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In this work, a custom deep learning method is proposed to develop a detection of visual fields defects which are the markers for serious optic pathway disease. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) is a deep learning method that is mostly used in images processing. Therefore, a custom 10 layers of CNN algorithm is built to detect the visual field defect. In this work, 1200 visual field defect images acquired from the Humphrey Field Analyzer 24–2 collected from Google Image have been used to classify 6 types of visual field defect. The defect patterns are including defects at central scotoma, right/left/upper/lower quadratopia, right/left hemianopia, vision tunnel, superior/inferior field defect and normal as baseline. The custom designed CNN is trained to discriminate between defect patterns in visual field images. In the proposed method, a mechanism of pre-processing is included to improve the classification of visual field defects. Then, the 6 visual field defect patterns are detected using a convolutional neural network. The dataset is evaluated using 5-fold cross-validation. The results of this work have shown that the proposed algorithm achieved a high classification rate with 96%. As comparison, traditional machine learning Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Classical Neural Network (NN) is chose and obtained classification rate at 74.54% and 90.72%.

Tanning industries are one of the main economic activities in Bangladesh. It has been well documented that wastewater discharged from tanneries without appropriate treatment results in detrimental effects on the ecosystem. No ecotoxicity evaluation of any aquatic environment in Bangladesh has been conducted so far. In this study a battery of toxicity bioassays and chemical analysis were carried out from water samples obtained from three sampling points: upstream from discharging site on River Buriganga (S1), raw wastewater effluent (S2), and downstream the discharging sluice gate (S3), in the Hazaribagh tannery area of Dhaka City, Bangladesh. While S1 and S3 water samples did not show significant toxicity in the bioassays tested, S2 exhibited high acute toxicity to the bacterium Vibrio fischeri (15-min Microtox test, EC50 = 9.8%), the higher plant Lactuca sativa (5-day root elongation inhibition test, EC50 = 14.2%), and the microcrustacean Daphnia magna (24-hour mobility test, EC50 = 31.5%). The results suggested that the raw wastewater effluent had detrimental effects on broad spectrum of organisms in the aquatic ecosystem and bacterium was the most sensitive. The chemical analysis revealed that sample S2 contained an extremely high concentration of chromium (47 g l(-1)). Additionally microbiological analysis indicated that the sampling area is impacted by fecal pollution, increasing the environmental health risk for its inhabitants.

Inhibitor of caspase-activated DNase (ICAD) is required for correctly folding of CAD and inhibits nuclease activity of CAD in non-apoptotic cells. From proteomic analysis of the ICAD binding proteins, we revealed that over-expressed flag-ICAD bound other ICAD molecules. Purified recombinant ICAD protein showed three bands, 66 KDa, 132 KDa and 450 KDa, by native-PAGE. ICAD fused with glutathione-S-transferase (GST) was immunoprecipitated with anti-flag antibody from Jurkat cell lysates cotransfected with ICAD fused with either GST or flag expression vectors. When purified recombinant ICAD protein was separated by gel chromatography, the molecular weight of ICAD was detected at approximately 440 and 45 K. ICAD in extracts of wild type Jurkat cells also existed at approximately 440 and 45 K as measured by gel chromatography; so that fractions of CAD coincided with fractions of approximately 440 K of ICAD. These results indicate that ICAD and/or CAD appeared to form large complexes in Jurkat cells.

An application specific integrated processor designed for ATM cell processing applications is described in this paper. A new dedicated architecture consisting of a custom-made CPU core, a pipeline input cell buffer and a content addressable memory (CAM) is employed to realize both high performance data processing and functional re-configurability. The chip has been implemented on 0.5 /spl mu/m CMOS. It consumes 2400 mW power under 3.3 V supply at 52 MHz clock frequency for a 155 Mbps high speed cell data stream. Programs for several different applications have been developed and are running on this chip. As a result of evaluation, each application program satisfies a required performance.

Background The prognosis of gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis is extremely poor. Neither systemic chemotherapy nor surgery alone prolongs survival of patients significantly. Methods Patients diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer underwent staging laparoscopy and received chemotherapy when peritoneal dissemination and/or cancer cells on peritoneal cytology were confirmed. The chemotherapy regimen consisted of S-1, weekly intravenous and intraperitoneal paclitaxel, which was verified in our phase II trial (Ann Oncol 2009). S-1 was administered at 80 mg/m2/day for 14 consecutive days, followed by 7 days rest. Paclitaxel was administered intravenously at 50 mg/m2 and intraperitoneally at 20 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8. Clinical response of chemotherapy was assessed by computed tomography, gastroendoscopy, peritoneal cytology and second-look laparoscopy. Radical gastrectomy was carried out when macroscopic curative resection was made achievable by chemotherapy. Chemotherapy was restarted after operation as soon as possible. Overall survival, relapse free survival, morbidity and mortality of gastrectomy were evaluated. Results Out of 100 patients with peritoneal metastasis who received chemotherapy, 60 patients underwent gastrectomy after response to chemotherapy, including 54 with macroscopic metastasis and 6 with positive peritoneal cytology only. A median of three courses were administered preoperatively (range 1–16). Total or distal gastrectomy with lymphnode dissection was carried out in 54 or 6 patients, respectively. The median survival time was 34.5 months. The median relapse-free survival was 16.7 months. The first site of relapse was the peritoneum in 24 patients and the other organ site in 17 patients. Postoperative complications included anastomotic leakage and pancreatic fistula in two patients each, which were healed conservatively. There were no treatment-related deaths. Conclusions Gastrectomy combined with S-1, intravenous and intraperitoneal paclitaxel is safe and active for gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis.

Background Since salvage surgery after failure of cheomradiotherapy (CRT) for esophageal cancer (EC) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, the development of curative and safety salvage treatment options has been needed to improve the patients' survival. Aim We conducted a phase I/II study to establish the recommended dose (RD) of laser irradiation and to evaluate safety and efficacy of Taraporfin sodium-based photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a salvage treatment after CRT (UMIN000003970). Patients and methods We recruited patients with residual or recurrent EC at primary site and who were treated with more than 50 Gy of (chemo)radiotherapy. To determine the dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) according to the energy of the diode laser, dose escalation was set at three energy levels (50, 75 and 100 J/cm2). The primary end point of phase I and II study were RD of laser irradiation and the complete response (CR) rate, respectively. Results In the phase I study, 9 patients were recruited and were treated using up to the third energy level in groups of three individuals. Since none of the patients experienced DLT at all energy levels, the recommended laser dose was 100 J/m2. In the phase II study, 10 patients were recruited and a complete response of the patients treated by RD was achieved in 6 of 13 patients (46%), which included the patients in level 3 of phase I. There was no patient with PDT-related adverse events. Conclusion Taraporfin sodium-based PDT could be a safe and effective treatment option for the local failure after CRT for EC.

4021 Background: JCOG9912, a randomized phase III trial of advanced gastric cancer (AGC), revealed significant non-inferiority of S-1 to 5-FU (P

The supernatants from cultures of alveolar macrophages from 12 patients with sarcoidosis and 7 control subjects were assayed for interleukin-6 (IL-6) using an ELISA system. IL-6 was detectable without a stimulant in supernatants from all subjects with sarcoidosis and controls. However, the supernatants from 4 of 12 untreated patients with sarcoidosis contained significantly greater amounts of IL-6. When macrophages were stimulated by Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), the mean level of IL-6 in the supernatant of patients with sarcoidosis was 5.18 +/- 1.46 ng/ml, which was significantly higher than in controls (3.34 +/- 0.39) (p less than 0.05). Furthermore, in patients with sarcoidosis, the mean level of IL-6 in the supernatant was significantly correlated with the percentage of lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (p less than 0.05), the level of interleukin-1 released by alveolar macrophages stimulated by P. acnes (p less than 0.05), and the phagocytic index of alveolar macrophages (p less than 0.05). The large amount of IL-6 in the supernatant after stimulation by LPS was measured in patients with sarcoidosis (24.49 +/- 13.36) and in controls (12.4 +/- 8.53), and there was no significant difference between patients with sarcoidosis and controls. Small amounts of IL-6 were detectable in bronchoalveolar fluid from only 2 of 26 patients with sarcoidosis; however, it was detected in none of 15 controls. It is suggested that the enhancement of IL-6 release by alveolar macrophages has a role in the activation of immune effector cells at sites of sarcoidosis.

We characterized structurally the receptors for somatostatin in rat cerebral cortex by affinity labeling with [125I-Tyr1] somatostatin. [125I-Tyr1] somatostatin was cross-linked to cerebrocortical membranes using photoreactive cross-linker: N-5-azido-2-nitrobenzoyloxy-succinimide. Analysis by autoradiography revealed a broad band centered at Mr = 72,000 in the presence or absence of dithiothreitol. Affinity labeling of and specific [125I-Tyr1] somatostatin binding to cerebrocortical membranes were decreased similarly by adding unlabeled somatostatin or nonhydrolyzable guanine nucleotide analogue, guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate, in a dose dependent manner. The pretreatment of cerebrocortical membranes with islet activating protein resulted in a decrease in subsequent affinity labeling of the protein. The cross-linked protein could be solubilized with Zwittergent 3-12 and poorly with digitonin, triton X-100 and NP-40. When exposed to agarose-coupled lectins, the solubilized labeled protein was absorbed to wheat germ agglutinin, partially to ricin communis-II, and not to concanavalin A or lentil lectin. The Mr = 72,000 protein bound to wheat germ agglutinin-agarose was eluted with not only N,N',N"-triacetylchitotriose but also N-acetylglucosamine. These results suggest that somatostatin receptors on cerebrocortical membranes are a monomeric glycoprotein with a Mr = 70,000 containing no disulfide-linked binding subunit, which is coupled to islet activating protein-sensitive guanine nucleotide regulatory protein.

Thirty seven patients with sarcoidosis were examined using ultrasound (US) to determine the size of the spleen. A Spleen Index (SI) was employed to evaluate splenomegaly and the SI was calculated using long (a) and short (b) dimensions on the sectional splenotomogram (SI = a x b). In 21 (57%) of these patients the spleen was judged ultrasonographically to be enlarged (SI 30), but in only 3 was it palpable. The clinical records of patients with and without splenomegaly detected by US were compared. There were no differences between patients with or without splenomegaly in hematologic findings (peripheral blood and bone marrow) or blood chemistry; furthermore no patients with hypersplenism were seen. In immunological parameters, the serum immunosuppressive acid protein level was significantly (p less than 0.05) higher in patients with splenomegaly than in those without splenomegaly; however, there were no differences in serum angiotenins converting enzyme activity, serum lysozyme level, PPD skin test or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis. The patients with splenomegaly had significantly higher evidence of increased uptake of 67-Gallium in lung fields and positive lung infiltrates in chest X-ray than those without splenomegaly (p less than 0.01, p less than 0.05). These data suggest that ultrasound is a promising diagnostic tool for the assessment of the size of the spleen and is useful to detect disease activity and extent of disease in sarcoidosis. Patients with sarcoidosis who had splenomegaly had more disseminated disease, especially pulmonary parenchymal disease, than did those without splenomegaly.

We reviewed 16 trochanteric and 21 femoral neck fractures in last two years. Out of them 10 cases, which were 4 trochanteric and 6 neck fractures, were operated with a compression hip screw. All of trochanteric fracture united satisfactorily. Two of 6 neck fractures were secondary treated by prosthetic replacement from re-fracture by falling from the bed and technical failure.We paid special attention to the following points;1) varus dislocation of the fractured head is undesirable for use of the screw.2) A tip of the screw must be correctly installed in the center of the femoral head and is apart about 1cm from the surface of the head.

The cause of persistent symptoms after menisectomy has been assessed clinically, radiologically, arthrographically, and arthroscopically in 20 cases.We report two cases by lesion of subluxations of patella and one case by the chondropathy of patella and one case by synovial involvement.

The problem of waste tire disposal has become critical in all industrialized nations and will worsen in the future. A fluidized-bed process has been developed to treat these waste tires, wherein the tires were mostly pyrolyzed by the heat of oxidation of the tires themselves. Experiments using both tire chips and whole tires are described. All the products, such as oil, char and gas, were found to be capable of reutilization as important resources.

Distal elongation of the Hamstrings was performed for contracture due to neurogenic disorders in forty-three patients. A follow-up study on twenty-eight of the patients with cerebral palsy is reported here. The success of the operation was judged by functional evaluation including joint measurement and gait analysis with T-V recorder. The disadvantages of this operation especially about genu recuirvatum and the need for prolonged aftercare are discussed.In the thirty-two knees, the spastic knee-flexion deformity was corrected, gait was improved, and a longer in eleven knees. It seemed that pre-operative ability for knee extension and ankle dorsi-flexion and age at operation were concerned to genu recuirvatum. In the five knees, recuirvatum was improved by fixed-ankle below-the-knee orthoses.

Formaldehyde treatment followed by acidification (formaldehyde-HCl) revealed an extensive system of intensely fluorescent endocrine-like cells in the mucosa of the cat pyloric gland area. Maximum excitation was at 440–450 mμ and maximum emission at 500–520 mμ. The cells were barely visible upon treatment with formaldehyde alone or with formaldehyde-ozone. Hence, the properties of the fluorophore in the cat antrum differ from those of all hitherto reported formaldehyde-induced fluorophores.

The method of measuring CTOD, and the effects of notch position, heat treatment, specimen thickness, and test temperature of CTOD and the CTOD design curves are examined on the basis of tests made on a 200mm thick mild steel plate and its welded joint.

A 59-year-old man diagnosed as a chronic ATL with cutaneous invasion, was treated with small doses of CPM, ADM, VDS and PSL regimens according to CHOP. The treatment was successful and achieved PR at the first stage of the therapy, but it became refractory later. He was then treated with small MEPP (MXT, VP-16, CDDP and PSL) as the salvage therapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This case suggested that small MEPP might be a useful combination chemotherapy for ATL.

We studied the interaction between somatostatin receptors and inhibitory GTP binding protein in rat cerebrocortical membranes. Guanine nucleotides reduced [125I-Tyr1] somatostatin binding to cerebrocortical membranes in a dose-dependent manner with rank order of potency being guanyl-5'-yl-imidodiphosphate (Gpp(NH)p) greater than GTP greater than GMP. Maximum reduction of the binding to 32% of control was observed in the presence of 10(-5) M Gpp(NH)p. Scatchard analysis of the labeled somatostatin binding revealed that the decrease in the binding by Gpp(NH)p was due to the decrease in the binding affinity for somatostatin. Divalent cations, such as Mg++, Mn++, and Ca++, caused an increase in labeled somatostatin binding to membranes with the maximum binding observed at a concentration of 10, 10, 1 mM, respectively. However, Na+ decreased a labeled somatostatin binding in a dose-dependent manner, and half maximum inhibition of the binding was observed at 10 mM Na+. Moreover, Gpp(NH)p and Na+ lowered labeled somatostatin binding in an additive fashion. When cerebrocortical membranes were treated at 37 degrees C for 40 min with various concentrations of Islet-Activating-Protein (IAP), which had been preactivated with dithiothreitol, subsequent labeled somatostatin binding to the membranes was decreased in a dose-dependent manner. 30 micrograms/ml IAP treatment caused a decrease in the binding to 50% of control, which was characterized by the decreased binding affinity without a significant change in the binding capacity. Furthermore, exposure of IAP plus NAD to cerebrocortical membranes caused ADP-ribosylation of a membrane protein with Mr = 41,000 on autoradiogram. Such an IAP treatment of cerebrocortical membranes abolished the inhibitory effect of somatostatin on vasoactive intestinal peptide-stimulated increase in adenylate cyclase activity. These results suggest that somatostatin receptors in the brain couple to inhibitory GTP binding protein, which mediates adenylate cyclase inhibition by somatostatin.

In isolated guinea pig gastric chief cells, gastrin-I and cholecystokinin-hexapeptide (CCK-4) stimulated pepsinogen release. However, the efficacies of these two peptide were 51% of that observed with CCK-octapeptide (CCK8). CR1409 and L-364718, both of which are new CCK receptor antagonists in pancreatic acinar cells, also inhibited 10(-8) M CCK8-stimulated pepsinogen release with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) observed at 3 x 10(-9) M, respectively. The dose response curve to CCK8 for pepsinogen release shifted to the right in the presence of CR1409 or L-364718. The IC50 of these two antagonists for the CCK8-stimulated increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration monitored by Fura-2 were equal to those for CCK8-stimulated pepsinogen release. By contrast, the IC50 of dibutyryl cyclic GMP, a well-known CCK receptor antagonist, for CCK8-stimulated pepsinogen release was less than that for CCK8-stimulated increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. Results suggested that CCK receptors in gastric chief cells are unique and may be different from CCK receptors in other tissues previously reported.