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There are several reports of hepatic resection for postoperative hepatic metastatic recurrence of esophageal cancer. However, it is unclear whether surgery is the best local treatment for liver metastases. Thus, this study aimed to retrospectively analyze proton beam therapy (PBT) for postoperative liver metastatic recurrence of esophageal cancer without extrahepatic lesions and examine outcomes and adverse events. This single-center historical cohort study selected patients who underwent PBT at our proton therapy center between 2012 and 2018. The patients were selected based on the following criteria: primary esophagus carcinoma was resection and metachronous liver oligometastasis recurrence without extrahepatic tumors and no more than three liver metastases. This study included seven males with a median age of 66 (range, 58–78) years, and 15 lesions were included in the study. The median tumor size was 22.6 (7–55.3) mm. The most frequent dose was 72.6 Gy relative biological effect (RBE)/22 fractions (fr) for four lesions and 64 Gy (RBE)/8 fr for four lesions. The median survival time was 35.5 (13.2–119.4) months. The 1-, 2- and 3-year overall survival (OS) rates were 100%, 57.1% and 42.9%, respectively. The median progression-free survival (PFS) time was 8.7 (1.2–44.1) months. The 1-, 2- and 3-year PFS rates were 28.6%. The 1-, 2- and 3-year local control (LC) rates were 100%. No grade ≥4 radiation-induced adverse events (AEs) were observed. We conclude that PBT can be considered an alternative to hepatic resection for recurrent liver metastases postoperative esophageal cancer.

Organic sludge has recently attracted attention as a renewable energy source. While the organic matter contained in sludge can be utilized as various renewable energy sources, its nitrogen component has limited use. In this study, subcritical water treatment was conducted to recover ammonia from digested sludge. While ammonia recovered via stripping is limited to soluble components, subcritical water treatment can convert solid components and dissolved organic nitrogen sludge into ammonia. Digested sludge was treated at several reaction temperatures, reaction pressures, treatment times, and oxygen ratios to determine the ammonia generation rate. Among the conditions tested in this study, an ammonium generation rate of 84.0% was obtained at 400 °C, 10 MPa, a treatment time of 5 min, and at an oxygen ratio of 1.2.

The purpose of this study was to outline the course and profile of adverse events specific to boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) for head and neck cancer. This was a sub-analysis of the phase II JHN002 trial. Patients received 400 mg/kg borofalan(10B), followed by neutron irradiation. The course of adverse events after BNCT was documented in the JHN002 Look Up study. Patients were grouped into face/front (FF), face/lateral (FL) and neck (N) beam groups according to the point of skin incidence of the epithermal neutron beam axis, and the profile of adverse events dependent on beam incidence position was examined. The courses of adverse events in eight recurrent squamous cell carcinoma (R-SCC) and 13 recurrent or locally advanced non-SCC cases were analyzed. Median interval to complete recovery was 23 days (interquartile range (IQR), 14–48 days) for oral mucositis, 40 days (IQR, 24–56 days) for dermatitis, 58 days (IQR, 53–80 days) for dysgeusia and 156 days (IQR, 82–163 days) for alopecia. In the FF beam group, parotitis (P = 0.007) was less frequent, while oral mucositis (P = 0.032), fatigue (P = 0.002), conjunctivitis (P = 0.001), epistaxis (P = 0.001) and abdominal discomfort (P = 0.029) tended to be more frequent than in the FL and N beam groups. Courses and irradiation site-specific profiles of adverse events in BNCT for head and neck cancer were identified. This profile may be useful for considering interventions to prevent exacerbation of treatment-related adverse events on BNCT.

Proton therapy for cervical esophageal cancer has many issues to be considered, such as the physiological curvature of the spine and the large range change from the neck to the trunk. We clarified the dosimetric characteristics of intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) for cervical esophageal cancer by comparing with volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Ten patients with cervical esophageal cancer were retrospectively planned for VMAT, 2-field IMPT (2F-IMPT), and 3-field IMPT (3F-IMPT). All plans were optimized to reach clinically acceptable levels. For planning target volume (PTV) coverage, 95% of the PTV should be covered by 95% of the prescription dose, unless the spinal cord limit is violated. The organs at risk included the lung, spinal cord, larynx, skin, and whole body. The prescription dose was 60 Gy relative biological effectiveness (RBE) in 30 fractions to the PTV. We compared the results according to dose-volume metrics. Significant dose reductions were achieved at lung doses, especially at low dose volumes of 20 Gy RBE or less in IMPT plans compared with VMAT plans (p0.05). Although the spinal cord PRV was below the tolerance level, the results were also significantly higher in VMAT plans than in IMPT plans (p0.001). Spinal cord PRV D

This study aimed to evaluate changes in the deformation of the entrance window on a phantom for a horizontal beam geometry with a window thickness of 5 mm. The window deformation over time was measured using a dial indicator for 12 h after water filling. The window deformation was in the range of 0.17-0.37 mm among the three phantoms. The change in deformation over time was found to be 0.06 mm or less 12 h after filling the phantom. For off-center measurements, the maximum difference in variation among the five points in each of the three phantoms was 0.12, 0.11, and 0.07 mm. The window deformation on the phantom for a horizontal beam geometry with the window thickness of 5 mm was considered almost negligible when appropriately used. However, it is important to control the quality of the phantom according to the usage conditions.

Purpose Anatomical changes, such as shrinkage and aeration, can affect dose distribution in proton therapy (PT) for maxillary sinus carcinoma (MSC). These changes can affect the dose to the target and organs at risk (OARs); however, when these changes occur during PT is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the dosimetric impact of anatomical changes during PT. Materials and Methods Fifteen patients with MSC were enrolled in this study. Initial PT plans were generated based on initial computed tomography (CT) images. Several repeat CT images were obtained to confirm anatomical changes during PT. Evaluation PT plans were generated by copying initial PT plans to repeat CT images. The dose differences of the target and OARs were evaluated by comparing both the plans. Results At 3–4 weeks after the initiation of PT, the target volume reduced by approximately 10% as compared with the initial volume. Consequently, the target volumes gradually varied until the end of treatment. The value of V95 (volume that received 95% of the prescription dose) in the clinical target volume of the evaluation PT plan was similar to that of the initial PT plan. However, the dose to OARs, such as the contralateral optic nerve, contralateral eyeball, brainstem, and optic chiasm, increased significantly from the middle to the later phases of the treatment course. In contrast, there was a slight dose difference in the ipsilateral optic apparatus. Conclusion The trend analysis in this study showed that anatomical changes appeared 3–4 weeks after the start of PT, and the dose to the OARs tended to increase. Therefore, it is recommended to check the status of tumor 3–4 weeks after the start of treatment to avoid the deterioration of dose distribution due to these changes.

The Task Group 218 (TG-218) report was published by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine in 2018, recommending the appropriate use of gamma index analysis for patient-specific quality assurance (PSQA). The paper demonstrates that PSQA for radiotherapy in Japan appropriately applies the gamma index analysis considering TG-218.This survey estimated the acceptance state of radiotherapeutic institutes or facilities in Japan for the guideline using a web-based questionnaire. To investigate an appropriate PSQA of the facility-specific conditions, we researched an optimal tolerance or action level for various clinical situations, including different treatment machines, clinical policies, measurement devices, staff or their skills, and patient conditions. The responded data were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) and multidimensional scaling (MDS). The PCA focused on factor loading values of the first contribution over 0.5, whereas the MDS focused on mapped distances among data.Responses were obtained from 148 facilities that use intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), which accounted for 42.8% of the probable IMRT use in Japan. This survey revealed the appropriate application of the following universal criteria for gamma index analysis from the guideline recommendation despite the facility-specific variations (treatment machines/the number of IMRT cases/facility attributes/responded [representative] expertise or staff): (a) 95% pass rate, (b) 3% dose difference and 2-mm distance-to-agreement, and (c) 10% threshold dose. Conditions (a)-(c) were the principal components of the data by the PCA method and were mapped in a similar distance range, which was easily clustered from other gamma index analytic factors by the MDS method. Conditions (a)-(c) were the universally essential factors for the PSQA in Japan.We found that the majority of facilities using IMRT in each region of Japan complied with the guideline and conducted PSQA with deliberation under the individual facility-specific conditions.

Kinesin family member 26b (Kif26b) is essential for kidney development, and its deletion in mice leads to kidney agenesis. However, the roles of this gene in adult settings remain elusive. Thus, this study aims to investigate the role of Kif26b in the progression of renal fibrosis. A renal fibrosis model with adenine administration using Kif26b heterozygous mice and wild-type mice was established. Renal fibrosis and the underlying mechanism were investigated. The underlying pathways and functions of Kif26b were evaluated in an in vitro model using primary renal fibroblasts. Kif26b heterozygous mice were protected from renal fibrosis with adenine administration. Renal expressions of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and myofibroblast accumulation were reduced in Kif26b heterozygous mice. The expression of nonmuscle myosin heavy chain II (NMHCII), which binds to the C-terminus of Kif26b protein, was also suppressed in Kif26b heterozygous mice. The in vitro study revealed reduced expressions of CTGF, α-smooth muscle actin, and myosin heavy chain 9 (Myh9) via transfection with siRNAs targeting Kif26b in renal fibroblasts (RFB). RFBs, which were transfected by the expression vector of Kif26b, demonstrated higher expressions of these genes than non-transfected cells. Finally, Kif26b suppression and NMHCII blockage led to reduced abilities of migration and collagen gel contraction in renal fibroblasts. Taken together, Kif26b contributes to the progression of interstitial fibrosis via migration and myofibroblast differentiation through Myh9 in the renal fibrosis model. Blockage of this pathway at appropriate timing might be a therapeutic approach for renal fibrosis.

Biomass has been attracting attention as an environmentally friendly energy resource due to concerns about global environmental problems. Chromated copper arsenate-treated wood produced by injecting a solution containing sub-percent of chromium, copper, and arsenic (hereinafter referred to as CCA-treated wood) is one of the construction wastes. As fundamental research on the development of clean gasification process for biomass, pyrolysis (400–800 °C) which is the initial stage of gasification and CO2 gasification (1000 °C, 0–60 min) characteristics of CCA-treated wood were investigated. The release behavior of high-volatile arsenic during pyrolysis and gasification of CCA-treated wood was followed. When the CCA-treated wood was pyrolyzed, the release of arsenic proceeded with increasing temperature and the release extent was 41% at 800 °C. In the case of gasification, the release extent of arsenic increased with gasification time and 90% of the arsenic was released into gas phase within 60 min. Furthermore, it was possible to suppress the release of arsenic by 800 °C during pyrolysis by mixing organic sludge rich in iron and calcium with CCA-treated wood.

The dynamic and static nature of the XH-∗-π and YX-∗-π (X = F, Cl, Br, and I; Y = X and F) interactions in the distorted π-system of corannulene (π(C20H10)) is elucidated with a QTAIM dual functional analysis (QTAIM-DFA), where asterisks emphasize the presence of bond critical points (BCPs) on the interactions. The static and dynamic nature originates from the data of the fully optimized and perturbed structures, respectively, in QTAIM-DFA. On the convex side, H in F–H-∗-π(C20H10) and each X in Y–X-∗-π(C20H10) join to C of the central five-membered ring in π(C20H10) through a bond path (BP), while each H in X–H-∗-π(C20H10) does so to the midpoint of C=C in the central five-membered ring for X = Cl, Br, or I. On the concave side, each X in F–X-∗-π(C20H10) also joins to C of the central five-membered ring with a BP for X = H, Cl, Br, and I; however, the interactions in other adducts are more complex than those on the convex side. Both H and X in X–H-∗-π(C20H10) (X = Cl and Br) and both Fs in F–F-∗-π(C20H10) connect to the three C atoms in each central five-membered ring (with three BPs). Two, three, and five BPs were detected for the Cl–Cl, I–H, Br–Br, and I–I adducts, where some BPs do not stay on the central five-membered ring in π(C20H10). The interactions are predicted to have a vdW to CT-MC nature. The interactions on the concave side seem weaker than those on the convex side for X–H-∗-π(C20H10), whereas the inverse trend is observed for Y–X-∗-π(C20H10) as a whole. The nature of the interactions in the π(C20H10) adducts of the convex and concave sides is examined in more detail, employing the adducts with X–H and F–X placed on their molecular axis together with the π(C24H12) and π(C6H6) adducts.

Purpose To investigate the impact of different setup methods, vertebral body matching (VM), diaphragm matching (DM), and marker matching (MM), on the dose distribution in proton therapy (PT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and methods Thirty-eight HCC lesions were studied retrospectively to assess changes in the dose distribution on two computed tomography (CT) scans. One was for treatment planning (1st-CT), and the other was for dose confirmation acquired during the course of PT (2nd-CT). The dose coverage of the clinical target volume (CTV-D98 ) and normal liver volume that received 30 Gy relative biological effectiveness (RBE) (liver-V30 ) were evaluated under each condition. Initial treatment planning on the 1st-CT was defined as reference, and three dose distributions recalculated using VM, DM, and MM on the 2nd-CT, were compared to it, respectively. In addition, the relationship between the CTV-D98 of each method and the distance between the center of mass (COM) of the CTV and the right diaphragm top was evaluated. Results For CTV-D98 , significant differences were observed between the reference and VM and DM, respectively (P = 0.013, P = 0.015). There were also significant differences between MM and VM and DM, respectively (P = 0.018, P = 0.036). Regarding liver-V30 , there was no significant difference in any of the methods, and there were no discernable difference due to the different setup methods. In DM, only two out of 34 cases with a distance from right diaphragm top to COM of CTV of 90 mm or less that CTV-D98 difference was 5% or more and CTV-D98 was worse than VM were confirmed. Conclusion Although MM is obviously the most effective method, it is suggested that DM may be particularly effective in cases where the distance from right diaphragm top to COM of CTV of 90 mm or less.

Background and purpose Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) can be performed without reactors due to development of cyclotron-based epithermal neutron source (C-BENS), which is optimized for treatment for deeper-seated tumors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate efficacy and safety of cyclotron-based BNCT with borofalan (10B) for recurrent or locally advanced head and neck cancer. Materials and methods In this open-label, phase II JHN002 trial of BNCT using C-BENS with borofalan (10B), patients with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma (R-SCC) or with recurrent/locally advanced non-squamous cell carcinoma (R/LA-nSCC) of the head and neck were intravenously administered 400 mg/kg borofalan (10B), followed by neutron irradiation. The tumor dose was determined passively as the mucosal maximum dose of 12 Gy-Eq. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR). Post-trial observational JHN002 Look Up study was planned for evaluating locoregional progression-free survival (LRPFS). Results Eight R-SCC and 13 R/LA-nSCC patients were enrolled. All R-SCC patients had prior radiotherapy with a median dose of 65.5 Gy (range, 59.4–76.0 Gy). The ORR for all patients was 71%, and complete response/partial response were 50%/25% in R-SCC and 8%/62% in R/LA-nSCC. The 2-year overall survival for R-SCC and R/LA-nSCC were 58% and 100%, respectively. The median LRPFS was 11.5 months for R-SCC. Frequently observed adverse events included alopecia (95%), hyperamylasemia (86%), and nausea (81%). Conclusion These data suggest that BNCT using C-BENS with borofalan (10B) is a promising treatment option for patients with R-SCC or R/LA-nSCC of the head and neck.

In order to suppress the spurious signal resulted from the reference leak and to decrease the oscillator jitter by using phase locked loop (PLL) loop band extension, a reference frequency multiplier that places a delay locked loop (DLL) in front of the PLL has been studied. However, a feedback circuit such as a DLL or an injection locked type voltage controlled oscillator must be used. In this paper, we propose a novel digital PLL capable of reference frequency multiplication without a feedback circuit. Simulink estimated the phase noise improved by − 17 dB at 1 MHz offset, and the spurious tones due to device variation reduced by − 12 dB with a dynamic element matching.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a very rare epithelial tumor of the salivary glands. Surgical resection is considered to be a standard therapy. However, the optimal treatment strategy for managing advanced cases has not yet been established. This study evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of proton beam therapy (PBT) combined with selective intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy (IAIC) using weekly cisplatin for locally advanced ACC of the base of the tongue. Between March 2009 and February 2018, 15 patients were treated. The median follow-up duration was 56 (range: 15–116) months. The 5-year local control and overall survival rates were 89% and 76%, respectively. With regard to late toxicities, grade 2 osteoradionecrosis was found in one patient and grade 5 pharyngeal necrosis was observed in one patient. Considering most cases were significantly advanced and inoperable, this therapy was effective in controlling the primary tumor, preserving function and maintaining the quality of life. Although improvements are needed to reduce adverse events, PBT in combination with IAIC can be a treatment option for locally advanced ACC of the base of the tongue.

There are no existing reports on proton beam therapy (PBT) for local control (LC) of liver metastasis of colorectal cancer (LMCRC). We calculated the LC rate of PBT for LMCRC and explored the influence of each factor on the LC rate.Cases in which PBT was performed at our center between 2009 and 2018 were retrospectively selected from the database. Patients with LMCRC without extrahepatic lesions and no more than three liver metastases were included. Effectiveness was assessed based on LC, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) rates. Adverse events (AEs) are described. Factors that may be related to LC were also investigated.This study included 23 men and 18 women, with a median age of 66 (range 24-87) years. A total of 63 lesions were included in the study. The most frequent dose was 72.6 Gy (relative biological effectiveness)/22 fractions. The median follow-up period was 27.6 months. The 3‑year LC, OS, and PFS rates were 54.9%, 61.6%, and 16.7%, respectively. Our multivariate analysis identified the distance between the tumor and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract as a factor associated with LC (P = 0.02). No grade ≥ 3 AEs were observed. None of the patients experienced liver failure during the acute or late phase.Care must be taken with tumors that have reduced planning target volume coverage owing to organs at risk restrictions, especially in tumors near the GI tract.

In recent years, a novel technique has been employed to maintain a distance between the prostate and the rectum by transperineally injecting a hydrogel spacer (HS). However, the effect of HS on the prostate positional displacement is poorly understood, despite its stability with HS in place. In this study, we investigated the effect of HS insertion on the interfraction prostate motion during the course of proton therapy (PT) for Japanese prostate cancer patients. The study population consisted of 22 cases of intermediate-risk prostate cancer with 11 cases with HS insertion and 11 cases without HS insertion. The irradiation position and preparation were similar for both groups. To test for reproducibility, regular confirmation computed tomography (RCCT) was done four times during the treatment period, and five times overall [including treatment planning CT (TPCT)] in each patient. Considering the prostate position of the TPCT as the reference, the change in the center of gravity of the prostate relative to the bony anatomy in the RCCTs of each patient was determined in the left–right (LR), superior–inferior (SI) and anterior–posterior (AP) directions. As a result, no significant difference was observed across the groups in the LR and SI directions. Conversely, a significant difference was observed in the AP direction (P

We used the method proposed by Schneider et al. Theor Biol Med Model 2011;8:27, to clarify how the radiation-induced secondary cancer incidence rate changes in patients after proton craniospinal irradiation (CSI) without and with vertebral-body-sparing (VBS). Eight patients aged 3–15 years who underwent proton CSI were enrolled in the study. For each case, two types of plan without and with VBS in the target were compared. The prescribed doses were assumed to be 23.4 Gy relative biological effectiveness (RBE) and 36 Gy (RBE). Using the dose–volume histograms of the two plans, the lifetime attributable risk (LAR) was calculated by both methods for each patient based on the dose data calculated using an XiO-M treatment planning system. Eight organs were analyzed as follows: lung, colon, stomach, small intestine, liver, bladder, thyroid and bone. When the prescribed dose used was 23.4 Gy (RBE), the average LAR differences and the average number needed to treat (NNT) between proton CSI without and with VBS were 4.04 and 24.8, respectively, whereas the average LAR difference and the average NNT were larger at 8.65 and 11.6, respectively, when the prescribed dose of 36 Gy (RBE) was used. The LAR for radiation-induced secondary cancer was significantly lower in proton CSI with VBS than without VBS in pediatric patients, especially for the colon, lung, stomach and thyroid. The results of this study could serve as reference data when considering how much of vertebral bodies should be included when performing proton CSI according to age in clinical settings.

Resumo Historico Nausea e Vomito no Pos‐Operatorio (NVPO) e um evento adverso frequente da anestesia geral. Varias classes de antiemeticos, incluindo antagonistas do receptor 5‐Hidroxitriptamina3 (5‐HT3) e antagonistas do receptor da Neurocinina‐1 (NK‐1), tem sido utilizados para tratar a NVPO. Objetivo Comparar o efeito antiemetico dos antagonistas do receptor NK‐1, incluindo o fosaprepitanto. Fontes de dados Foram utilizadas bases de dados on‐line (PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, The Cochrane Library). Criterios de elegibilidade do estudo, participantes e intervencoes Foram incluidos Estudos Clinicos Randomizados (ECR) realizados em pacientes acima de 18 anos classificacao ASA I a III, com o objetivo de avaliar a eficacia de antiemeticos que incluissem antagonistas do receptor NK‐1 e antagonistas do receptor 5‐HT3, e que comparassem a incidencia de NVPO. Metodos de avaliacao e sintese do estudo Todas as avaliacoes estatisticas foram realizadas por abordagem de efeito aleatorio e foram calculadas razoes de chances e Intervalos de Confianca de 95%. Resultados As doses de 40 mg e 80 mg de aprepitanto reduziram significantemente a incidencia de vomito no periodo de 0 a 24 horas pos‐operatorias (razao de chances [OR = 0,40]; Intervalo de Confianca de 95% [95% IC] 0,30‐0,54; p Limitacoes Os fatores de risco para NVPO nao foram analisados, ECRs usando multiplos antiemeticos foram incluidos, ECRs para fosaprepitanto tinham amostras pequenas, podendo haver algum vies. Conclusoes e implicacoes dos principais achados Aprepitanto e fosaprepitanto podem ser drogas antiemeticas profilaticas efetivas para vomito no pos‐operatorio. No entanto, sao necessarios mais estudos para elaboracao de meta‐analises de melhor qualidade. Numero de registro da revisao sistematica CRD42019120188.

The uptake of boron into tumor cells is a key factor in the biological effects of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). The uptake of boron agents is suppressed in hypoxic conditions, but the mechanism of hypoxia-induced modulation of suppression of boron uptake is not clear. Therefore, we evaluated whether hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) contributes to attenuation of the antitumor effects of BNCT in hypoxic tumor cells. We also tested whether YC-1, a HIF-1α-targeting inhibitor, has therapeutic potential with BNCT. To elucidate the mechanism of attenuation of the effects of BNCT caused by hypoxia, deferoxamine (DFO) was used in experiments. Cells were incubated in normal oxygen, hypoxic conditions (1% O2) or 5 μM DFO for 24 h. Then, cells were treated with 10B-boronophenylalanine (BPA) for 2 h and boron accumulation in cells was evaluated. To clarify the relationship between HIF-1α and L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1), gene expression was evaluated by a using HIF-1α gene knockdown technique. Finally, to improve attenuation of the effects of BNCT in hypoxic cells, BNCT was combined with YC-1. Boron uptake was continuously suppressed up to 2 h after administration of BPA by 5 μM DFO treatment. In cells treated with 5 μM DFO, LAT1 expression was restored in HIF-1α-knocked down samples in all cell lines, revealing that HIF-1α suppresses LAT1 expression in hypoxic cells. From the results of the surviving fraction after BNCT combined with YC-1, treatment with YC-1 sensitized the antitumor effects of BNCT in cells cultured in hypoxia.

To elucidate the resistance mechanisms of the rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivar 'Milyang 44' against rice stink bugs, we compared the number of stylet sheaths, husk perforations, and feeding marks on the surface of the grains caused by Leptocorisa chinensis and Cletus punctiger on Milyang 44 and the control cultivar, i.e., 'Aichinokaori SBL'. We also examined the cross-sectional structure of the rice husks. We found that the number of stylet sheaths per panicle was higher in Milyang 44 than in Aichinokaori SBL for both rice stink bug species, except in one test involving C. punctiger. However, Milyang 44 had significantly less damage per number of stylet sheaths than Aichinokaori SBL, resulting in a lower percentage rates of pecky rice grains in Milyang 44. Interestingly, there was no difference in the percentage rates of pecky rice between the two cultivars after removing one third of the husks. Histological analysis showed that the sclerenchymatous cell wall containing lignin of husk was thicker in Milyang 44 than in Aichinokaori SBL, suggesting that the husk of Milyang 44 plays an important role in its resistance to these two rice stink bug species.