Creation of synthetic contrast-enhanced computed tomography images using deep neural networks to screen for renal cell carcinoma.

In this study, we elucidate if synthetic contrast enhanced computed tomography images created from plain computed tomography images using deep neural networks could be used for screening, clinical diagnosis, and postoperative follow-up of small-diameter renal tumors. This retrospective, multicenter study included 155 patients (artificial intelligence training cohort [n = 99], validation cohort [n = 56]) who underwent surgery for small-diameter (≤40 mm) renal tumors, with the pathological diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma, during 2010-2020. We created a learned deep neural networks using pix2pix.

Low-invasive neural recording in mouse models with diabetes via an ultrasmall needle-electrode.

Diabetes is known to cause a variety of complications, having a high correlation with Alzheimer's disease. Electrophysiological recording using a microscale needle electrode is a promising technology for the study, however, diabetic brain tissue is more difficult to record neuronal activities than normal tissue due to these complications including the development of cerebrovascular disease. Here we show an electrophysiological methodology for diabetic db/db mice (+Lepr/+Lepr) using a 4-μm-tip diameter needle-electrode device.

Heuristic Method for Minimizing Model Size of CNN by Combining Multiple Pruning Techniques.

Network pruning techniques have been widely used for compressing computational and memory intensive deep learning models through removing redundant components of the model. According to the pruning granularity, network pruning can be categorized into structured and unstructured methods. The structured pruning removes the large components in a model such as channels or layers, which might reduce the accuracy.

Nanoscale-tipped wire array injections transfer DNA directly into brain cells ex vivo and in vivo.

Genetic modification to restore cell functions in the brain can be performed through the delivery of biomolecules in a minimally invasive manner into live neuronal cells within brain tissues. However, conventional nanoscale needles are too short (lengths of ~10 µm) to target neuronal cells in ~1-mm-thick brain tissues because the neuronal cells are located deep within the tissue. Here, we report the use of nanoscale-tipped wire (NTW) arrays with diameters < 100 nm and wire lengths of ~200 µm to address biomolecule delivery issues.

A floating 5 μm-diameter needle electrode on the tissue for damage-reduced chronic neuronal recording in mice.

Microelectrode technology is essential in electrophysiology and has made contributions to neuroscience as well as to medical applications. However, it is necessary to minimize tissue damage associated with needle-like electrode on the brain tissue and the implantation surgery, which makes stable chronic recording impossible. Here, we report on an approach for using a 5 μm-diameter needle electrode, which enables the following of tissue motions, a surgical method.

Statistical Extraction Method for Revealing Key Factors from Posture before Initiating Successful Throwing Technique in Judo.

Many methods such as biomechanics and coaching have been proposed to help people learn a certain movement. There have been proposals for methods to discover characteristics of movement based on information obtained from videos and sensors. Especially in sports, it is expected that these methods can provide hints to improve movement skills.

Stream-Based Visually Lossless Data Compression Applying Variable Bit-Length ADPCM Encoding.

Video applications have become one of the major services in the engineering field, which are implemented by server-client systems connected via the Internet, broadcasting services for mobile devices such as smartphones and surveillance cameras for security. Recently, the majority of video encoding mechanisms to reduce the data rate are mainly lossy compression methods such as the MPEG format. However, when we consider special needs for high-speed communication such as display applications and object detection ones with high accuracy from the video stream, we need to address the encoding mechanism without any loss of pixel information, called visually lossless compression.

Three-micrometer-diameter needle electrode with an amplifier for extracellular in vivo recordings.

Microscale needle-electrode devices offer neuronal signal recording capability in brain tissue; however, using needles of smaller geometry to minimize tissue damage causes degradation of electrical properties, including high electrical impedance and low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) recording. We overcome these limitations using a device assembly technique that uses a single needle-topped amplifier package, called STACK, within a device of ∼1 × 1 mm Based on silicon (Si) growth technology, a <3-µm-tip-diameter, 400-µm-length needle electrode was fabricated on a Si block as the module. The high electrical impedance characteristics of the needle electrode were improved by stacking it on the other module of the amplifier.

Donut-Shaped Stretchable Kirigami: Enabling Electronics to Integrate with the Deformable Muscle.

Electronic devices used to record biological signals are important in neuroscience, brain-machine interfaces, and medical applications. Placing electronic devices below the skin surface and recording the muscle offers accurate and robust electromyography (EMG) recordings. The device stretchability and flexibility must be similar to the tissues to achieve an intimate integration of the electronic device with the biological tissues.

Non-invasive intravital observation of lingual surface features using sliding oral mucoscopy techniques in clinically healthy subjects.

To investigate intravital morphological features of the broader area of the lingual mucosa in clinically healthy subjects, and to attempt to evaluate subclinical conditions, we evaluated detailed intravital morphological features of the lingual mucosa using our newly developed oral contact mucoscopy techniques. Clinically healthy subjects (female: 19-22 years, average age: 20.27 years, and n = 28) were enrolled.

A case report of psychiatric symptoms following direct-acting antiviral and ribavirin combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C in a patient with innate anxiety.

Background: Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) result in a highly sustained virological response rate and better patient tolerance. However, this therapeutic approach may, on rare occasions, give rise to psychiatric symptoms. We describe a case requiring discontinuation of DAA and ribavirin combination therapy due to psychiatric symptoms in a patient with congenital anxious personality traits.

Different distribution of mucosal-associated invariant T cells within the human cecum and colon.

Introduction: Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are innate-like T cells that are involved in anti-bacterial immunity. MAIT cells are found in the intestines, but their role and distribution within the large intestine have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the distribution of MAIT cells within the cecum and colon.

Usefulness of chemokine C-C receptor 7 /programmed cell death-1 follicular helper T cell subset frequencies in the diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis.

Aim: A significant concern for autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) patients is diagnostic specificity. Delayed treatment due to delayed diagnosis leads to poor survival. We recently reported that chemokine C-C receptor 7 (CCR7) /programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) follicular helper T (Tfh) cells could be involved in AIH pathogenesis.

Bezafibrate Improves GLOBE and UK-PBC Scores and Long-Term Outcomes in Patients With Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

In Japan, bezafibrate (BF) is a second-line agent for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) that is refractory to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment. From a retrospective cohort (n = 873) from the Japan PBC Study Group, we enrolled 118 patients who had received UDCA monotherapy for at least 1 year followed by combination therapy with UDCA+BF for at least 1 year. GLOBE and UK-PBC scores after UDCA monotherapy (i.

A Magnetically Assembled High-Aspect-Ratio Needle Electrode for Recording Neuronal Activity.

Microelectrode devices, which enable the detection of neuronal signals in brain tissues, have made significant contributions in the field of neuroscience and the brain-machine interfaces. To further develop such microelectrode devices, the following requirements must be met: i) a fine needle's diameter (<30 µm) to reduce damage to tissues; ii) a long needle (e.g.

POGLUT1, the putative effector gene driven by rs2293370 in primary biliary cholangitis susceptibility locus chromosome 3q13.33.

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic and cholestatic autoimmune liver disease caused by the destruction of intrahepatic small bile ducts. Our previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified six susceptibility loci for PBC. Here, in order to further elucidate the genetic architecture of PBC, a GWAS was performed on an additional independent sample set, then a genome-wide meta-analysis with our previous GWAS was performed based on a whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) imputation analysis of a total of 4,045 Japanese individuals (2,060 cases and 1,985 healthy controls).

Early injection of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cell after inflammation ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice through the induction of M2 macrophages and regulatory T cells.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are sometimes refractory to current therapy or associated with severe adverse events during immunosuppressive therapy; thus, new therapies are urgently needed. Recently, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have attracted attention based on their multitude of functions including anti-inflammatory effects. However, proper timing of MSC therapy and the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of MSCs on colitis are not fully elucidated.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Induced Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages Synergistically Improve Liver Fibrosis in Mice.

We describe a novel therapeutic approach for cirrhosis using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and colony-stimulating factor-1-induced bone marrow-derived macrophages (id-BMMs) and analyze the mechanisms underlying fibrosis improvement and regeneration. Mouse MSCs and id-BMMs were cultured from mouse bone marrow and their interactions analyzed in vitro. MSCs, id-BMMs, and a combination therapy using MSCs and id-BMMs were administered to mice with CCl -induced cirrhosis.

Symptoms and health-related quality of life in Japanese patients with primary biliary cholangitis.

Although patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) experience a variety of symptoms that could impair health-related quality of life (HRQOL), no studies regarding symptoms and impact of PBC on HRQOL have been performed in Asian countries. Herein, we aimed to evaluate symptoms and HRQOL in Japanese PBC patients. We performed a multicenter, observational, cross-sectional study.

Prognostic value of subcutaneous adipose tissue volume in hepatocellular carcinoma treated with transcatheter intra-arterial therapy.

Background: Prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who undergo transcatheter intra-arterial therapies, including transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy, is affected by many clinical factors including liver function and tumor progression. However, the effect of body composition such as skeletal muscle and visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues (VAT and SAT, respectively) on the prognosis of these patients remains unclear. We investigated the prognostic value of body composition in HCC patients treated with transcatheter intra-arterial therapies.

Rapidly declining skeletal muscle mass predicts poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma treated with transcatheter intra-arterial therapies.

Background: The impact of sarcopenia on the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who receive transcatheter intra-arterial therapies, including transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy, remains unclear. We investigated the prognostic value of skeletal muscle loss (SML) stratified by cutoffs for sarcopenia and rate of change in skeletal muscle mass over 6 months.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 102 patients with HCC treated with transcatheter intra-arterial therapies between 2005 and 2015.

Renal Impairment in Chronic Hepatitis B: A Review.

The liver plays a key role in the metabolism of proteins. Liver dysfunction affects many organs because it communicates with the spleen and all digestive organs through the portal vein. Additionally, the kidney is an organ that is closely related to the liver and is involved in liver diseases.

Clinical outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma can be predicted by the expression of hepatic progenitor cell markers and serum tumour markers.

The high heterogeneity of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) complicates stratification of HCC patients for treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a comprehensive panel of HCC biomarkers related to tumour behaviour and cancer prognosis. Resected HCCs from 251 patients were stained for hepatic progenitor cell (HPC) markers epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), delta-like 1 homolog (DLK1), and cytokeratin 19 (CK19).

Effective prevention of sorafenib-induced hand-foot syndrome by dried-bonito broth.

Background: Sorafenib (SOR) is a molecular medicine that prolongs the survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, the management of side effects is essential for the longer period of continuous medication. Among the various side effects, hand-foot syndrome (HFS) is the most common, occurring in 30%-50% of patients, and often results in discontinuation of the SOR medication.

Diversion colitis and pouchitis: A mini-review.

Diversion colitis is characterized by inflammation of the mucosa in the defunctioned segment of the colon after colostomy or ileostomy. Similar to diversion colitis, diversion pouchitis is an inflammatory disorder occurring in the ileal pouch, resulting from the exclusion of the fecal stream and a subsequent lack of nutrients from luminal bacteria. Although the vast majority of patients with surgically-diverted gastrointestinal tracts remain asymptomatic, it has been reported that diversion colitis and pouchitis might occur in almost all patients with diversion.