Grad-CAM-Based Investigation into Acute-Stage Fluorescein Angiography Images to Predict Long-Term Visual Prognosis of Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion.

: The purpose of this study was to analyze relevant areas in acute-stage fluorescein angiography (FA) images, predicting the long-term visual prognosis of branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) based on gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM). : This retrospective observational study included 136 eyes with BRVO that were followed up for more than a year post-FA. Cropped grayscale images centered on the fovea (200 × 200 pixels) were manually pre-processed from early-phase FA at the acute phase.

Stratified choroidal vascular structure in treatment-naïve diabetic retinopathy.

Objective: To analyze the anatomical choroidal vascular layers in topical treatment-naïve diabetic retinopathy (DR) eyes.

Design: A retrospective, clinical case-control study.

Methods: A total of 328 eyes from 228 patients with treatment-naive DR and 192 eyes matched for axial length from 174 healthy controls were enrolled in the study.

Extraction spectrophotometry using a lithium-ion selective metallacrown: temperature effect on extraction reaction and application to determination of lithium in serum and seawater.

A metallacrown-type ionophore, 2,3-pyridinediolate-bridged (3,5-dimethylanisole)ruthenium trinuclear complex, has a high extraction selectivity for Li, but the extraction reaction is very slow. To solve this problem, the effect of temperature on the rapidity and equilibrium of the extraction of Li and Na as picrates from water to toluene with the metallacrown was investigated in this study. While the extraction of Li requires 6 h of shaking for equilibration at 25 °C, the distribution ratio becomes nearly constant after 4 h and 2 h of shaking at 37 °C and 50 °C, respectively.

Factors to Reduce Drug-Related Recidivism Among Paroled Methamphetamine Users in Japan: 10-Year Data Analysis.

This study explored factors to reduce drug-related recidivism among paroled methamphetamine users in Japan, especially the significance of continuing care and motivation, internationally shown as positively related to better treatment outcomes. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed on 10-year drug-related recidivism data from 4,084 methamphetamine users paroled in 2007 who received a mandatory educational program conducted by professional and volunteer probation officers. Independent variables included participant characteristics, an index of motivation, and the length of parole as a substitute for the duration of continuing care with consideration of the Japanese legal system structures and socio-cultural context.

Use of ionic liquids for extraction separation and concentration of iodide ions in brine samples.

Iodine in natural salt waters such as iodine-rich underground brine generally exists as iodide ions, and to extract iodide ions, it is necessary to oxidize them to nonpolar iodine molecules. In this study, we report that iodide ions in natural brine containing high concentrations of chloride ions can be quantitatively extracted without oxidation by extraction using ionic liquids. Extraction with the ionic liquids trihexyltetradecylphosphonium chloride and trioctyl ammonium chloride was found to be able to enrich trace amounts of iodide in brine samples up to 40- and 100-fold, respectively.

Changes in choriocapillaris structure occurring in idiopathic macular hole before and after vitrectomy.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the anatomical choroidal vascular layers and the changes in idiopathic macular hole (IMH) eyes over time after vitrectomy.

Methods: This is a retrospective observational case-control study. Fifteen eyes from 15 patients who received vitrectomy for IMH and age-matched 15 eyes from 15 healthy controls were enrolled in this study.

Planning study: prone versus supine position for stereotactic body radiotherapy in prostate by CyberKnife.

This study aimed to clarify the differences in radiotherapy dose characteristics and delivery efficiency between the supine and prone positions in patients with prostate cancer using the CyberKnife. The planning computed tomography (CT) and delineations of the prone position were obtained by rotating the supine CT images with delineations of 180° using image processing software. The optimization parameters for planning target volume (PTV) and organs at risk (OARs) were based on the prone position.

Peripapillary circulatory dysfunction precedes structural loss in treatment-naive diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the timing of peripapillary vascular damage between functional and structural parameters and examine their involvement with neurovascular coupling at different stages of diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: One hundred ninety eyes of 143 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and 88 healthy control eyes were enrolled. Eyes of DM patients were divided into 3 stages with no diabetic retinopathy (NDR), non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Separation of Light and Middle Lanthanides Using Multistage Extraction with Diglycolamide Extractant.

We investigated the chemical behavior of lanthanides (Ln) by multistage extraction. Using 10 aqueous phases with Ln and 3 organic phases, we drew the breakthrough curves for light and middle Ln. Our study reveals that the limit of metal extraction depends on their D values and the metal concentration employed in experiments.

In vivo dosimetry for testicular and scalp shielding in total skin electron therapy using a radiophotoluminescence glass dosimeter.

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is a common, low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of skin-homing T lymphocytes that can be treated via skin-directed radiotherapy. Our institution has implemented total skin electron therapy (TSET) with a 4.3 m source-to-surface distance (SSD) and 6 MeV electron beams with a beam spoiler.

Performance of a newly designed end-to-end phantom compatible with magnetic resonance-guided radiotherapy systems.

Purpose: In this study, we report on our proposed phantom based on the new end-to-end (E2E) methodology and its results. In addition, we verify whether the proposed phantom can replace conventional phantoms.

Methods: The hexagonal-shaped newly designed phantom has pockets on each side for a film dosimeter of size 80 × 90 mm , which is easily removable, considering the Co penumbra.

Involvements of choroidal vascular structures with local treatments in patients with diabetic macular edema.

Purpose: To examine changes of the choroidal morphology in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) before and after local treatments.

Methods: This study was on 20 eyes with DME, observed for more than 24 months. All patients underwent laser photocoagulation (Laser), sub-tenon triamcinolone acetonide injection (TA), or intravitreal aflibercept injection (IVA).

Factors based on optical coherence tomography correlated with vision impairment in diabetic patients.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between retinal structures and visual acuity in diabetic patients using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA). This study was a retrospective observational study conducted at a single medical center in Japan. Evaluation of retinal images was analyzed using spectral domain OCT.

Dosimetric effect of the intestinal gas of online adaptive stereotactic body radiotherapy on target and critical organs without online electron density correction for pancreatic cancer.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the dosimetric effect of intestinal gas of stereotactic magnetic resonance (MR)-guided adaptive radiation therapy (SMART) on target and critical organs for pancreatic cancer without online electron density correction (EDC).

Methods: Thirty pancreatic cancer patients who underwent online SMART were selected for this study. The treatment time of each stage and the total treatment time were recorded and analyzed.

Arabidopsis Raf-like kinases act as positive regulators of subclass III SnRK2 in osmostress signaling.

Given their sessile nature, land plants must use various mechanisms to manage dehydration under water-deficit conditions. Osmostress-induced activation of the SNF1-related protein kinase 2 (SnRK2) family elicits physiological responses such as stomatal closure to protect plants during drought conditions. With the plant hormone ABA receptors [PYR (pyrabactin resistance)/PYL (pyrabactin resistance-like)/RCAR (regulatory component of ABA receptors) proteins] and group A protein phosphatases, subclass III SnRK2 also constitutes a core signaling module for ABA, and osmostress triggers ABA accumulation.

Alteration of choroidal vascular structure in diabetic macular edema.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze choroidal structures in healthy subjects and patients with/without diabetic macular edema (DME).

Methods: This was a retrospective observation case control study. Four hundred and two eyes of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), and 124 age-matched eyes of healthy subjects were enrolled in this study.

Relationship between diabetic macular edema and choroidal layer thickness.

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between diabetic macular edema (DME) and the choroidal layer thickness in diabetic patients.

Methods: This is a retrospective observation study. Three hundred eighteen eyes of 159 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients and age-matched 100 eyes of 79 healthy controls were enrolled.

Ejection of Large Particulate Materials from Giant Unilamellar Vesicles Induced by Electropulsation.

Electroporation or electropermealization is a technique to open pores in the lipid bilayer membrane of cells and vesicles transiently to increase its permeability to otherwise impermeable molecules. However, the upper size limit of the materials permeable through this operation has not been studied in the past. Here, we investigate the size of the material that can be released (ejected) from giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) upon electrical pulsation.

Alteration of choroidal vascular structure in diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyse choroidal structures in normal patients and patients with diabetes with various severities of diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: This is a retrospective observation case control study. Three hundred and forty-two diabetic eyes, and age-matched 112 eyes without diabetes mellitus (DM) were enrolled in this study.

Relationship between choroidal structure and duration of diabetes.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the choroidal structure of diabetic patients without diabetic retinopathy (DR) and duration of diabetes.

Methods: This study is a retrospective observational study in diabetic patients without DR. Eyes with diabetes mellitus (DM) (n = 105) were divided into two groups based on the duration: long duration group (over 10 years, n = 31) and short duration group (less than 10 years, n = 74).

An Ionic Liquid-based Microextraction Method for Ultra-High Preconcentration of Paraquat Traces in Water Samples Prior to HPLC Determination.

An ionic liquid (IL)-based microextraction method was developed for the preconcentration of paraquat traces in water samples prior to HPLC determination. On the basis of the relationship between the aqueous solubility and the extractability of known ILs, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(nonafluorobutanesulfonyl)amide ([EMIm][NNf]) was selected as the extractant for paraquat. The distribution ratio of paraquat dication in the [EMIm][NNf]/water biphasic system was theoretically estimated to be nearly 10 at its maximum level, indicating that [EMIm][NNf] was suitable for the ultra-high preconcentration (a maximum of 10-fold concentration) of paraquat with a quantitative recovery (more than 99%).

Alteration of layer thickness in the choroid of diabetic patients.

Importance: Choroidal thickness changes in diabetic retinopathy improve the understanding of the pathophysiology and managements of this disease.

Background: To examine the choroidal layer thickness in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients and normal individuals, and to compare the findings based on medical history of systemic DM treatments, and stage of diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Design: Case control study.