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Purpose: To analyze the respiratory‐induced motion trajectories of each liver segment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to derive a more accurate internal margin and optimize treatment protocol selection. Materials and Methods: Ten‐phase‐gated four‐dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) scans of 14 patients with HCC were analyzed. For each patient, eight representative regions of interest (ROI) were delineated on each liver segment in all 10 phases. The coordinates of the center of gravity of each ROI were obtained for each phase, and then the respiratory motion in the left–right (LR), anteroposterior (AP), and craniocaudal (CC) directions was analyzed. Two sets of motion in each direction were also compared in terms of only two extreme phases and all 10 phases. Results: Motion of less than 5 mm was detected in 12 (86%) and 10 patients (71%) in the LR and AP directions, respectively, while none in the CC direction. Motion was largest in the CC direction with a maximal value of 19.5 mm, with significant differences between liver segment 7 (S7) and other segments: S1 (p < 0.036), S2 (p < 0.041), S3 (p < 0.016), S4 (p < 0.041), and S5 (p < 0.027). Of the 112 segments, hysteresis >1 mm was observed in 4 (4%), 2 (2%), and 15 (13%) in the LR, AP, and CC directions, respectively, with a maximal value of 5.0 mm in the CC direction. Conclusion: A significant amount of respiratory motion was detected in the CC direction, especially in S7, and S8. Despite the small effect of hysteresis, it can be observed specifically in the right lobe. Therefore, caution is required when using 4DCT to determine IM using only end‐inspiration and end‐expiration. Understanding the respiratory motion in individual liver segments can be helpful when selecting an appropriate treatment protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the dosimetric effect of six degrees of freedom (6DoF) couch top with rotational corrections in proton therapy (PT). Methods: The water equivalent thickness (WET) was measured using a proton beam with a 6DoF couch top and patient immobilization base plate (PIBP) placed in front of a motorized water phantom. The accuracy verification was performed with the beam axis set perpendicular to the 6DoF couch top and tilted in 10° steps from 10° to 30°. Up to 3° rotational correction may be added during the actual treatment to correct the rotational setup error on our system. The measured and calculated values using the treatment planning system were compared. Additionally, the effect of the 3° difference was evaluated using actual measurements concerning each angle on the proton beam range. Results: The WET of the 6DoF couch top and PIBP were 8.5 ± 0.1 mm and 6.8 ± 0.1 mm, respectively. The calculation and the actual measurement at each angle agreed within 0.2 mm at the maximum. A maximum difference of approximately 0.6 mm was confirmed when tilted at 3° following 30° with the 6DoF couch top plus PIBP. Conclusions: The dosimetric effect of the 6DoF couch top with rotational corrections in PT differs depending on the incidence angle on the couch top, and it increased with the increased oblique angle of incidence. However, the effect on the range was as small as 0.6 mm at the maximum. The amount of rotational correction, the angle of incidence of the beam, and the effect of rotational corrections on the proton beam range may differ depending on the structure of the couch top. Therefore, sufficient prior confirmation, and subsequent periodical quality assurance management are important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We conducted a historical cohort study of patients with schizophrenia to identify more robust risk factors at discharge that contribute to readmission within a year. Methods and Findings: The subjects underwent brief psychoeducation during hospitalization. Multivariate analysis was conducted using factors selected in the univariate analysis. Using logistic regression analysis, the number of hospital admissions (P =.01) and Schedule for Assessment of Insight Japanese version score (P =.04) were identified as risk factors for readmission, with odds ratios of 0.70 and 1.18, respectively. Conclusions: These results suggest that improvement in insight and early intervention may lead to a more stable community life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the dosimetric impact of changes in the large bowel content during proton therapy (PT) with simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). Materials and methods: Fifteen patients with LAPC were included in this study. The SIB method was performed using five fields according to our standard protocol. A total dose of 67.5 Gy(relative biological effectiveness [RBE]) was prescribed in 25 fractions using the SIB method. A dose of 45 Gy(RBE) was prescribed for the entire planning target volume (PTV) by using four main fields. The remaining 22.5 Gy(RBE) was prescribed to the PTV excluding for the gastrointestinal tract using one subfield. Five simulated doses were obtained by the forward dose calculations with the Hounsfield units (HU) override to the large bowel to 50, 0, −100, −500, and −1000, respectively. The dose‐volume indices in each plan were compared using the 50 HU plan as a reference. Results: At D98 of the clinical target volume (CTV) and spinal cord‐D2cc, when the density of the large bowel was close to that of gas, there were significant differences compared to the reference plan (p < 0.05). By contrast, no significant difference was observed in stomach‐D2cc duodenum‐D2cc, small bowel‐D2cc, kidneys‐V18, and liver‐Dmean under any of the conditions. There were no cases in which the dose constraint of organs at risk, specified by our institution, was exceeded. Conclusion: Density change in the large bowel was revealed to significantly affect the doses of the CTV and spinal cord during PT with SIB for LAPC. For beam arrangement, it is important to select a gantry angle that prevents the large bowel from passing as much as possible. If this is unavoidable, it is important to carefully observe the gas image on the beam path during daily image guidance and to provide adaptive re‐planning as needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-molecule imaging and manipulation with optical microscopy have become essential methods for studying biomolecular machines; however, only few efforts have been directed towards synthetic molecular machines. Single-molecule optical microscopy was now applied to a synthetic molecular rotor, a double-decker porphyrin (DD). By attaching a magnetic bead (ca. 200 nm) to the DD, its rotational dynamics were captured with a time resolution of 0.5 ms. DD showed rotational diffusion with 90° steps, which is consistent with its four-fold structural symmetry. Kinetic analysis revealed the first-order kinetics of the 90° step with a rate constant of 2.8 s−1. The barrier height of the rotational potential was estimated to be greater than 7.4 kJ mol−1 at 298 K. The DD was also forcibly rotated with magnetic tweezers, and again, four stable pausing angles that are separated by 90° were observed. These results demonstrate the potency of single-molecule optical microscopy for the elucidation of elementary properties of synthetic molecular machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pivotal guest role: A new porphyrin polymer, poly(PorZn⋅DD) (see picture, pink/purple), composed of a porphyrinatozinc and a porphyrin double‐decker complex as a repeating unit was synthesized. In poly(PorZn⋅DD), porphyrinatozinc complexes recognize a divalent amine (tan/red) to induce an intramolecular pivoting motion through the rotation of porphyrin double‐decker complexes and the polymer undergoes shortening and compaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of microfluidics systems for high-throughput postgenome analysis has been steadily increasing. We conceived and fabricated an integrated six-microchip capillary electrophoresis unit on a small area of 30 × 30 mm for high-throughput DNA analysis. The design of the structure was performed using a fluid dynamics simulation of electrophoresis to improve the DNA separation resolution. A narrow width of the micro channel at the corners was adopted. For simple fabrication of the microchip, we developed the PMMA structure of the micro fluid channel using lithography, molding, and fusion bonding techniques. It was demonstrated that the proposed integrated structure of micro channels results in good performance of on-chip DNA separation in a small one-unit area of 9 × 9 mm. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 177(1): 32-36, 2011; Published online in Wiley Online Library (). DOI 10.1002/eej.21156 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a pleiotropic cytokine expressed in both immune and non-immune cells. In the present study, we demonstrate an anti-apoptotic role of IL-18 in normal human neonatal foreskin epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK-F). Cultured NHEK-F spontaneously produced the active form of IL-18. Treatment of NHEK-F cells with anti-IL-18 receptor α-chain neutralizing antibody increased apoptosis and caspase-3 activity. Exogenous IL-18 augmented phosphorylation of Akt and activation of NF-κB. The promotion of Akt phosphorylation by IL-18 was abolished by LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor, but not SN50, an NF-κB inhibitor, indicating that IL-18 functions via the PI3K/Akt pathway and independently of NF-κB. In addition, IL-18 was found to augment expression of anti-apoptotic proteins, Bcl-2, XIAP and glucose regulated protein78/BiP, while anti-IL-18 receptor α-chain neutralizing antibody suppressed expression of Bcl-2, XIAP, glucose regulated protein94 and protein disulfide isomerase. Taken together, these results indicate that IL-18 plays an important role in keratinocyte survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT. Purpose: To report a case of a traumatic macular hole with severe retinal folds in which vitreous surgery combined with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling was beneficial. To demonstrate that the area from which the ILM was peeled can be clearly differentiated by scanning laser ophthalmoscopy. Methods: A posterior hyaloid detachment was created during vitreous surgery on a 34 year old man with a traumatic macular hole. The remaining vitreous was resected and the ILM was peeled. The fundus was examined through a scanning laser ophthalmoscope before and after the surgery. Results: The retinal folds disappeared concurrently with the detachment of the ILM, resulting in closure of the macular hole. The area from which the ILM was peeled was clearly observed through the scanning laser ophthalmoscope. Conclusion: In this patient, it was helpful to perform not only posterior hyaloid detachment but also ILM peeling. The scanning laser ophthalmoscope was highly useful for observing the area from which the ILM was peeled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To report a patient with a Leber’s idiopathic stellate neuroretinitis-like lesion that was caused by vitreous traction accompanying a posterior hyaloid detachment. Methods: We present a 49-year-old woman who showed segmental optic disc edema, peripapillary retinal detachment, and a macular star. Results: An incomplete posterior hyaloid detachment was present, and the posterior hyaloid membrane was attached to the nasal margin of the optic disc. Fluorescein angiography revealed a bent retinal artery on the upper margin of the optic disc, and leakage of fluorescein was observed from this area. Conclusion: Vascular damage to the optic disc due to vitreous traction should also be considered as a mechanism for the ophthalmoscopic appearance of the fundus when lesions suggestive of Leber’s idiopathic stellate neuroretinitis are present in an adult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a letter to the editor in response to an article about diabetic maculopathy by Dr. Toke Bek in the August 1999 issue.

The cover page of the journal "Angewandte Chemie International Edition" is presented.