Low-Congestion Shortcut and Graph Parameters

Distributed graph algorithms in the standard CONGEST model often exhibit the time-complexity lower bound of Omega~(sqrt{n} + D) rounds for many global problems, where n is the number of nodes and D is the diameter of the input graph. Since such a lower bound is derived from special "hard-core" instances, it does not necessarily apply to specific popular graph classes such as planar graphs. The concept of low-congestion shortcuts is initiated by Ghaffari and Haeupler [SODA2016] for addressing the design of CONGEST algorithms running fast in restricted network topologies. Specifically, given a specific graph class X, an f-round algorithm of constructing shortcuts of quality q for any instance in X results in O~(q + f)-round algorithms of solving several fundamental graph problems such as minimum spanning tree and minimum cut, for X. The main interest on this line is to identify the graph classes allowing the shortcuts which are efficient in the sense of breaking O~(sqrt{n}+D)-round general lower bounds. In this paper, we consider the relationship between the quality of low-congestion shortcuts and three major graph parameters, chordality, diameter, and clique-width. The main contribution of the paper is threefold: (1) We show an O(1)-round algorithm which constructs a low-congestion shortcut with quality O(kD) for any k-chordal graph, and prove that the quality and running time of this construction is nearly optimal up to polylogarithmic factors. (2) We present two algorithms, each of which constructs a low-congestion shortcut with quality O~(n^{1/4}) in O~(n^{1/4}) rounds for graphs of D=3, and that with quality O~(n^{1/3}) in O~(n^{1/3}) rounds for graphs of D=4 respectively. These results obviously deduce two MST algorithms running in O~(n^{1/4}) and O~(n^{1/3}) rounds for D=3 and 4 respectively, which almost close the long-standing complexity gap of the MST construction in small-diameter graphs originally posed by Lotker et al. [Distributed Computing 2006]. (3) We show that bounding clique-width does not help the construction of good shortcuts by presenting a network topology of clique-width six where the construction of MST is as expensive as the general case

Changes in Respiratory Compliance Among Infants Undergoing Surgical Repair of Congenital Heart Disease

３歳未満の心室中隔欠損症（VSD）根治術３７例を対象に術中動肺コンプライアンス（Cdyn）の変動に関する後向き観察研究を行った。測定ポイントは手術開始時（Cdyn１），人工心肺（CPB）開始前（Cdyn２），CPB離脱直後（Cdyn３），胸骨閉鎖前（Cdyn４），胸骨閉鎖後（Cdyn５）とし，統計処理は危険率５％とした。その結果，Cdyn５はCdyn１よりも有意に高かった。Cdyn２～４に有意な変動を認め，Cdyn２，３，４の順に上昇していた。関連因子（月齢，性別，体重，染色体異常の有無，肺体血流比（Qp/Qs），肺体血圧比（Pp/Ps），平均肺動脈圧（mPAP），CPB時間，大動脈遮断時間，CPB中水分バランス）毎に症例を２群に分けてDCdyn（＝ Cdyn５－ Cdyn１）を比較したところ，Qp/Qs，mPAPが高い群は低い群に比べDCdynが有意に低かった。DCdynと関連因子の重回帰分析ではmPAPがDCdynに影響する有意な因子であった。VSD根治術によりCdynは有意な改善を認め，開胸中は経時的に上昇した。また，Qp/Qs，mPAPが高い症例はCdyn改善の度合いが低くなる可能性が示唆された。We conducted a retrospective observational study to evaluate the changes in intraoperative dynamic respiratory compliance (Cdyn) in 37 infants younger than 3 year of age undergoing surgical repair of ventricular septal defect (VSD).　We measured Cdyn at surgical incision (Cdyn1), before cardio pulmonary bypass (CPB) (Cdyn2), after weaning from CPB (Cdyn3), before sternal closure (Cdyn4） and after sternal closure (Cdyn5). The following data were recorded as background factors: age, sex, weight, chromosomal abnormality, pulmonary to systemic flow ratio (Qp/Qs), pulmonary-to-systemic blood pressure ratio (Pp/Ps), mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), duration of CPB, duration of aortic cross-clamp and fluids balance during CPB. P < 0.05 was considered significant. Cdyn5 was significantly higher than Cdyn1. Cdyn2–4 showed significant change and had a tendency to increase in sequence.　Patients with high Qp/Qs and those with high mPAP showed lower improvement in Cdyn between before and after surgery. A multiple regression analysis revealed that mPAP had the significant influence on the improvement of Cdyn.　We conclude that surgical repair of VSD improvers Cdyn, and Cdyn increases with time during open chest surgery, and that improvement of Cdyn may be interrupted among patients with increased pulmonary blood flow and pulmonary hypertension.本稿の要旨は，日本心臓血管麻酔学会第22回学術大会（2017年，栃木），藤田昌雄賞候補セッションで発表した

MR imaging of renal cell carcinoma: associations among signal intensity, tumor enhancement, and pathologic findings.

The purpose of this study was to compare the MR characteristics of renal cell carcinomas against histologic findings and to assess the correlations among signal intensity, tumor enhancement, and pathologic findings. Fifty-four patients (56 lesions) were examined by MR imaging and then underwent partial or radical nephrectomy. The pathologic diagnosis of all lesions was renal cell carcinoma. All MR examinations were performed as dynamic studies using the same 1.5-T scanner. MR characteristics were compared against pathologic findings after resection, and the correlations among signal intensity, tumor enhancement, and pathologic findings were then assessed. A significant correlation was observed between tumor grade and tumor enhancement, with G3 lesions tending to show little enhancement. Regardless of the histologic classification, G3 tumors were found to contain highly heterotypic cancer cells and very few vessels by histopathologic examination. No significant correlations were noted between the other MR characteristics and pathologic findings. Renal cell carcinomas showing little enhancement tend to be highly malignant lesions based on the pathologic findings. Special consideration is required for these tumors with regard to the selection of surgical intervention and follow-up observation.</p

Momentum distribution of accelerated ions in ultra-intense laser-plasma interactions via neutron spectroscopy

Copyright 2003 American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas, 10(9), 3712-3716, 2003 and may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.159365

Therapies for castration-resistant prostate cancer in a new era: The indication of vintage hormonal therapy, chemotherapy and the new medicines

When advanced prostate cancer recurred during hormonal therapy and became the castration-resistant prostate cancer, "vintage hormonal therapy," such as antiandrogen alternating therapy or estrogen-related hormonal therapy, was widely carried out in Japan until 2013. This vintage hormonal therapy controlled the progression of castration-resistant prostate cancer. When castration-resistant prostate cancer relapses during these therapies, chemotherapy using docetaxel has been carried out subsequently. Since new hormonal therapies using abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide, which improve the prognosis of castration-resistant prostate cancer, became available in Japan from 2014, therapeutic options for castration-resistant prostate cancer have increased. Furthermore, the improvement of the further prognosis is promising by using cabazitaxel for docetaxel-resistant castration-resistant prostate cancer and radium-223 for castration-resistant prostate cancer with bone metastasis. An increase in therapeutic options gives rise to many questions, including best timing to use them and the indication. Furthermore, physicians have to consider the treatment for the recurrence after having carried out chemotherapy. We want to argue the difference in hormonal therapy between Japan and Western countries, and problems when carrying out new treatments, and the importance of imaging in the present review article. © 2017 The Japanese Urological Association.Embargo Period 12 month

2D-Time of Flight MR Angiography in Intrathoracic Masses

正常ボランティア5例, 胸部腫瘤性病変の患者15例に対してMR Angiographyを施行した.MRAは, 6秒の息、止めでFLASH法(TR=20msec, TE=8msec, Flip angle=30°)を用いて撮像した像から作成した.全ての症例で胸部大動脈, 上大静脈, 下大静脈, 肺動脈及び肺静脈根部など太い血管の明瞭なMRA像が得られ, 腫瘤とそれら大血管系との関係が把握しやすく胸部腫瘤性病変の評価に有用と考えられた.MR Angiography of the thorax was performed in 5 healthy volunteers and 15 patients with intrathoracic masses. 2D-MRA was obtained sequentially by means of a fast low angle shot(FLASH)technique(TR=20msec.TE=8msec, Flip angle=30within a 6-second period of breath holding. MRA for great vessels was successfully completed in all volunteers and all patients. The relation between tumor and vasculature can be visualized so definitely that MRA may be thought to be a promising complement to MR imaging in the evaluation of intrathoracic masses

Nonvolatile SRAM based on Phase Change

金沢大学大学院自然科学研究科電子情報科学金沢大学工学

Differential diagnosis between bacterial infection and neoplastic fever in patients with advanced urological cancer: The role of procalcitonin

It is difficult to determine the cause of high fever in patients with advanced cancer, because they tend to have both neoplastic fever and concomitant bacterial infections with elevated white blood cells and C-reactive protein levels. Procalcitonin has been reported to be a valuable marker for bacterial infections in a wide range of clinical scenarios. However, there have been no studies regarding the usefulness of procalcitonin to differentiate between febrile episodes caused by bacterial infections and neoplastic fever in patients with advanced urological cancer. In the present study, 37 febrile episodes were retrospectively analyzed. Although there were no differences in white blood cell number, C-reactive protein level or body temperature between bacterial infections and non-bacterial infections, procalcitonin levels were significantly higher in the former than the latter. Our findings suggest that measurement of procalcitonin might be valuable to determine the cause of febrile episodes in patients with advanced urological cancer, and can help clinicians to make appropriate decisions for treatment. © 2013 The Japanese Urological Association