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A 57-year-old woman with a sudden-onset seizure was hospitalized. Brain magnetic resonance imaging findings led to a suspicion of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LMC) without a brain parenchymal tumor, and abdominal computed tomography showed a tumor in the pancreatic tail. Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration of the pancreatic mass revealed adenocarcinoma. Therefore, LMC from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma was strongly suspected. She received three courses of nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine and whole-brain radiation. Shortly thereafter, she developed a severe consciousness impediment and died. A pathological autopsy showed adenocarcinoma in a wide area of the leptomeninges.

Upon abdominal ultrasonography, a woman in her 36 years old was diagnosed with a hypoechoic tumor with a diameter of 60mm surrounding the bile duct in the hepatic portal region. Abdominal computed tomography and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography revealed a tumor-like mass in the bile duct. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) confirmed the diagnosis of schwannoma. Considering the lesion location, it appeared to rise from the hepatoduodenal ligament. She was unwilling to undergo tumor resection;however, a year after the diagnosis, no change was observed in the tumor. Here, we report a case of schwannoma in the hepatoduodenal ligament, wherein EUS-FNA was useful for establishing a diagnosis and determining a treatment strategy.

GaN is a promising material for power semiconductor devices used in next-generation vehicles. Its electrical properties such as carrier mobility and threshold voltage are affected by the interface between the oxide and the semiconductor, and identifying the interface states is important to improve these properties. A surface-sensitive measurement of Ga K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) by detecting Ga LMM Auger electrons that originate from Ga K-shell absorption is proposed for GaN. LMM Auger electrons with low energies were detected and the EXAFS oscillation was confirmed, providing information on the Ga atoms at the surface. Investigation of thermally oxidized GaN with an oxide film of defined thickness showed that the analysis depth was less than 10 nm, which is consistent with the inelastic mean free path of 2.3 nm estimated for LMM Auger electrons in GaN.

The possible effect of antihypertensive therapy on Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been studied, and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) have been suggested to exert an effect on cognitive decline. The purpose of this study is to clarify the functional effects of telmisartan, a long-acting ARB, on AD brain using prospective longitudinal (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) studies. For this purpose, brain glucose metabolism of four hypertensive patients with AD was examined with FDG-PET before and after administration of telmisartan. Studied subjects underwent three FDG-PET studies at intervals of 12 weeks. Antihypertensive treatment except for telmisartan was started after the first FDG-PET and continued for 24 weeks. Then 40-80 mg of telmisartan was added after the second FDG-PET and continued for 12 weeks.Glucose metabolism was significantly decreased during the first 12 weeks without telmisartan use at an area (-10, 21, -22, x, y, z; Z = 3.56) caudal to the left rectal gyrus and the olfactory sulcus corresponding to the left olfactory tract. In contrast, the introduction of telmisartan during the following 12 weeks preserved glucose metabolism at areas (5, 19, -20, x, y, z; Z = 3.09; 6, 19, -22, x, y, z; Z = 2.88) caudal to the bilateral rectal gyri and olfactory sulci corresponding to the bilateral olfactory tracts. No areas showed decreased glucose metabolism after the introduction of telmisartan. In AD, amyloid-β deposition is observed in the anterior olfactory nucleus (AON) of the olfactory tract. Glucose metabolism in AON may be progressively decreased and preserved by telmisartan.

Background: Partial volume effects in atrophied areas should be taken into account when interpreting brain perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images of neurodegenerative diseases. To evaluate both perfusion and atrophy using brain SPECT alone, we developed a new technique applying tensor-based morphometry (TBM) to SPECT., Methods: After linear spatial normalization of brain perfusion SPECT using 99mTc-ethyl cysteinate dimer (99mTc-ECD) to a Talairach space, high-dimension-warping was done using an original 99mTc-ECD template. Contraction map images calculated from Jacobian determinants and spatially normalized SPECT images using this high-dimension-warping were compared using statistical parametric mapping (SPM2) between two groups of 16 multiple system atrophy of the cerebellar type (MSA-C) patients and 73 age-matched normal controls. This comparison was also performed in conventionally warped SPECT images., Results: SPM2 demonstrated statistically significant contraction indicating local atrophy and decreased perfusion in the whole cerebellum and pons of MSA-C patients as compared to normal controls. Higher significance for decreased perfusion in these areas was obtained in high-dimension-warping than in conventional warping, possibly due to sufficient spatial normalization to a 99mTc-ECD template in high-dimensional warping of severely atrophied cerebellum and pons. In the present high-dimension-warping, modification of tracer activity remained within 3% of the original tracer distribution., Conclusions: The present new technique applying TBM to brain SPECT provides information on both perfusion and atrophy at the same time thereby enhancing the role of brain perfusion SPECT.