Convolutional neural network-based automatic liver delineation on contrast-enhanced and non-contrast-enhanced CT images for radiotherapy planning

AimThis study evaluated a convolutional neural network (CNN) for automatically delineating the liver on contrast-enhanced or non-contrast-enhanced CT, making comparisons with a commercial automated technique (MIM Maestro®).BackgroundIntensity-modulated radiation therapy requires careful labor-intensive planning involving delineation of the target and organs on CT or MR images to ensure delivery of the effective dose to the target while avoiding organs at risk.Materials and MethodsContrast-enhanced planning CT images from 101 pancreatic cancer cases and accompanying mask images showing manually-delineated liver contours were used to train the CNN to segment the liver. The trained CNN then performed liver segmentation on a further 20 contrast-enhanced and 15 non-contrastenhanced CT image sets, producing three-dimensional mask images of the liver.ResultsFor both contrast-enhanced and non-contrast-enhanced images, the mean Dice similarity coefficients between CNN segmentations and ground-truth manual segmentations were significantly higher than those between ground-truth and MIM Maestro software (p

Isolation and characterization of a virus (CvV-BW1) that infects symbiotic algae of Paramecium bursaria in Lake Biwa, Japan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We performed an environmental study of viruses infecting the symbiotic single-celled algae of <it>Paramecium bursaria </it>(<it>Paramecium bursaria Chlorella </it>virus, PBCV) in Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. The viruses detected were all <it>Chlorella variabilis </it>virus (CvV = NC64A virus). One of them, designated CvV-BW1, was subjected to further characterization.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>CvV-BW1 formed small plaques and had a linear DNA genome of 370 kb, as judged by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Restriction analysis indicated that CvV-BW1 DNA belongs to group H, one of the most resistant groups among CvV DNAs. Based on a phylogenetic tree constructed using the <it>dnapol </it>gene, CvV was classified into two clades, A and B. CvV-BW1 belonged to clade B, in contrast to all previously identified virus strains of group H that belonged to clade A.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We conclude that CvV-BW1 composes a distinct species within <it>C. variabilis </it>virus.</p

The Relationship Between Head Motion Synchronization and Empathy in Unidirectional Face-to-Face Communication

Embodied synchronization is widely observed in human communication, and is considered to be important in generating empathy during face-to-face communication. However, the quantitative relationship between body motion synchronization and degree of empathy is not fully understood. Therefore, we focused on head motion to investigate phase and frequency differences in head motion synchronization in relation to degree of empathy. We specifically conducted a lecture-based experiment using controlled spoken text divided into two parts: high empathy and low empathy. During the lecture, we measured the acceleration of speakers’ and listeners’ head motions using an accelerometer, and calculated the synchronization between the time-series data from their acceleration norms. The results showed greater head motion synchronization during high empathy. During high empathy, the speakers’ head motions began before those of listeners’ in the medium (2.5 to 3.5 Hz) and high (4.0 to 5.0 Hz) frequency ranges, whereas the speakers’ head motions tended to start later than those of the listeners’ in the low (1.0 to 2.0 Hz) and medium (2.5 to 3.5 Hz) frequency ranges. This suggests that the degree of empathy is reflected by a different relationship between the phase and frequency of head motion synchronization during face-to-face communication

Afatinib Prolongs Survival Compared with Gefitinib in an Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Driven Lung Cancer Model

An irreversible ErbB family blocker is expected to inhibit tumors with activating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations more strongly than reversible EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors and to overcome acquired resistance to the T790M secondary mutation. Eleven-week-old transgenic mice with Egfr exon 19 deletion mutation were treated with afatinib, gefitinib, or vehicle for 4 weeks. All mice were sacrificed at 15 weeks of age, and the number of superficial left lung tumors with a long axis exceeding 1 mm was counted. The afatinib-treated group had significantly fewer tumors than the vehicle group (P < 0.01) and tended to have fewer tumors than the gefitinib-treated group (P = 0.06). Pathologically, gefitinib-treated mice had clearer, more nodular tumors than afatinib-treated mice. Immunoblotting showed that afatinib suppressed not only pEGFR but also pHER2, and induced apoptosis for longer periods than gefitinib. Subsequently, when each drug was administered 5 days per week until death, afatinib significantly enhanced mouse survival compared with gefitinib (median survival time: 456 days vs. 376.5 days; log-rank test, P < 0.01). Finally, the combination of afatinib with bevacizumab was found to be superior to either drug alone in exon 19 deletion/T790M and L858R/T790M xenograft tumors. Overall, afatinib was more potent than gefitinib in tumors harboring an exon 19 deletion mutation, and the combination of afatinib with bevacizumab efficiently suppressed tumors harboring the T790M secondary mutation

Lectin Immunohistochemistry in Human Non-Malignant and Malignant Gallbladder Tissuses

Changes in the lectin binding pattern in non-malignant and malignant gallbladder tissues were examined using the following eight types of carbohydrate binding lectins : Ulex europaeus-1 (UEA-1), Arachis hypogaea (PNA), Griffonia simplicifolia (GS-1), Glycine maximum (SBA), Bauhinia purpurea (BPA), Dolichos biflorus (DBA), Canavalia ensiformis (Con-A), and Triticum vulgare (WGA). We used a total of 109 tissues including 31 normal tissues, 25 metaplasias, and 53 carcinomas. Lectin staining pattern was evaluated using the Hamada\u27s crieria of the following four types : apical type, cytoplasmic type with polarity, cytoplasmic type without polarity, and stromal type. Normal cases showed apical type and cytoplasmic type with polarity, while carcinoma cases revealed cytoplasmic type with or without polarity. In carcinoma cases, GS-I and DBA lectins showed higher immunohistochemical positive rate and more frequent cytoplasmic type with polarity pattern of immunohistochemical localization than the other types of lectins. These results suggest that the GS-I and DBA are the most reliable lectin marker for malignant transformation of the gallbladder tissues. Key words : Lectin, immunohistochemistry, gallbladder carcinoma

Temporal Effects of Cyclic Stretching on Distribution and Gene Expression of Integrin and Cytoskeleton by Ligament Fibroblasts In Vitro

Cyclic stretching is pivotal to maintenance of the ligaments. However, it is still not clear when ligament fibroblasts switch on expression of genes related to the mechanotransduction pathway in response to cyclic stretching. This in vitro study investigated, using ligament fibroblasts, the time-dependent changes in distribution and gene expression of β1 integrin, the cytoskeleton, and collagens after the application of 6% cyclic stretching at a frequency of 0.1 Hz for 3 hr on silicon membranes. We carried out confocal laser scanning microscopy to demonstrate changes in distribution of these components as well as quantitative real-time RT-PCR to quantify levels of these gene expression both during application of cyclic stretching and at 0, 2, 6, 12, and 18 hr after the termination of stretching. Control (unstretched) cells were used at each time point. Within 1 hr of the application of stretching, the fibroblasts and their actin stress fibers became aligned in a direction perpendicular to the major axis of stretch, whereas control (unstretched) cells were randomly distributed. In response to cyclic stretching, upregulation of actin at the mRNA level was first observed within 1 hr after the onset of stretching, while upregulation of β1 integrin and type I and type III collagens was observed between 2 and 12 hr after the termination of stretching. These results indicate that the fibroblasts quickly modify their morphology in response to cyclic stretching, and subsequently they upregulate the expression of genes related to the mechanotransduction pathway mainly during the resting period after the termination of stretching

Molecular diagnosis of an infant with TSC2/PKD1 contiguous gene syndrome

A 1-month-old Japanese infant with cardiac rhabdomyoma was diagnosed with TSC2/PKD1 contiguous gene syndrome by targeted panel sequencing with subsequent quantitative polymerase chain reaction that revealed gross monoallelic deletion, including parts of two genes: exons 19–42 of TSC2 and exons 2–46 of PKD1. Early molecular diagnosis can help to detect bilateral renal cyst formation and multidisciplinary follow-up of this multisystem disease

Bofutsushosan, a Japanese herbal (Kampo) medicine, attenuates progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in mice

BACKGROUND: Obesity-induced liver disease (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFLD) is now the commonest cause of chronic liver disease in affluent nations. There are presently no proven treatments for NAFLD or its more severe stage, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Bofutsushosan (BTS), a Japanese herbal (Kampo) medicine, long used as an anti-obesity medicine in Japan and other Asian countries, has been shown to reduce body weight and improve insulin resistance (IR) and hepatic steatosis. The precise mechanism of action of BTS, however, remains unclear. To evaluate the ability of BTS to prevent the development of NASH, and determine the mediators and pathways involved. METHODS: C57BL/6 mice were injected intra-peritoneally with gold-thioglucose and fed a high-fat diet (HF) or HF diet admixed with either 2 or 5 % BTS for 12 weeks. The effectiveness of BTS in attenuating features of NASH and the mechanisms through which BTS attenuated NASH were then assayed through an assessment of the anthropometric, radiological, biochemical and histological parameters. RESULTS: BTS attenuated the progression of NASH through induction of adiponectin and its receptors along with an induction of PPAR-α and PPAR-γ, decreased expression of SREBP-1c, increased hepatic fatty acid oxidation and increased hepatic export of triglycerides. BTS moreover, reduced IR through phosphorylation of the protein kinase, Akt. CONCLUSIONS: BTS through induction of adiponectin signaling and Akt attenuated development of NASH. Identification of the active entity in BTS should allow development of novel treatments for NASH. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00535-013-0852-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users