes including all DLA class I and class II genes in dogs. Integrating information on the DLA diversity of laboratory beagle dogs should reinforce their benefit as an animal model for understanding various diseases associated with a specific DLA type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined whether the potential early survival of sand lance in the Bisan Strait, central Seto Inland Sea, can be explained by variations in the growth rate and duration in the early life stages. Otolith microstructure analysis was conducted to examine the growth trajectories of specimens collected in six sampling years: 2011–2014, 2019, and 2020. There were significant differences in the growth rates of larvae and juveniles among sampling years, but such differences were likely attributable to variations in temperature in given seasons. Relative growth rates standardized by temperature were negatively correlated with the duration of the larval stage, suggesting that faster-growing individuals at given temperatures had a shorter larval stage. In each sampling year, there was a significant relationship between standardized hatch date and relative growth rate during the larval stage but not the juvenile stage. Within a given season, later-born larvae seemed to grow faster relative to the temperature experienced, and the higher percentages of the faster-growing larvae were likely associated with higher recruitment and recruitment per egg production. These findings suggest that the proportion of faster-growing sand lance larvae in a cohort at given temperatures explains the variation in potential early survival, but the higher temperatures in recent years may not necessarily contribute to improved early survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the tumor microenvironment (TME) play a critical role in tumor immunosuppression. However, targeted depletion of CAFs is difficult due to their diverse cells of origin and the resulting lack of specific surface markers. Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) is a novel cancer treatment that leads to rapid cell membrane damage. Methods: In this study, we used anti-mouse fibroblast activation protein (FAP) antibody to target FAP+ CAFs (FAP-targeted NIR-PIT) and investigated whether this therapy could suppress tumor progression and improve tumor immunity. Results: FAP-targeted NIR-PIT induced specific cell death in CAFs without damaging adjacent normal cells. Furthermore, FAP-targeted NIR-PIT treated mice showed significant tumor regression in the CAF-rich tumor model accompanied by an increase in CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Moreover, treated tumors showed increased levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2 in CD8+ TILs compared with non-treated tumors, suggesting enhanced antitumor immunity. Conclusions: Cancers with FAP-positive CAFs in their TME grow rapidly and FAP-targeted NIR-PIT not only suppresses their growth but improves tumor immunosuppression. Thus, FAP-targeted NIR-PIT is a potential therapeutic strategy for selectively targeting the TME of CAF+ tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of shear stress on surgery-related sacral pressure injury (PI) after laparoscopic colorectal surgery performed in the lithotomy position. We included 37 patients who underwent this procedure between November 2021 and October 2022. The primary outcome was average horizontal shear stress caused by the rotation of the operating table during the operation, and the secondary outcome was interface pressure over time. Sensors were used to measure shear stress and interface pressure in the sacral region. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of PI. PI had an incidence of 32.4%, and the primary outcome, average horizontal shear stress, was significantly higher in the PI group than in the no-PI group. The interface pressure increased over time in both groups. At 120 min, the interface pressure was two times higher in the PI group than in the no-PI group (PI group, 221.5 mmHg; no-PI group, 86.0 mmHg; p < 0.01). This study suggested that shear stress resulting from rotation of the operating table in the sacral region by laparoscopic colorectal surgery performed in the lithotomy position is the cause of PI. These results should contribute to the prevention of PI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advancements on electrohydrodynamic (EHD) soft pumps demonstrate their applicability to various fluid-driven systems such as soft robots, wearable devices, and stretchable electronics. In particular, fiber type EHD pumps reported more recently is a promising pumping element thanks to their versatile fibrous structure. Yet existing EHD fiber pumps are less stretchable and require sophisticated, complex fabrication equipment, implying opportunity for technology advancement. This paper presents a simplified method to create highly stretchable multifunctional fiber EHD pumps. The method employs highly compliant silicone elastomers for the fiber structure that is formed by simple dipping fabrication process. The fabricated pumps (length of 100 mm, inner diameter 4 mm, and mass 5.3 g) exhibit a high stretchability (up to 40% strain) and flow rate and pressure of 167.4 ± 7.6 mL/min (31.6 mL/min/g) and 4.1 ± 0.6 kPa (0.8 kPa/g), respectively. These performances are comparable or even higher than those of previously reported EHD pumps including fiber types. The output performance of the fabricated pumps remain constant for repeated strain cycles (0–25%, up to 2000 cycles) and bending angle up to 180° (corresponding to curvature of 0–30/m). Moreover, the pumps demonstrate unprecedented functionality as a sensor to distinguish the type of fluid inside the tube and to detect strains by reading the capacitance between the electrodes. The characterization result reveals the sensing ability of the pumps as high repeatability up to 30% strain with negligible hysteresis, which is consistent for 5000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the effect of ex post interregional transfer on electoral outcomes and the provision of local public goods with spillovers. The central government does not have a pre-commitment ability, and the interregional transfer is optimally designed ex post. Our results show that under ex post interregional transfers, electoral outcome are distorted and inefficiencies are created in the local public goods provision. The commitment environment affects the direction (whether it is too small or too large) of this distortion, the degree of which depends on the degree of the spillover effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed the X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) of carbon 1s states in graphene and oxygen-intercalated graphene grown on SiC(0001) using Bayesian spectroscopy. To realize highly accurate spectral decomposition of the XPS spectra, we proposed a framework for discovering physical constraints from the absence of prior quantified physical knowledge, in which we designed the prior probabilities based on the found constraints and the physically required conditions. This suppresses the exchange of peak components during replica exchange Monte Carlo iterations and makes possible to decompose XPS in the case where a reliable structure model or a presumable number of components is not known. As a result, we have successfully decomposed XPS of one monolayer (1ML), two monolayers (2ML), and quasi-freestanding 2ML (qfs-2ML) graphene samples deposited on SiC substrates with the meV order precision of the binding energy, in which the posterior probability distributions of the binding energies were obtained distinguishably between the different components of buffer layer even though they are observed as hump and shoulder structures because of their overlapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The programmed cell death 1 protein (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) axis plays a crucial role in tumor immunosuppression, while the cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have various tumor-promoting functions. To determine the advantage of immunotherapy, the relationship between the cancer cells and the CAFs was evaluated in terms of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis. Overall, 140 cases of esophageal cancer underwent an immunohistochemical analysis of the PD-L1 expression and its association with the expression of the α smooth muscle actin, fibroblast activation protein, CD8, and forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) positive cells. The relationship between the cancer cells and the CAFs was evaluated in vitro, and the effect of the anti-PD-L1 antibody was evaluated using a syngeneic mouse model. A survival analysis showed that the PD-L1+ CAF group had worse survival than the PD-L1- group. In vitro and in vivo, direct interaction between the cancer cells and the CAFs showed a mutually upregulated PD-L1 expression. In vivo, the anti-PD-L1 antibody increased the number of dead CAFs and cancer cells, resulting in increased CD8+ T cells and decreased FoxP3+ regulatory T cells. We demonstrated that the PD-L1-expressing CAFs lead to poor outcomes in patients with esophageal cancer. The cancer cells and the CAFs mutually enhanced the PD-L1 expression and induced tumor immunosuppression. Therefore, the PD-L1-expressing CAFs may be good targets for cancer therapy, inhibiting tumor progression and improving host tumor immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although time-stretch spectroscopy is an emerging ultrafast spectroscopic technique, the applications in industrial fields have been limited due to the low output power caused by undesirable nonlinear effects occurred in a long optical fiber used for pulse chirping. Here, we developed a high-power time-stretch near infrared (NIR) spectrometer utilizing arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs). The combination of AWGs and short optical fibers allowed large amounts of chromatic dispersion to be applied to broadband supercontinuum pulses without the power limitation imposed by employing the long optical fiber. With the proposed configuration, we achieved chirped pulses with the output power of 60 mW in the 900–1300 nm wavelength region, which is about 10 times higher than conventional time-stretch spectrometers using long optical fibers. With the developed spectrometer, the NIR absorption spectra of a standard material and liquid samples were observed with high accuracy and precision within sub-millisecond measurement time even with four orders of magnitude optical attenuation by a neutral density filter. We also confirmed the quantitative spectral analysis capability of the developed spectrometer for highly scattering samples of an oil emulsion. The qualitative comparison of the measurement precision between the developed spectrometer and the previous time-stretch spectrometer was also conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cell walls of pathogenic and acidophilic bacteria, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae, contain lipoarabinomannan and arabinogalactan. These components are composed of d-arabinose, the enantiomer of the typical l-arabinose found in plants. The unique glycan structures of mycobacteria contribute to their ability to evade mammalian immune responses. In this study, we identified four enzymes (two GH183 endo-d-arabinanases, GH172 exo-α-d-arabinofuranosidase, and GH116 exo-β-d-arabinofuranosidase) from Microbacterium arabinogalactanolyticum. These enzymes completely degraded the complex d-arabinan core structure of lipoarabinomannan and arabinogalactan in a concerted manner. Furthermore, through biochemical characterization using synthetic substrates and X-ray crystallography, we elucidated the mechanisms of substrate recognition and anomer-retaining hydrolysis for the α- and β-d-arabinofuranosidic bonds in both endo- and exo-mode reactions. The discovery of these d-arabinan-degrading enzymes, along with the understanding of their structural basis for substrate specificity, provides valuable resources for investigating the intricate glycan architecture of mycobacterial cell wall polysaccharides and their contribution to pathogenicity. Lipoarabinomannan and arabinogalactan in the mycobacterial cell wall contain d-arabinan core. Here, the authors identify and characterize the molecular structures and mechanisms of four bacterial enzymes that synergistically degrade the alpha- and beta-linkages of d-arabinan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic performance of 1.5 T versus 3 T magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) for detecting cerebral aneurysms with clinically available deep learning-based computer-assisted detection software (EIRL aneurysm® [EIRL_an]), which has been approved by the Japanese Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency. We also sought to analyze the causes of potential false positives. Methods: In this single-center, retrospective study, we evaluated the MRA scans of 90 patients who underwent head MRA (1.5 T and 3 T in 45 patients each) in clinical practice. Overall, 51 patients had 70 aneurysms. We used MRI from a vendor not included in the dataset used to create the EIRL_an algorithm. Two radiologists determined the ground truth, the accuracy of the candidates noted by EIRL_an, and the causes of false positives. The sensitivity, number of false positives per case (FPs/case), and the causes of false positives were compared between 1.5 T and 3 T MRA. Pearson's χ2 test, Fisher's exact test, and the Mann‒Whitney U test were used for the statistical analyses as appropriate. Results: The sensitivity was high for 1.5 T and 3 T MRA (0.875‒1), but the number of FPs/case was significantly higher with 3 T MRA (1.511 vs. 2.578, p < 0.001). The most common causes of false positives (descending order) were the origin/bifurcation of vessels/branches, flow-related artifacts, and atherosclerosis and were similar between 1.5 T and 3 T MRA. Conclusion: EIRL_an detected significantly more false-positive lesions with 3 T than with 1.5 T MRA in this external validation study. Our data may help physicians with limited experience with MRA to correctly diagnose aneurysms using EIRL_an. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Preference for quality of life is important in deciding the treatment strategy for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to assess the effect of omarigliptin on patients' psychological attitudes and responses compared with daily dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4is) by measuring the burden of pharmacotherapy using the Diabetic Treatment Burden Questionnaire (DTBQ). Methods: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were taking daily DPP-4is were enrolled and randomized to a group that switched to omarigliptin or a group that continued daily DPP4is and were monitored for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was the change in the DTBQ score from baseline to week 12. The secondary endpoints included changes in blood test results, medication preferences and medication adherence. Results: The DTBQ total score significantly decreased from baseline to week 12 in both groups; however, no significant intergroup differences were observed. The DTBQ subscale, implementation and flexibility burden scores significantly decreased in the group that switched to omarigliptin, although no significant intergroup difference in the change was observed. DTBQ scores and medication preferences were associated with improvements in the DTBQ scores. Conclusion: Although this study failed to demonstrate the improvement of DTBQ total score by switching from daily DPP4is to omarigliptin compared with continuing the daily DPP4is, the DTBQ subscale score implementation and flexibility burden score were significantly improved only in the group that switched to omarigliptin, suggesting the possibility of switching from daily DPP4is to omarigliptin to decrease the patients' medication burden. Trial Registration: jRCTs031200437. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To establish a CT lymphangiography method in mice via direct lymph node puncture. Methods: We injected healthy mice (n = 8) with 50 µl of water-soluble iodine contrast agent (iomeprol; iodine concentration, 350 mg/mL) subcutaneously into the left-rear foot pad (interstitial injection) and 20 µl of the same contrast agent directly into the popliteal lymph node (direct puncture) 2 days later. Additionally, we performed interstitial MR lymphangiography on eight mice as a control group. We calculated the contrast ratio for each lymph node and visually assessed the depiction of lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels on a three-point scale. Results: The contrast ratios of 2-min post-injection images of sacral and lumbar–aortic lymph nodes were 20.7 ± 16.6 (average ± standard deviation) and 17.1 ± 12.0 in the direct puncture group, which were significantly higher than those detected in the CT or MR interstitial lymphangiography groups (average, 1.8–3.6; p = 0.008–0.019). The visual assessment scores for sacral lymph nodes, lumbar–aortic lymph nodes, and cisterna chyli were significantly better in the direct puncture group than in the CT interstitial injection group (p = 0.036, 0.009 and 0.001, respectively). The lymphatic vessels between these structures were significantly better scored in direct puncture group than in the CT or MR interstitial lymphangiography groups at 2 min after injection (all p ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: In CT lymphangiography in mice, the direct lymph node puncture provides a better delineation of the lymphatic pathways than the CT/MR interstitial injection method. Key Points: •The contrast ratios of 2-min post-injection images in the direct CT lymphangiography group were significantly higher than those of CT/MR interstitial lymphangiography groups. •The visibility of lymphatic vessels in subjective analysis in the direct CT lymphangiography group was significantly better in the direct puncture group than in the CT/MR interstitial lymphangiography groups. •CT lymphangiography with direct lymph node puncture can provide excellent lymphatic delineation with contrast being maximum at 2 min after injection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the interdependence between pricing and expectations. We investigated not only the ways in which traders' thoughts determined asset prices, but also the feedback process from prices to expectations. In our laboratory market, subjects were asked to estimate the number of balls in a jar and trade an asset whose value was equal to that number. Our asset market, where transactions were eventually settled at the asset value, was like futures markets. The subjects alternately repeated the process of guessing and transaction. A double-auction was used to design our market. Our findings indicated a downward bias in the subjects' estimates, which led to lower transaction prices, since the price converged to the equilibrium price that was determined by the median of estimates. The subjects' experience in our laboratory markets had no systematic effect on the accuracy of estimates, but made them less heterogenous. Our subjects were apt to revise their estimates with reference to prices in a market. We examined the estimation revision process of the subjects using the partial adjustment model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a critical component of the tumor microenvironment and play a central role in tumor progression. Previously, we reported that CAFs might induce tumor immunosuppression via interleukin-6 (IL-6) and promote tumor progression by blocking local IL-6 in the tumor microenvironment with neutralizing antibody. Here, we explore whether an anti-IL-6 receptor antibody could be used as systemic therapy to treat cancer, and further investigate the mechanisms by which IL-6 induces tumor immunosuppression. In clinical samples, IL-6 expression was significantly correlated with α-smooth muscle actin expression, and high IL-6 cases showed tumor immunosuppression. Multivariate analysis showed that IL-6 expression was an independent prognostic factor. In vitro, IL-6 contributed to cell proliferation and differentiation into CAFs. Moreover, IL-6 increased hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) expression and induced tumor immunosuppression by enhancing glucose uptake by cancer cells and competing for glucose with immune cells. MR16-1, a rodent analog of anti-IL-6 receptor antibody, overcame CAF-induced immunosuppression and suppressed tumor progression in immunocompetent murine cancer models by regulating HIF1α activation in vivo. The anti-IL-6 receptor antibody could be systemically employed to overcome tumor immunosuppression and improve patient survival with various cancers. Furthermore, the tumor immunosuppression was suggested to be induced by IL-6 via HIF1α activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although synchronized oscillations are found in a variety of systems and living organisms in nature, there has been no report on technologically important materials. We have observed by a fluorescence microscope that a large number of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) dispersed in an aqueous mixture of the surfactant and dye execute synchronized oscillations spontaneously. The movement was quantified to give a power spectrum, revealing a single, sharp synchronization peak at 20 Hz. It was found not to be affected nor created by external vibrations. The surfactant concentration dependence demonstrates that the Kuramoto model is applicable to describe the CNT synchronization. It is always associated with the power-law noise, indicating the presence of complex heterogeneous networks. These results suggest a highly cooperative form of the sparse CNT network connected with variable linkages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are expected to be increasingly adopted in automotive structures to achieve car weight reductions that yield an effective reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. Fatigue damage evaluation of CFRP composites is indispensable to guarantee their long-term use. In a thermography-based approach, a suitable temperature component to evaluate the fatigue damage of discontinuous CFRP composites—CFRP composites of discontinuous fibers—should be elucidated. In this study, the non-dimensional thermoelastic temperature amplitude, obtained through thermoelastic temperature variation measurements, is employed. This amplitude can be used to evaluate the stress state of a material subjected to cyclic loading. Moreover, the relationship between the non-dimensional thermoelastic temperature amplitude and fatigue damage is investigated under tension–tension cyclic loading for carbon fiber sheet molding compound (C-SMC), which is a discontinuous CFRP composite produced via sheet molding compound methods. Experimental results reveal that a decrease in the non-dimensional thermoelastic temperature amplitude is associated with the fatigue damage. This decrease is attributed to two factors. One is a change in the stress state applied in the longitudinal and transverse directions of the fiber caused by a shift in the dominant fiber orientation as fatigue damage progresses. The other is the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients in the longitudinal and transverse directions of the fiber. Therefore, the possibility of monitoring the fatigue damage evolution using the non-dimensional thermoelastic temperature amplitude is confirmed. Future studies should assess the remaining fatigue life of CFRP composites using thermoelastic temperature variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Horseshoe kidney is one of the most common congenital renal fusion anomalies and is characterized by abnormalities in the position, rotation, vascular supply, and ureteral anatomy of the kidney. When performing surgery for colorectal cancer in patients with horseshoe kidneys, anatomical identification is important to avoid organ injuries. Several reports on surgery for colorectal cancer with horseshoe kidneys have described the usefulness of three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) angiography for detecting abnormalities in vascular supply. However, few reports have focused on the prevention of ureteral injury in surgery for colorectal cancer with horseshoe kidney, despite abnormalities in the ureteral anatomy. Here, we report a case in which laparoscopic sigmoid colon resection for sigmoid colon cancer with a horseshoe kidney was safely performed using fluorescent ureteral catheters. Case presentation: A 60-year-old Japanese man presented to our hospital testing positive for fecal occult blood. Colonoscopy revealed sigmoid colon cancer, and CT confirmed a horseshoe kidney. The 3D-CT angiography showed aberrant renal arteries from the aorta and right common iliac artery, and the left ureter passed across the front of the renal isthmus. A fluorescent ureteral catheter was placed in the left ureter before the surgery to prevent ureteral injury. Laparoscopic sigmoid colon resection with D3 lymph node dissection was performed. The fluorescent ureteral catheter enabled the identification of the left ureter that passed across the front of the renal isthmus and the safe mobilization of the descending and sigmoid colon from the retroperitoneum. The operative time was 214 min, with intraoperative bleeding of 25 mL. The patient's postoperative course was good: no complications arose and she was discharged on the seventh postoperative day. Conclusion: In patients with horseshoe kidney, the use of fluorescent ureteral catheters and 3D-CT angiography enables safer laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer. We recommend the placement of fluorescent ureteral catheters in such surgeries to prevent ureteral injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The rapid determination of the fatigue limit using temperature second harmonic, which is the temperature variation with twice the frequency of the cyclic load, is attractive in terms of time and cost effectiveness. However, the temperature second harmonic contains non-fatigue-related factors (e.g., internal friction and load second harmonic), in addition to fatigue-related factors (e.g., plastic deformation); therefore, this presents challenges in uniquely determining the fatigue limit. Objective: An experimental procedure for uniquely determining the fatigue limit based on temperature second harmonic measurements is developed. Methods: In the developed procedure, the temperature second harmonic amplitude is accurately measured using the present phase double frequency (2f) lock-in thermography, and the fatigue limit is then uniquely determined based on the generation mechanism of the temperature second harmonic. The present phase 2f lock-in thermography requires only simple post-processing, considering the phase information of both the non-fatigue-related and fatigue-related factors. The fatigue limit estimation accuracies of the developed procedure and four existing methods are quantitatively evaluated in comparison with the actual fatigue limit for heat-treated carbon steel plate specimens subjected to annealing, normalizing, and quenching–tempering. Results: By performing simple post-processing, the present phase 2f lock-in thermography easily eliminates the influence of internal friction and load second harmonic. The developed procedure exhibits the second-best estimation accuracies among all the methods for all the heat-treated specimens. Conclusions: The developed procedure is validated through its reasonable estimation accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Well-leg compartment syndrome (WLCS) is a potentially life-threatening postoperative complication related to the Lloyd–Davies surgical position, which can place increased external pressure on the calf region. We conducted this study to analyze external pressure changes, by applying a leg holder system to the left calf region of patients placed in the Lloyd–Davies position during laparoscopic surgery. Methods: The study participants were 50 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer in the Lloyd–Davies position. We assessed the maximum external pressure (MEP) on the left calf region using a pressure-distribution measurement system. Intraoperative measurements were taken continuously, and the MEP was evaluated with the patient horizontal and every 30 min during surgery in the head and right-down tilt position. Results: The intraoperative MEP increased gradually when the patient was in the head and right-down tilt position and decreased when the patient was returned to the horizontal position. The MEP was higher in patients aged < 60 years, those who were obese, and those with a thick calf circumference. Both body mass index (BMI) and the maximum left calf circumference (MLCC) were found to correlate with the MEP. Conclusions: In addition to a high BMI, which is a well-known risk factor for WLCS, a high MLCC should be considered another risk factor, especially for patients under 60 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a pump using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gel. PVC gels are compliant, have a simple structure, and exhibit large deformation at voltages in the range of 100–1000 V, which make them suitable for micropumps. In this study, a PVC gel sheet with a surface pattern that enhances active deformation in the thickness direction was employed for the fabrication of a pump. To this end, the PVC gel sheet was sandwiched between three sets of anode and cathode electrodes, after which voltages were sequentially applied to these electrodes to generate a peristaltic deformation of the gel sheet, thus pushing the liquid and creating a one-directional flow. Various pumps were fabricated using PVC gel sheets with different surface patterns, and the pumps were characterized. The pumps exhibited an outline dimension of 35 mm × 25 mm with a thickness of 4 mm, corresponding to a total volume of 3.5 × 103 mm3. The results revealed that the pump fabricated using a 174-μm-high pyramid-patterned gel sheet generated a flow rate of 224.1 µL/min at an applied voltage of 800 V and a driving frequency of 3 Hz. This observed value is comparable to or better than those of existing pumps based on smart materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prognosis of nephrotic syndrome has been evaluated based on pathological diagnosis, whereas its clinical course is monitored using objective items and the treatment strategy is largely the same. We examined whether the entire natural history of nephrotic syndrome could be evaluated using objective common clinical items. Methods: Machine learning clustering was performed on 205 cases from the Japan Nephrotic Syndrome Cohort Study, whose clinical parameters, serum creatinine, serum albumin, dipstick hematuria, and proteinuria were traceable after kidney biopsy at 5 measured points up to 2 years. The clinical patterns of time-series data were learned using long short-term memory (LSTM)-encoder–decoder architecture, an unsupervised machine learning classifier. Clinical clusters were defined as Gaussian mixture distributions in a two-dimensional scatter plot based on the highest log-likelihood. Results: Time-series data of nephrotic syndrome were classified into four clusters. Patients in the fourth cluster showed the increase in serum creatinine in the later part of the follow-up period. Patients in both the third and fourth clusters were initially high in both hematuria and proteinuria, whereas a lack of decline in the urinary protein level preceded the worsening of kidney function in fourth cluster. The original diseases of fourth cluster included all the disease studied in this cohort. Conclusions: Four kinds of clinical courses were identified in nephrotic syndrome. This classified clinical course may help objectively grasp the actual condition or treatment resistance of individual patients with nephrotic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a significant role in tumor progression within the tumor microenvironment. Previously, we used near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT), a next-generation cancer cell-targeted phototherapy, to establish CAF-targeted NIR-PIT. In this study, we investigated whether dual-targeted NIR-PIT, targeting cancer cells and CAFs, could be a therapeutic strategy. A total of 132 cases of esophageal cancer were analyzed for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2), and fibroblast activation protein (FAP) expression using immunohistochemistry. Human esophageal cancer cells and CAFs were co-cultured and treated with single- or dual-targeted NIR-PIT in vitro. These cells were co-inoculated into BALB/c-nu/nu mice and the tumors were treated with single-targeted NIR-PIT or dual-targeted NIR-PIT in vivo. Survival analysis showed FAP- or EGFR-high patients had worse survival than patients with low expression of FAP or EGFR (log-rank, P < 0.001 and P = 0.074, respectively), while no difference was observed in HER2 status. In vitro, dual (EGFR/FAP)-targeted NIR-PIT induced specific therapeutic effects in cancer cells and CAFs along with suppressing tumor growth in vivo, whereas single-targeted NIR-PIT did not show any significance. Moreover, these experiments demonstrated that dual-targeted NIR-PIT could treat cancer cells and CAFs simultaneously with a single NIR light irradiation. We demonstrated the relationship between EGFR/FAP expression and prognosis of patients with esophageal cancer and the stronger therapeutic effect of dual-targeted NIR-PIT than single-targeted NIR-PIT in experimental models. Thus, dual-targeted NIR-PIT might be a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Adverse events in neurosurgery are a serious problem. The approach for seeking solutions for adverse events has shifted from a personal approach to a systemic approach. However, to some extent, preventable morbidity events could be related to personal performance. This study aimed to clarify the impact of personal performance and systematic failure on the occurrence of morbidity and mortality events in neurosurgery patients. Methods: All morbidity and mortality conference data stored within our department over a 9-year period were analyzed. There were 4580 admitted patients and 3262 surgical procedures performed. We performed a three-step classification of morbidity and mortality events based on the possibility of prevention, root of the event, and personal or systemic issues. Results: As a result of the first step, 214 preventable and 278 unpreventable events were identified. Of the preventable events, two mortality and 212 morbidity events were analyzed. In the second step, 155 (72.4%), 34 (15.9%), 13 (6.1%), and 12 (5.6%) events were categorized as technical complications, critical events, judgment errors, and human factors, respectively. There were 179 events (83.6%) classified as personal performance issues and 35 events (16.4%) as systemic issues. The ratio of personal performance to systemic issues varied widely, with significant differences among the four categories (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Among neurosurgery patients who have preventable morbidity, issues related to personal performance were more frequent than systemic issues. Efforts to improve systems should be unwavering. However, the personal responsibility of neurosurgeons to avoid preventable complications should not be ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare image quality and interobserver agreement in evaluations of neuroforaminal stenosis between 1.5T cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with deep learning reconstruction (DLR) and 3T MRI without DLR. Methods: In this prospective study, 21 volunteers (mean age: 42.4 ± 11.9 years; 17 males) underwent cervical spine T2-weighted sagittal 1.5T and 3T MRI on the same day. The 1.5T and 3T MRI data were used to reconstruct images with (1.5T-DLR) and without (3T-nonDLR) DLR, respectively. Regions of interest were marked on the spinal cord to calculate non-uniformity (NU; standard deviation/signal intensity × 100), as an indicator of image noise. Two blinded radiologists evaluated the images in terms of the depiction of structures, artifacts, noise, overall image quality, and neuroforaminal stenosis. The NU value and the subjective image quality scores were compared between 1.5T-DLR and 3T-nonDLR using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Interobserver agreement in evaluations of neuroforaminal stenosis for 1.5T-DLR and 3T-nonDLR was evaluated using Cohen's weighted kappa analysis. Results: The NU value for 1.5T-DLR was 8.4, which was significantly better than that for 3T-nonDLR (10.3; p < 0.001). Subjective image scores were significantly better for 1.5T-DLR than 3T-nonDLR images (p < 0.037). Interobserver agreement (95% confidence intervals) in the evaluations of neuroforaminal stenosis was significantly superior for 1.5T-DLR (0.920 [0.916–0.924]) than 3T-nonDLR (0.894 [0.889–0.898]). Conclusion: By using DLR, image quality and interobserver agreement in evaluations of neuroforaminal stenosis on 1.5T cervical spine MRI could be improved compared to 3T MRI without DLR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) advancement has led to the digitization of school selection and placement systems in a developing economy such as Ghana. As a result, the Ghana Education Service (GES) in 2005 introduce the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) to improve selection and placement transparency and equity of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates into Second-Cycle Schools (SCSs), and to reduce the number of human errors connected with the manual system of BECE candidate selection and placement. This study employed a critical realism paradigm and a qualitative method approach underpinned by the Fit and Viability theory to evaluate the CSSPS implementation in a developing economy particularly Ghana since its commencement and determine how well the task and technology match (fit) the demand of CSSPS in addition to its economic factors, IT Infrastructure, and organizational viability have impacted its general performance. Twenty-five (25) respondents were chosen and interviewed based on their level of involvement and the various roles they play in the CSSPS implementation for this study via purposeful sampling. The results revealed that, while the CSSPS was a good fit for the reason for which it was introduced, its viability goals were not fully met. The findings also indicated that CSSPS performance level when introduced was below expectation but has improved over time, hence satisfactory performance. The study extends the fit viability theory beyond IS adoption and implementation to pinpoint the CSSPS's required task and environmental needs, as well as its implementation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate whether deep learning reconstruction (DLR) provides improved cervical spine MR images using a 1.5 T unit in the evaluation of degenerative changes without increasing imaging time. Methods: This study included 21 volunteers (age 42.4 ± 11.9 years; 17 males) who underwent 1.5 T cervical spine sagittal T2-weighted MRI. From the imaging data with number of acquisitions (NAQ) of 1 or 2, images were reconstructed with DLR (NAQ1-DLR) and without DLR (NAQ1) or without DLR (NAQ2), respectively. Two readers evaluated the images for depiction of structures, artifacts, noise, overall image quality, spinal canal stenosis, and neuroforaminal stenosis. The two readers read studies blinded and randomly. Values were compared between NAQ1-DLR and NAQ1 and between NAQ1-DLR and NAQ2 using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: The analyses showed significantly better results for NAQ1-DLR compared with NAQ1 and NAQ2 (p < 0.023), except for depiction of disc and foramina by one reader and artifacts by both readers in the comparison between NAQ1-DLR and NAQ2. Interobserver agreements (Cohen's weighted kappa [97.5% confidence interval]) in the evaluation of spinal canal stenosis for NAQ1-DLR/NAQ1/NAQ2 were 0.874 (0.866–0.883)/0.778 (0.767–0.789)/0.818 (0.809–0.827), respectively, and those in the evaluation of neuroforaminal stenosis were 0.878 (0.872–0.883)/0.855 (0.849–0.860)/0.852 (0.845–0.860), respectively. Conclusions: DLR improved the 1.5 T cervical spine MR images in the evaluation of degenerative spine changes. Key Points: • Two radiologists demonstrated that deep learning reconstruction reduced the noise in cervical spine sagittal T2-weighted MR images obtained using a 1.5 T unit. • Reduced noise in deep learning reconstruction images resulted in a clearer depiction of structures, such as the spinal cord, vertebrae, and zygapophyseal joint. • Interobserver agreement in the evaluation of spinal canal stenosis and foraminal stenosis on cervical spine MR images was significantly improved using deep learning reconstruction (0.874 and 0.878, respectively) versus without deep learning (0.778–0.818 and 0.852–0.855, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a 22-year-old man who had abdominal shunt tube migration into colon. He was diagnosed with pilocytic astrocytoma at optic-chiasm to hypothalamus at age of 7, and treated by resection, chemotherapy, and irradiation. He developed hydrocephalus and had multiple ventriculo-peritoneal shunt surgery. At age of 19, he fell in coma due to the subarachnoid and intra-ventricular hemorrhage due to the aneurysm rupture. The ventricle tube was removed, leaving the shunt valve and abdominal tube. The new shunt system was reconstructed at the contralateral side. He was at bed rest after this episode. At age of 20, he had high fever unable to control with antibiotics. The abdominal computed tomogram showed the shunt tube migration in the descending colon. The tube was removed under laparoscopy, and the inflammation was cured. The abandoned peritoneal shunt tube should be removed in patients with high tube migration risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the influence of magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) dictionary design on radiomic features using in vivo human brain scans. Methods: Scan-rescans of three-dimensional MRF and conventional T1-weighted imaging were performed on 21 healthy volunteers (9 males and 12 females; mean age, 41.3 ± 14.6 years; age range, 22–72 years). Five patients with multiple sclerosis (3 males and 2 females; mean age, 41.2 ± 7.3 years; age range, 32–53 years) were also included. MRF data were reconstructed using various dictionaries with different step sizes. First- and second-order radiomic features were extracted from each dataset. Intra-dictionary repeatability and inter-dictionary reproducibility were evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Features with ICCs > 0.90 were considered acceptable. Relative changes were calculated to assess inter-dictionary biases. Results: The overall scan-rescan ICCs of MRF-based radiomics ranged from 0.86 to 0.95, depending on dictionary step size. No significant differences were observed in the overall scan-rescan repeatability of MRF-based radiomic features and conventional T1-weighted imaging (p = 1.00). Intra-dictionary repeatability was insensitive to dictionary step size differences. MRF-based radiomic features varied among dictionaries (overall ICC for inter-dictionary reproducibility, 0.62–0.99), especially when step sizes were large. First-order and gray level co-occurrence matrix features were the most reproducible feature classes among different step size dictionaries. T1 map-derived radiomic features provided higher repeatability and reproducibility among dictionaries than those obtained with T2 maps. Conclusion: MRF-based radiomic features are highly repeatable in various dictionary step sizes. Caution is warranted when performing MRF-based radiomics using datasets containing maps generated from different dictionaries. Key Points: • MRF-based radiomic features are highly repeatable in various dictionary step sizes. • Use of different MRF dictionaries may result in variable radiomic features, even when the same MRF acquisition data are used. • Caution is needed when performing radiomic analysis using data reconstructed from different dictionaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Half-metallic fully compensated ferrimagnets (HM-FCFMs) constitute a special class of half-metals exhibiting zero magnetization at zero temperature. While there have been a number of theoretical studies predicting the existence of such materials over the last 25 years, very few of those have been synthesized and observed that they exhibit expected properties. Herein, we demonstrate that a NiAs-type hexagonal-structured (CrFe)S compound could serve as an HM-FCFM material. It has a half-metallic nature of 100% spin-polarised Fermi surfaces and yet zero magnetisation at the ground state. The magnetisation shows linear behaviour as a function of the magnetic field at temperatures below the compensation temperature (~ 190 K). In addition, it shows a high magnetic coercivity of 3.8 T at 300 K. These magnetic features contribute to a significant development in the application of HM-FCFMs for spintronics devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies reported conflicting results regarding an association between serum albumin concentration and the cumulative incidence of remission of proteinuria in adult patients with minimal change disease (MCD). The present study aimed to clarify the clinical impact of serum albumin concentration and the cumulative incidence of remission and relapse of proteinuria in 108 adult patients with MCD at 40 hospitals in Japan, who were enrolled in a 5-year prospective cohort study of primary nephrotic syndrome, the Japan Nephrotic Syndrome Cohort Study (JNSCS). The association between serum albumin concentration before initiation of immunosuppressive treatment (IST) and the cumulative incidence of remission and relapse were assessed using multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. Remission defined as urinary protein < 0.3 g/day (or g/gCr) was observed in 104 (96.3%) patients. Of 97 patients with remission within 6 month of IST, 42 (43.3%) developed relapse defined as ≥ 1.0 g/day (or g/gCr) or dipstick urinary protein of ≥ 2+. Serum albumin concentration was significantly associated with remission (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] per 1.0 g/dL, 0.57 [0.37, 0.87]), along with eGFR (per 30 mL/min/1.73 m2: 1.43 [1.08, 1.90]), whereas they were not associated with relapse. A multivariable-adjusted model showed that patients with high eGFR level (≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) and low albumin concentration (≤ 1.5 g/dL) achieved significantly early remission, whereas those with low eGFR (< 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) and high albumin concentration (> 1.5 g/dL) showed significantly slow remission. In conclusion, lower serum albumin concentration and higher eGFR were associated with earlier remission in MCD, but not with relapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether deep learning reconstruction (DLR) improves the image quality of intracranial magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) at 1.5 T. Materials and methods: In this retrospective study, MRA images of 40 patients (21 males and 19 females; mean age, 65.8 ± 13.2 years) were reconstructed with and without the DLR technique (DLR image and non-DLR image, respectively). Quantitative image analysis was performed by placing regions of interest on the basilar artery and cerebrospinal fluid in the prepontine cistern. We calculated the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for analyses of the basilar artery. Two experienced radiologists evaluated the depiction of structures (the right internal carotid artery, right ophthalmic artery, basilar artery, and right superior cerebellar artery), artifacts, subjective noise and overall image quality in a qualitative image analysis. Scores were compared in the quantitative and qualitative image analyses between the DLR and non-DLR images using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results: The SNR and CNR for the basilar artery were significantly higher for the DLR images than for the non-DLR images (p < 0.001). Qualitative image analysis scores (p < 0.003 and p < 0.005 for readers 1 and 2, respectively), excluding those for artifacts (p = 0.072–0.565), were also significantly higher for the DLR images than for the non-DLR images. Conclusion: DLR enables the production of higher quality 1.5 T intracranial MRA images with improved visualization of arteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Images captured in backlit conditions (i.e., backlit images) often have a vast difference in lightness between bright and dark areas. In such a dark area in an image, the visibility becomes extremely low, making it indistinct to recognize the subject. Sufficient image quality cannot be obtained by simply applying a general image enhancement method to such a backlit image. Many methods specializing in improving the image quality of backlit images have been proposed to cope with this problem. Although these methods can effectively improve dark areas' visibility compared to general image enhancement methods, the enhancement process causes artifacts in bright areas. In this paper, we propose a single backlit image enhancement method that effectively improves only the visibility of dark areas while suppressing over-enhancement and artifacts. In the proposed method, the lightness of the output image is calculated by the weighted sum of the input lightness image and the enhanced lightness image based on a weight map. The enhanced lightness image is calculated by alpha-blending two lightness-converted images obtained by gamma conversion and histogram equalization of the input lightness image. The weight map is calculated based on edge-preserving smoothing with a guided filter of a binarized input lightness image obtained using Otsu's method. The experiment shows the proposed method's effectiveness by quantitatively and qualitatively comparing conventional image enhancement methods and the proposed method using various backlit images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Carotid artery manipulation is not a special technique but reports of intraoperative ventricular fibrillation are rare. The risk of fatal arrhythmias may be hidden behind routine surgical techniques and anesthetic management. We focused on QT prolongation and QT dispersion. Case presentation: A 77-year-old man underwent carotid endarterectomy and bailout stenting. Although there were no obvious preoperative risk factors for intraoperative ventricular tachyarrhythmia, ventricular fibrillation (VF) had occurred during a maneuver of the carotid artery under hypercapnia. QTc was prolonged from 317 ms before surgery to 458 ms before the onset of VF. QTc dispersion between leads II and III was also increased to 50 ms. Hypomagnesemia was noted after resuscitation by electrical defibrillation, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. Conclusions: We considered that the combination of multiple risk factors led to the development of ventricular fibrillation. It should be noted that carotid artery manipulation has the potential to cause arrhythmias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a dissipative quantum system, we report the dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) analysis of damped oscillation signals. We used a reflection-type pump-probe method to observe time-domain signals, including the coupled modes of long-lived longitudinal optical phonons and quickly damped plasmons (LOPC) at various pump powers. The Fourier transformed spectra of the observed damped oscillation signals show broad and asymmetric modes, making it difficult to evaluate their frequencies and damping rates. We then used DMD to analyze the damped oscillation signals by precisely determining their frequencies and damping rates. We successfully identified the LOPC modes. The obtained frequencies and damping rates were shown to depend on the pump power, which implies photoexcited carrier density. We compared the pump-power dependence of the frequencies and damping rates of the LOPC modes with the carrier density dependence of the complex eigen-energies of the coupled modes by using the non-Hermitian phenomenological effective Hamiltonian. Good agreement was obtained between the observed and calculated dependences, demonstrating that DMD is an effective alternative to Fourier analysis which often fails to estimate effective damping rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface magnetism of Fe (001) was investigated by the in situ iron-57 probe layer method with a synchrotron Mössbauer source. The observed layer-by-layer internal hyperfine field shows a marked reduction at the surface and an oscillatory behavior with increasing depth in the individual layers below the surface. The calculated layer-by-layer hyperfine interactions (hyperfine field, isomer shift, and quadrupole shift) were consistent with the experimental results. The results give direct evidence for the magnetic Friedel oscillations, penetrating several layers from the Fe (001) surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: It has been commonly accepted for a long time that the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drains into arachnoid granulations from the subarachnoid space to the dural venous sinus unidirectionally. However, recently, periventricular capillaries and lymphatic concepts have been introduced. The CSF moves along the perivascular space and drains into the capillary vessels or meningeal lymphatic tissues. CSF is involved in removing brain waste out of the brain. In this study, we investigated the outflow mechanism of substances in the CSF from the brain. Methods: We investigated the movement of CSF by injection of gold colloid conjugates (2, 40, and 200 nm) into the lateral ventricles of mouse fetuses and evaluated the deposition by silver stain with tissue transparency and electron microcopy. Cadaverine was also injected into the lateral ventricle to determine its movement tract. Results: The gold particle deposition was mainly observed in the frontal skull base. Electron microscopic study showed that the gold particle deposition was observed on the choroid plexus and ependyma in the lateral ventricle and also red blood cells in the heart and liver. Two-nanometer particles were exclusively observed in the liver. Cadaverine injection study demonstrated that cadaverine was observed at the extracranial frontal skull base, choroid plexus, ependymal surface, and perivascular area in the brain white matter. Conclusion: The particles in the CSF were shown to move from the brain to the frontal skull base and also into the blood stream through the choroid plexus in the fetus. The outflow of particles in the CSF may be regulated by molecular size. This new information will contribute to the prevention of brain degeneration due to brain waste deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In mismatch repair (MMR) immunohistochemistry, four MMR proteins' staining pattern reveals which particular gene may be defective. However, in the null phenotype, four MMR proteins are lost; consequently, it will be challenging to assume the target gene by immunohistochemistry and to determine whether deficient MMR was sporadic or germline. Case report: A 70-year-old man underwent right hemicolectomy with the diagnosis of ascending colon cancer. The postoperative histopathology revealed the diagnosis of medullary carcinoma and the loss of all four MMR expressions in immunohistochemistry. The mutation analysis using a peripheral blood sample showed no germline mutations in the four genes. Discussion: This clinical case presents an unusual colon carcinoma that showed a MMR protein immunohistochemistry null phenotype. The cause of expression loss of MMR proteins can be explained by the loss of MLH1 and MSH2 functions associated with somatic loss of function mutations, functional loss in all four MMR proteins associated with somatic loss of function mutations, or Lynch-like syndrome. Correct interpretation and accumulation of relevant cases are necessary to unveil unusual cases in the era of universal screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]