High resolution Cerenkov light imaging of induced positron distribution in proton therapy.

Purpose: In proton therapy, imaging of the positron distribution produced by fragmentation during or soon after proton irradiation is a useful method to monitor the proton range. Although positron emission tomography (PET) is typically used for this imaging, its spatial resolution is limited. Cerenkov light imaging is a new molecular imaging technology that detects the visible photons that are produced from high-speed electrons using a high sensitivity optical camera.

Transarterial Fiducial Marker Placement for Image-guided Proton Therapy for Malignant Liver Tumors.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to analyze the technical and clinical success rates and safety of transarterial fiducial marker placement for image-guided proton therapy for malignant liver tumors.

Methods And Materials: Fifty-five patients underwent this procedure as an interventional treatment. Five patients had 2 tumors, and 4 tumors required 2 markers each, so the total number of procedures was 64.

Carbon ion therapy for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer.

Carbon ion therapy is a type of radiotherapies that can deliver high-dose radiation to a tumor while minimizing the dose delivered to the organs at risk; this profile differs from that of photon radiotherapy. Moreover, carbon ions are classified as high-linear energy transfer radiation and are expected to be effective for even photon-resistant tumors. Recently, high-precision radiotherapy modalities such as stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), proton therapy, and carbon ion therapy have been used for patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer, and the results are promising, as, for carbon ion therapy, local control and overall survival rates at 5 years are 80-90% and 40-50%, respectively.

Comparison of effects of valsartan and amlodipine on cognitive functions and auditory p300 event-related potentials in elderly hypertensive patients.

Objective: We compared the antihypertensive effect of valsartan (VAL) and amlodipine (AML) treatments in elderly hypertensive patients by examining the long-term changes in cognitive function and auditory P300 event-related potentials.

Methods: We enrolled 20 outpatients, including 12 men and 8 women in the age group of 56 to 81 years who had mild to moderate essential hypertension. The subjects were randomly allocated to receive either 80 mg VAL once a day (10 patients) or 5 mg AML once a day (10 patients).

Multi-detector row CT-guided marking technique for breast-conserving therapy of early breast cancer: margin positivity and local control rates.

Background: In breast-conserving surgery (BCS), image-guided marking of the tumor border is important for preventing local recurrence and achieving a good cosmetic outcome. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT)-guided marking technique before BCS in patients in whom ultrasound (US)-guided marking was not feasible.

Methods: Between 2004 and 2010, 94 lesions underwent contrast-enhanced MDCT-guided marking.

Efficacy of long term weekly ACTH therapy for intractable epilepsy.

Background: Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) therapy is the first-line therapy for infantile spasms, and is effective for many other intractable epilepsies. While spasms may respond to ACTH for weeks, a substantial proportion of patients develop recurrent seizures over a yearly period. To maintain efficacy, we treated two children with intractable epilepsy with weekly ACTH therapy for 1 year and described the changes in clinical seizures, electroencephalograms, developmental assessments and side effects.

Highly frequent and enhanced injection site reaction induced by peripheral venous injection of fosaprepitant in anthracycline-treated patients.

Background: Fosaprepitant-associated injection site reaction (ISR) has been reported in patients treated with cisplatin, an irritant drug. We conducted this retrospective study to clarify the incidence and symptoms of fosaprepitant-associated ISR in patients treated with anthracycline.

Patients And Methods: Fifty six patients receiving 159 injections administering doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide (AC), fluorouracil/epirubicin/cyclophosphamide (FEC), or rituximab/cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin/vincristine/prednisolone (R-)CHOP regimen through a peripheral vein at ambulatory treatment centers reviewed for this study from patients' medical records.

[Change of the patient characteristics among adult asthmatics hospitalized due to acute exacerbation].

Background: We analysed the patient characteristics among adult asthmatics hospitalized to our hospital to clearfy the residual problems in the prevention and treatment of asthma.

Methods: We identified the adult asthmatics hospitalized to our hospital during the period A: Jan 2004-Dec 2005 and the period B: Jan 2009-Dec2010 and analysed retrospectively around age, smoking history, and the use of ICS (including combination medicine) and so on.

Results: The total patient numbers were A: 161 and B: 88, decreasing to almost half.

Proposal for a new mediastinal compartment classification of transverse plane images according to the Japanese Association for Research on the Thymus (JART) General Rules for the Study of Mediastinal Tumors.

There is no existing worldwide published method for mediastinum compartment classification based on transverse section images for the differential diagnosis of mediastinal tumors. Herein, we describe a new method for anatomic mediastinal compartment classification using transverse section computed tomography (CT) images and the use of this method to classify mediastinal lesions, and thus evaluate whether the method is sufficiently user-friendly and useful. In a publication of the Japanese Association for Research on the Thymus (JART), we proposed the following four mediastinal compartments based on transverse CT images: superior portion of mediastinum, anterior mediastinum (prevascular zone), middle mediastinum (peri-tracheoesophageal zone), and posterior mediastinum (paravertebral zone).

Increased protein stability of CDKN1C causes a gain-of-function phenotype in patients with IMAGe syndrome.

Mutations in the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-binding domain of the CDKN1C gene were recently identified in patients with IMAGe syndrome. However, loss of PCNA binding and suppression of CDKN1C monoubiquitination by IMAGe-associated mutations hardly explain the reduced-growth phenotype characteristic of IMAGe syndrome. We demonstrate here that IMAGe-associated mutations in the CDKN1C gene dramatically increased the protein stability.

Recurrent Cholangitis with Congenital Hepatic Fibrosis and Pancreaticobiliary Maljunction after Roux-en-Y Reconstruction.

A 1-year-old girl had pancreaticobiliary maljunction, a choledochal cyst, and polycystic kidney. At the age of 4 years, she was treated by resection of the choledochal cyst and Roux-en-Y reconstruction because of the cyst's risk of cancer. She was diagnosed as having congenital hepatic fibrosis based on the histological findings.

Coexpression of organic anion-transporting polypeptides 1B3 and multidrug-resistant proteins 2 increases the enhancement effect of gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid on hepatocellular carcinoma in magnetic resonance imaging.

Aim: We aimed to elucidate the relationship between the contrast enhancement effect of gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) and the expressions of hepatocyte transporters (i.e. organic anion-transporting polypeptide [OATP]1B3, multidrug-resistant protein [MRP]2 and MRP3) and to clarify the characteristics of HCC with an MRI high-contrast enhancement effect.

[Antiemetic effect of palonosetron in advanced colorectal cancer patients receiving mFOLFOX6 and FOLFIRI: a retrospective survey].

Controlling chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting(CINV)is very important for the continuation of chemotherapy. CINV can significantly affect a patient's quality of life, leading to poor compliance with further chemotherapy treatment. In this retrospective study, we assessed the efficacy of palonosetron versus granisetron for the incidence of CINV induced by mFOLFOX6 and FOLFIRI in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

PP076. Oscillation of blood pressure seen in eclamptic women.

Introduction: It was found that eclampsia might be caused by vasogenic edema as a result of breaking autoregulation of cerebral blood flow. The finding of PRES (posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome) was seen on MRI (T2 FLAIR) in eclamptic women. PRES was also seen in women complicated by severe hypertension.

PP074. Characteristic changes in endothelial function in uterine artery by administration of no synthase inhibitor during period of placental formation.

Introduction: Preeclampsia is characterized as an increased peripheral vascular resistance. It is found that the administration of the NOS inhibitor l-NAME at early pregnancy developed hypertension in rats similar to preeclampsia. Furthermore, we found action of endothelial NO was reduced due to possibly reactive oxygen species (ROS) in preeclamptic women.

PP049. Could the supplementation of L-arginine plus folic acid T improve reduced endothelial function seen in preeclampsia?

Introduction: Preeclampsia is characterized as an increase in vascular tone due to the disorder of endothelial cell function. It was found that action of nitric oxide (NO) derived from endothelial cell might be decreasing in preeclamptic women.

Objectives: In the present study, we investigated whether or not the supplementation of L-arginine (LARG, NO synthase substrate) and folic acid (FA) might improve the reduced action of NO seen in preeclampsia.

Reproductive history and breast cancer risk.

The fact that reproductive factors have significant influence on the risk of breast cancer is well known. Early age of first full-term birth is highly protective against late-onset breast cancers, but each pregnancy, including the first one, increases the risk of early-onset breast cancer. Estradiol and progesterone induce receptor activator of NF-kappa B ligand (RANKL) in estrogen receptor (ER)- and progesterone receptor (PgR)-positive luminal cells.

Randomized comparison of fixed-schedule versus response-oriented individualized induction therapy and use of ubenimex during and after consolidation therapy for elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia: the JALSG GML200 Study.

We conducted a multicenter prospective randomized study to compare a fixed-scheduled induction therapy with a response-oriented individualized induction therapy for elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Newly diagnosed AML patients, aged between 65 and 80, were randomly assigned to receive fixed or individualized induction. Both groups received daunorubicin (DNR) 40 mg/m(2) for 3 days and behenoyl cytarabine (BHAC) 200 mg/m(2) for 8 days.

[A case of malignant tumor of the ascending part of duodenum with osteoclast-like giant cells].

Extraskeletal neoplasms with osteoclast-like giant cells are very rare. These tumors are most frequently reported in the breast and pancreas, and but rarely in other sites. We report a case of duodenal malignant tumor with osteoclast-like giant cells.

[Medical expulsive therapy facilitated by alpha 1 adrenoceptor antagonist].

In 2002, speedy elimination of ureterolithiasis in the lower part of ureter was first reported with the alpha 1 blocker. Thereafter, there are a lot of reports including meta-analysis about tamsulosin. In 2011 EAU Guidelines on Urolithiasis, it is the most important to establish effective MET (medical expulsive therapy) to facilitate spontaneous stone passage.

[Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome associated with pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma and circulating anti-P/Q-type voltage-gated calcium channel antibody].

We report a 64-year-old man diagnosed with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) associated with pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma. Circulating anti-P/Q-type voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) antibody was detected, and the patient was treated with 3,4-diaminopyridine. At age 61, chest radiograph revealed a tumor shadow in the right upper lung field.