Normal tissue complication probability model for severe radiation-induced lymphopenia in patients with pancreatic cancer treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Background And Purpose: Radiation-induced lymphopenia (RIL) may be associated with a worse prognosis in pancreatic cancer. This study aimed to develop a normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) model to predict severe RIL in patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).

Materials And Methods: We reviewed pancreatic cancer patients treated at our facility for model training and internal validation.

Geometric target margin strategy of proton craniospinal irradiation for pediatric medulloblastoma.

In proton craniospinal irradiation (CSI) for skeletally immature pediatric patients, a treatment plan should be developed to ensure that the dose is uniformly delivered to all vertebrae, considering the effects on bone growth balance. The technical (t) clinical target volume (CTV) is conventionally set by manually expanding the CTV from the entire intracranial space and thecal sac, based on the physician's experience. However, there are differences in contouring methods among physicians.

Clinical application of real-time tumor-tracking for stereotactic volumetric modulated arc therapy for liver tumors.

Real-time tumor-tracking volumetric modulated arc therapy (RT-VMAT) enabling beam-gating based on continuous X-ray tracking of the three-dimensional position of internal markers is relevant for moving tumors. Dose-volume characteristics and treatment time were evaluated in ten consecutive patients who underwent liver stereotactic body radiation therapy with RT-VMAT. Target dose conformity and sparing of the stomach and the intestine were improved comparing RT-VMAT with RT-3D conformal radiotherapy.

Probability of normal tissue complications for hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicity in postoperative whole pelvic radiotherapy for gynecologic malignancies using intensity-modulated proton therapy with robust optimization.

This retrospective treatment-planning study was conducted to determine whether intensity-modulated proton therapy with robust optimization (ro-IMPT) reduces the risk of acute hematologic toxicity (H-T) and acute and late gastrointestinal toxicity (GI-T) in postoperative whole pelvic radiotherapy for gynecologic malignancies when compared with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), intensity-modulated X-ray (IMXT) and single-field optimization proton beam (SFO-PBT) therapies. All plans were created for 13 gynecologic-malignancy patients. The prescribed dose was 45 GyE in 25 fractions for 95% planning target volume in 3D-CRT, IMXT and SFO-PBT plans and for 99% clinical target volume (CTV) in ro-IMPT plans.

Predicting the daily gastrointestinal doses of stereotactic body radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer based on the shortest distance between the tumor and the gastrointestinal tract using daily computed tomography images.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate whether daily computed tomography (CT) images could predict the daily gastroduodenal, small intestine, and large intestine doses of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for pancreatic cancer based on the shortest distance between the gross tumor volume (GTV) and gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Methods: Twelve patients with pancreatic cancer received SBRT of 40 Gy in five fractions. We recalculated the reference clinical SBRT plan (PLAN) using daily CT images and calculated the shortest distance from the GTV to each GI tract.

Evaluation of short-term gastrointestinal motion and its impact on dosimetric parameters in stereotactic body radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer.

Background: The aim of this study is to quantify the short-term motion of the gastrointestinal tract (GI-tract) and its impact on dosimetric parameters in stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for pancreatic cancer.

Methods: The analyzed patients were eleven pancreatic cancer patients treated with SBRT or proton beam therapy. To ensure a fair analysis, the simulation SBRT plan was generated on the planning CT in all patients with the dose prescription of 40 Gy in 5 fractions.

Trends in Primary Tooth Emergence Pattern and Associated Factors in Japanese Infants.

Objective: The purposes of this study were to analyse trends in primary tooth emergence patterns and to identify physical factors potentially associated with them.

Methods: The participants were 27,454 infants who underwent routine 18-month-old health examinations in Ebetsu City, Japan, between 1980 and 2012. This study was conducted using data from infants' 18-month-old health examinations over a 33-year period.

A treatment planning study of urethra-sparing intensity-modulated proton therapy for localized prostate cancer.

Background And Purpose: Urethra-sparing radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer can reduce the risk of radiation-induced genitourinary toxicity by intentionally underdosing the periurethral transitional zone. We aimed to compare the clinical impact of a urethra-sparing intensity-modulated proton therapy (US-IMPT) plan with that of conventional clinical plans without urethral dose reduction.

Materials And Methods: This study included 13 patients who had undergone proton beam therapy.

Comparisons of normal tissue complication probability models derived from planned and delivered dose for head and neck cancer patients.

Background And Purpose: Normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) models are typically derived from the planned dose distribution, which can deviate from the delivered dose due to anatomical day-to-day variations. The aim of this study was to compare NTCP models derived from the planned and the delivered dose for head and neck cancer (HNC) patients.

Material And Method: 322 HNC patients who received radiotherapy with daily CBCT guidance were included in this retrospective study.

Behavioral signs of an unintended error in nursing information sharing with electronic clinical pathways: a mixed research approach.

Electronic clinical pathways (ECPs) strongly encourage the standardization of medical treatment and the sharing of information among medical staff. The goal of this study was to determine the influence of ECPs on information sharing among nurses in a university hospital. Four experienced nurses, selected based on ECP composing and operation experience, were recruited from the department with the most frequent users in the first-round interview, 132 nurses' questionnaire answers were analyzed, and eight nurses participated in the second-round interview.

Accurate estimation of daily delivered radiotherapy dose with an external treatment planning system.

Accurate estimation of the daily radiotherapy dose is challenging in a multi-institutional collaboration when the institution specific treatment planning system (TPS) is not available. We developed and evaluated a method to tackle this problem. Residual errors in daily estimations were minimized with single correction based on the planned dose.

Daily life habits associated with eveningness lead to a higher prevalence of dental caries in children.

Background/purpose: Circadian rhythm is an endogenous daily variation observed in most physiological functions including salivary secretion. Irregular lifestyle causes many diseases such as obesity and sleep disorders. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of the timings of sleep and meal on the prevalence of dental caries.

Oral health-related quality of life in patients with implant treatment.

Purpose: Patient-reported outcomes are increasingly commonly used as a method of evaluating treatments. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate implant treatment from the perspective of patient-reported outcomes.

Materials And Methods: Subjects were 804 patients who visited the Department of Oral Implantology at Osaka Dental University.

Dysregulation of MAP Kinase Signaling Pathways Including p38MAPK, SAPK/JNK, and ERK1/2 in Cultured Rat Cerebellar Astrocytes Exposed to Diphenylarsinic Acid.

Diphenylarsinic acid (DPAA) was a major compound found in the arsenic poisoning incident that occurred in Kamisu, Ibaraki, Japan in 2003. People exposed to DPAA via contaminated well water suffered from several neurological disorders, including cerebellar symptoms. We previously reported that DPAA induces cellular activation in cultured rat cerebellar astrocytes, dose-dependent promotion of cell growth (low DPAA), cell death (high DPAA), and increased phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases (p38MAPK, SAPK/JNK, and ERK1/2).

Impact of Real-Time Image Gating on Spot Scanning Proton Therapy for Lung Tumors: A Simulation Study.

Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of real-time-image gated proton beam therapy for lung tumors and to establish a suitable size for the gating window (GW).

Methods And Materials: A proton beam gated by a fiducial marker entering a preassigned GW (as monitored by 2 fluoroscopy units) was used with 7 lung cancer patients. Seven treatment plans were generated: real-time-image gated proton beam therapy with GW sizes of ±1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8 mm and free-breathing proton therapy.

Music before Dental Surgery Suppresses Sympathetic Activity Derived from Preoperative Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The aim of this study was to estimate the relieving effect of music intervention on preoperative anxiety by using heart rate variability (HRV) analysis. In this randomized controlled trial, 86 adult patients were scheduled to undergo impacted tooth extraction under intravenous sedation and local anesthesia and were classified as either fearful or nonfearful based on a questionnaire. Thereafter, the patients were subdivided into 2 groups: those who listened to music from the time that they arrived at the outpatient clinic until immediately before entering the operating room and those who did not listen to music.

Diphenylarsinic Acid Induced Activation of Cultured Rat Cerebellar Astrocytes: Phosphorylation of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases, Upregulation of Transcription Factors, and Release of Brain-Active Cytokines.

Diphenylarsinic acid (DPAA) was detected as the primary compound responsible for the arsenic poisoning that occurred in Kamisu, Ibaraki, Japan, where people using water from a well that was contaminated with a high level of arsenic developed neurological (mostly cerebellar) symptoms and dysregulation of regional cerebral blood flow. To understand the underlying molecular mechanism of DPAA-induced cerebellar symptoms, we focused on astrocytes, which have a brain-protective function. Incubation with 10 µM DPAA for 96 h promoted cell proliferation, increased the expression of antioxidative stress proteins (heme oxygenase-1 and heat shock protein 70), and induced the release of cytokines (MCP-1, adrenomedullin, FGF2, CXCL1, and IL-6).

A simple test for salivary gland function measuring resting and stimulated submandibular and sublingual secretions.

Objective: This study examined the application of a simple screening test for salivary gland function by measuring resting and stimulated submandibular and sublingual secretions.

Study Design: An assay system was designed to use filter paper incorporating the chromophore of melanoidin or stimuli such as capsaicin and citric acid. We investigated the relationship between resting and stimulated secretions and melanoidin migration at 2 minutes for healthy and dry mouth groups.

A screening test for capsaicin-stimulated salivary flow using filter paper: a study for diagnosis of hyposalivation with a complaint of dry mouth.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a simple screening technique for diagnosis of hyposalivation with dry mouth by estimation of capsaicin-stimulated salivary flow using filter paper.

Study Design: An assay system comprising 5 spots containing starch and potassium iodide on filter paper incorporating or without capsaicin and a coloring reagent was designed. We investigated whether the number of colored spots using the filter paper incorporating capsaicin could distinguish between healthy subjects and subjects with hyposalivation and dry mouth.

Relieving occupational fatigue by consumption of a beverage containing γ-amino butyric acid.

To elucidate the effect of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on both psychological and physical fatigue and on the performance advances for task solving, we assigned an arithmetic task for the Uchida-Kraepelin Psychodiagnostic Test (UKT) to 30 healthy Japanese subjects, 9 of whom were diagnosed as having chronic fatigue. The subjects were administered 250 mL of a test beverage containing GABA at the dose of 0, 25, and 50 mg before assigning task for the UKT. Psychological fatigue assessed by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was significantly lower in the group administrated the beverage containing 50 mg GABA than in the control group (p<0.

A comparison of oral mucositis in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation between conventional and reduced-intensity regimens.

Severe oral mucositis developed in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) accompanies intolerable pain and risk for systemic bacteremia infection. Conventional stem cell transplantation (CST) and reduced-intensity regimens for allogeneic HSCT (RIST) may differently affect the occurrence and severity of oral mucositis. Here, we comparatively examined oral mucositis in patients undergoing CST and that in RIST patients to search for measures to alleviate oral mucositis.