Nuclear interaction correction based on dual-energy computed tomography in carbon-ion radiotherapy.

Accurate dose predictions are crucial to maximizing the benefits of carbon-ion therapy. Carbon beams incident on the human body cause nuclear interactions with tissues, resulting in changes in the constituent nuclides and leading to dose errors that are conventionally corrected using conventional single-energy computed tomography (SECT). Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) has frequently been used for stopping power estimation in particle therapy and is well suited for correcting nuclear reactions because of its detailed body-tissue elemental information.

Effects of Institutional Experience on Plan Quality in Stereotactic Radiotherapy Using HyperArc for Brain Metastases.

Background/aim: HyperArc (HA) is an automated planning technique enabling single-isocenter brain stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT); however, dosimetric outcomes may be influenced by the planner's expertise. This study aimed to assess the impact of institutional experience on the plan quality of HA-SRT for both single and multiple brain metastases.

Materials And Methods: Twenty patients who underwent HA-SRT for single metastasis between 2020 and 2021 comprised the earlier group, while those treated between 2022 and 2024 constituted the later group.

Novel Technique for Liver Segmentation by Fluorescence Intensity Gradient Using Two Different Doses of Indocyanine Green.

Background: Techniques involving dye injection or regional ischemia are commonly used for the precise identification of liver regions during hepatectomy. The visualization of regions with indocyanine green (ICG) has been widely used for liver segmentation. ICG is typically administered only once during each hepatectomy.

Temporomandibular joint ganglion-induced external auditory canal obstruction associated with osteoarthritis: a case report.

Ganglions are pseudocysts that develop from part of the joint capsule or tendon sheath and are filled with synovial fluid. In this report, we describe a case of external auditory canal obstruction caused by a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ganglion that was thought to be related to osteoarthritis. A 62-year-old man with the chief complaint of swelling of the anterior wall of the left external auditory canal underwent cystectomy at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology.

Postoperative Assessment of Secondary Alveolar Bone Grafting Using a Combination of β-Tricalcium Phosphate and Chin Bone for Patients With Unilateral Cleft Alveolus.

Secondary alveolar bone grafting (sABG) is crucial for the treatment of alveolar clefts. However, postoperative bone formation using a graft material comprising a mixture of beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and chin bone has been previously evaluated only 2-dimensionally, using plain radiographic images. In this study, the authors aimed to retrospectively and 3-dimensionally assess bone formation following sABG in patients with an alveolar cleft, using a mixture of β-TCP and chin bone.

Clinical workload profile of medical physics professionals at particle therapy Centers: a National Survey in Japan.

The current research on staffing models is primarily focused on conventional external photon beam therapy, which predominantly involves using linear accelerators. This emphasizes the need for comprehensive studies to understand better and define specific particle therapy facilities' staffing requirements. In a 2022 survey of 25 particle therapy facilities in Japan with an 84% response rate, significant insights were obtained regarding workload distribution, defined as the product of personnel count and task time (person-minutes), for patient-related tasks and equipment quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC).

A clot waveform analysis-based system for differential diagnosis of prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time in plasma samples.

Introduction: Prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) in plasma samples requires quick and accurate differential diagnosis. We developed two methods using clot waveform analysis (CWA) for plasma samples with prolonged aPTT, particularly for factor (F)VIII deficiency. One method estimates FVIII activity (FVIII:C) using CWA without measuring FVIII:C by template matching.

Diffusion equation quantification: selective enhancement algorithm for bone metastasis lesions in CT images.

Diffusion equation (DE) imaging processing is promising to enhance images showing lesions of bone metastasis (LBM). The Perona-Malik diffusion (PMD) model, which has been widely used and studied, is an anisotropic diffusion processing method to denoise or extract objects from an image effectively. However, the smoothing characteristics of PMD or its related method hinder extraction and enhancement of soft tissue regions of medical image such as computed tomography (CT), typically leaving an indistinct region with ambient tissues.

Coalescence of liquid or gel-like DNA-encapsulating microdroplets.

Liquid-liquid phase separation plays a prominent role in the physics of life, providing the cells with various membrane-less compartments. These structures exhibit a range of material properties that, in many cases, change over time. Inspired by this, we investigate here an aqueous two-phase system formed by mixing polyethylene glycol with dextran.

A novel internal target volume definition based on velocity and time of respiratory target motion for external beam radiotherapy.

This study aimed to develop a novel internal target volume (ITV) definition for respiratory motion targets, considering target motion velocity and time. The proposed ITV was evaluated in respiratory-gated radiotherapy. An ITV modified with target motion velocity and time (ITVvt) was defined as an ITV that includes a target motion based on target motion velocity and time.

Investigation of Ionization Chamber Characteristics for Ultrahigh-dose-rate Scanned Carbon-ion Beams.

Background/aim: There are only a few studies on dosimetry with ultrahigh-dose-rate (uHDR) scanned carbon-ion beams. This study investigated the characteristics of four types of ionization chambers for the uHDR beam.

Materials And Methods: We employed a newly developed large-plane parallel chamber to monitor a 208.

Clinical outcomes of gingivoperiosteoplasty for unilateral cleft lip and palate performed in early childhood.

Conventional gingivoperiosteoplasty (GPP) performed during infancy adversely affects maxillary development. However, the outcomes of this procedure in early childhood have rarely been reported. Therefore, we examined the postoperative outcomes of GPP conducted in patients aged 1.

Impact of chitin-derived β-N-acetyl-d-glucosaminyl-(1,4)-d-glucosamine on chitinase upregulation in Shewanella baltica.

The first steps in chitin degradation in marine bacteria involve chitinase, which produces N,N'-diacetylchitobiose (GlcNAc)2 from chitin. Moreover, in Vibrio bacteria, chitinase activity is enhanced by heterodisaccharide β-N-acetyl-d-glucosaminyl-(1,4)-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc-GlcN) produced from (GlcNAc)2 by chitin oligosaccharide deacetylase (COD). However, the role of COD in other marine bacteria, such as Shewanella, remains unexplored.

Combination of risk alleles of PNPLA3, TM6SF2, and HSD17B13 of donors can predict recurrence of steatotic liver disease after liver transplantation.

Aims: This study aimed to identify the genetic risk factors from donors or recipients that contribute to postliver transplantation (LT) steatotic liver disease (SLD), focusing on the genetic risk score (GRS) based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SLD patients.

Methods: This retrospective study included 55 Japanese SLD recipients and their respective donors. Genotyping of PNPLA3, TM6SF2, and HSD17B13 was undertaken, and the combined GRS was calculated.

Preliminary study of luminescence phenomena from various materials under ultra-high dose rate proton beam irradiation for dose management.

This research aimed to identify materials capable of emitting visible light useful for dose management at ultra-high dose rate (uHDR). Various materials were irradiated with proton beams at a normal dose rate (NDR) and uHDR, and the resulting surface luminescence was captured using a high-sensitivity camera. The luminescence images were compared with the corresponding dose distributions.

Assessing tumor volumetric reduction with consideration for setup errors based on mathematical tumor model and microdosimetric kinetic model in single-isocenter VMAT for brain metastases.

The volumetric reduction rate (VRR) was evaluated with consideration for six degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) patient setup errors based on a mathematical tumor model in single-isocenter volumetric modulated arc therapy (SI-VMAT) for brain metastases. Simulated gross tumor volumes (GTV) of 1.0 cm and dose distribution were created (27 Gy/3 fractions).

Characteristic effect of hydroxyurea on the higher-order structure of DNA and gene expression.

Hydroxyurea (HU; hydroxycarbamide) is a chemotherapy medication used to treat various types of cancer and other diseases such as sickle cell anemia. HU inhibits DNA synthesis by targeting ribonucleotide reductase (RNR). Recent studies have suggested that HU also causes oxidative stress in living systems.

In vivo bioluminescence imaging revealed the change of the time window of BDNF expression in the brain elicited by a single bout of exercise following repeated exercise.

Exercise increases the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the brain and contributes to cognitive and sensorimotor functions. This study aimed to elucidate how repeated exercise modifies BDNF expression elicited by a single bout of exercise in the brain using in vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI). Bdnf-luciferase (Luc) mice with the firefly luciferase gene inserted at the translation start point of the Bdnf gene were used for BLI to monitor changes in BDNF expression in the brain.

Development and characterization of a dedicated dose monitor for ultrahigh-dose-rate scanned carbon-ion beams.

The current monochromatic beam mode (i.e., uHDR irradiation mode) of the scanned carbon-ion beam lacks a dedicated dose monitor, making the beam control challenging.

A method for delivering the required neutron fluence in an accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy system employing a lithium target.

Accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) systems employing a solid-state lithium target indicated the reduction of neutron flux over the lifetime of a target, and its reduction could represent the neutron flux model. This study proposes a novel compensatory approach for delivering the required neutron fluence and validates its clinical applicability. The proposed approach relies on the neutron flux model and the cumulative sum of real-time measurements of proton charges.