Optimization of treatment strategy

The purpose of this study was to predict the survival time of patients with malignant glioma after radiotherapy with high accuracy by considering additional clinical factors and optimize the prescription dose and treatment duration for individual patient by using a machine learning model. A total of 35 patients with malignant glioma were included in this study. The candidate features included 12 clinical features and 192 dose–volume histogram (DVH) features. The appropriate input features and parameters of the support vector machine (SVM) were selected using the genetic algorithm based on Akaike’s information criterion, i.e. clinical, DVH, and both clinical and DVH features. The prediction accuracy of the SVM models was evaluated through a leave-one-out cross-validation test with residual error, which was defined as the absolute difference between the actual and predicted survival times after radiotherapy. Moreover, the influences of various values of prescription dose and treatment duration on the predicted survival time were evaluated. The prediction accuracy was significantly improved with the combined use of clinical and DVH features compared with the separate use of both features (P < 0.01, Wilcoxon signed rank test). Mean ± standard deviation of the leave-one-out cross-validation using the combined clinical and DVH features, only clinical features and only DVH features were 104.7 ± 96.5, 144.2 ± 126.1 and 204.5 ± 186.0 days, respectively. The prediction accuracy could be improved with the combination of clinical and DVH features, and our results show the potential to optimize the treatment strategy for individual patients based on a machine learning model

Current status of Japanese detectors

Current status of TAMA and CLIO detectors in Japan is reported in this article. These two interferometric gravitational-wave detectors are being developed for the large cryogenic gravitational wave telescope (LCGT) which is a future plan for detecting gravitational wave signals at least once per year. TAMA300 is being upgraded to improve the sensitivity in low frequency region after the last observation experiment in 2004. To reduce the seismic noises, we are installing new seismic isolation system, which is called TAMA Seismic Attenuation System, for the four test masses. We confirmed stable mass locks of a cavity and improvements of length and angular fluctuations by using two SASs. We are currently optimizing the performance of the third and fourth SASs. We continue TAMA300 operation and R&D studies for LCGT. Next data taking in the summer of 2007 is planned. CLIO is a 100-m baseline length prototype detector for LCGT to investigate interferometer performance in cryogenic condition. The key features of CLIO are that it locates Kamioka underground site for low seismic noise level, and adopts cryogenic Sapphire mirrors for low thermal noise level. The first operation of the cryogenic interferometer was successfully demonstrated in February of 2006. Current sensitivity at room temperature is close to the target sensitivity within a factor of 4. Several observation experiments at room temperature have been done. Once the displacement noise reaches at thermal noise level of room temperature, its improvement by cooling test mass mirrors should be demonstrated.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, Proceedings of GWDAW-1

The Japanese space gravitational wave antenna; DECIGO

DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (DECIGO) is the future Japanese space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to open a new window of observation for gravitational wave astronomy especially between 0.1 Hz and 10 Hz, revealing various mysteries of the universe such as dark energy, formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and inflation of the universe. The pre-conceptual design of DECIGO consists of three drag-free spacecraft, whose relative displacements are measured by a differential Fabry– Perot Michelson interferometer. We plan to launch two missions, DECIGO pathfinder and pre- DECIGO first and finally DECIGO in 2024

Proposal of a Probabilistic Model on Rotating Bending Fatigue Property of a Bearing Steel in a Very High Cycle Regime

In S-N diagrams for high strength steels, the duplex S-N curves for surface-initiated failure and interior inclusion-initiated failure were usually confirmed in the very high cycle regime. This trend is more distinct in the loading type of rotating bending, due to the stress distribution across the section. In the case of interior failure mode, the fish-eye is usually observed on the fracture surface and an inclusion is also observed at the center of the fish-eye. In the present work, the authors attempted to construct a probabilistic model on the statistical fatigue property in the interior failure mode, based on the distribution characteristics of the location and the size of the interior inclusion at the crack initiation site. Thus, the P-S-N characteristics of the bearing steel (SUJ2) in the very high cycle regime were successfully explained

Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma with Glandular Differentiation That Confirmed the Response by Autopsy Specimen to Second-Line mFOLFOX6 (Fluorouracil, Oxaliplatin, and Leucovorin) plus Bevacizumab Chemotherapy

The prognostic significance of glandular differentiation in urothelial carcinoma (UC) is controversial, and thus far there is no established treatment strategy against metastasis of glandular component. We describe here a case of metastatic UC with glandular differentiation that had histological disappearance of adenocarcinoma components at autopsy after sequential chemotherapy with S-1 and cisplatin (CDDP) and with mFOLFOX6 (fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, and leucovorin) plus bevacizumab (mFOLFOX6+Bev). A 62-year-old Asian male was diagnosed with invasive UC with glandular differentiation (T2N0M0) by radical cystectomy and ileal conduit, and careful follow-up observation was made. Eight years after radical operation, peritoneal metastases occurred, and a biopsy specimen using colon fiber revealed high-grade adenocarcinomas with an immunohistochemical profile that included positivity for cytokeratin 7 (CK7) and negativity for cytokeratin 20 (CK20) and uroplakin, which was identical to the radical cystectomy specimen. Thus, he received combination chemotherapy consisting of S-1 and CDDP; however, the peritoneal metastasis worsened after 2 cycles. Therefore, second-line mFOLFOX6+Bev chemotherapy was performed for a total of 5 courses. In spite of this, the patient died, and the final diagnosis by autopsy was multiple metastases of infiltrating pure UC to the lung, bone, and peritoneum. Interestingly, there were no pathological findings of adenocarcinoma, and the immunohistochemical profile of the metastatic lesions was identical to that of the previous specimens from the bladder and colon. This suggests that sequential chemotherapy of S-1 and CDDP and second-line mFOLFOX6+Bev might be a feasible option in metastatic UC with glandular differentiation

DAI item responses of physicians, nurses, patients, and the general population.

<p>DAI item responses of physicians, nurses, patients, and the general population.</p

Regression analysis predicting the seven subscales of the DAI from age, sex, and faith in physicians.

<p>Regression analysis predicting the seven subscales of the DAI from age, sex, and faith in physicians.</p