A learning multiple-valued logic networkusing genetic algorithm

This paper describes a genetic algorithm based learning Multiple-Value Logic (MVL) network. The proposed learning network operates on a population of candidate window parameters to produce new window parameters with lower errors between the desired outputs and the actual outputs of the MVL network. Thus, the learning MVL network has a large number of search points, making it possible to obtain a global min- imum. The learning capability of the proposed MVL network with genetic algorithm is con rmed by simulations on several typical MVL functions. The simulation results show that the genetic algorithm based learning MVL network efficiently nds the appropriate network, window parameters, and bias, so that the MVL functions, especially for those relatively small problems

Variation in bradyrhizobial NopP effector determines symbiotic incompatibility with Rj2-soybeans via effector-triggered immunity

The soybean Rj2 gene encodes a TIR-NBS-LRR protein that confers resistance to nodulation by certain rhizobial strains. Here, the authors show that T3SS effector NopP is an avirulence protein that is necessary for Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens USDA 122 to trigger Rj2-dependent incompatibility

Long-term ureteroscopic management of upper tract urothelial carcinoma: 28-year single-centre experience

Background Long-term survival outcomes of patients who undergo endoscopic management of non-invasive upper tract urothelial carcinoma remain uncertain. The longest mean follow-up period in previous studies was 6.1 years. This study reports the long-term outcomes of patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma who underwent ureteroscopic ablation at a single institution over a 28-year period. Methods We identified all patients who underwent ureteroscopic management of upper tract urothelial carcinoma as their primary treatment at our institution between January 1991 and April 2011. Survival outcomes, including overall survival, cancer-specific survival, upper-tract recurrence-free survival and renal unit survival, were estimated using Kaplan−Meier methodology. Results A total of 15 patients underwent endoscopic management, with a mean age at diagnosis of 66 years. All patients underwent ureteroscopy, and biopsy-confirmed pathology was obtained. Median (range; mean) follow-up was 11.7 (2.3–20.9, 11.9) years. Upper tract recurrence occurred in 87% (n = 13) of patients. Twenty percent (n = 3) of patients proceeded to nephroureterectomy. The estimated cancer-specific survival rate was 93% at 5, 10, 15 and 20 years. Estimated overall survival rates were 86, 80, 54 and 20% at 5, 10, 15 and 20 years. Only one patient experienced cancer-specific mortality. The estimated mean and median overall survival times were 14.5 and 16.6 years, respectively. The estimated mean cancer-specific survival time was not reached. Conclusions Although upper tract recurrence is common, endoscopic management of non-invasive upper tract urothelial carcinoma provides a 90% cancer-specific survival rate at 20 years in selected patients

ゼツメツキグシュ ニシキギカ アンドンマユミ ノ シュシ ハツガ トクセイ

アンドンマユミEuonymus oligospermus Ohwiはニシキギ科の落葉小低木で，環境省により絶滅危惧種IA類に指定されている。本種は福島県桧枝岐村でのみ記録されており，日本固有の植物種である。しかし，自然環境下における本種の自生状況は現在不明であり，わずかな個体が栽培保護下にあるのみである。このような背景から本研究では，アンドンマユミの個体群の維持に寄与するため，アンドンマユミの発芽特性を明らかにすることを目的とした。発芽試験の結果，試験に供試した6種のニシキギ属植物のうちアンドンマユミおよびマユミのみで発芽が確認されたが，すべての種子の発芽前処理や発芽条件において，アンドンマユミの発芽率はマユミに比べて極めて低かった。しかし，植物ホルモンであるジベレリン処理を行った試験区において無処理区に比べて高い発芽率が確認された。また，発芽しなかった種子においてもジベレリン処理による高い種皮の離脱率が確認された。このことからジベレリン処理は，アンドンマユミ種子の発芽促進に有効であり，種子休眠の打破には異なる要因が寄与していると考えられる。Euonymus oligospermus Ohwi (Celastraceae) is a threatened species of deciduous shrub. It is endemic in Japan, and located in Hinoemata village, Fukushima Pref. northern Japan. However, it is a domesticated plant and only a few individuals are cultivated in the village. There is no information on native population. The purpose of this study was to determine seed germination traits in E. oligospermus. In this study, we used a combination of gibberellic acid (GA3) treatment and cold stratification treatment to test seed germination rates versus untreated controls. The germination was confirmed only in E. oligospermus and E. hamiltonianus. The seed coat split after GA3 treatment. However, the rate of germination was lower than E. hamiltonianus in all GA3 treatments. Therefore, GA3 treatment was effective for promotion with seed germination, while, it is also thought that to breaking seed dormancy may be caused by other factors

Investigation of drugs affecting hypertension in bevacizumab-treated patients and examination of the impact on the therapeutic effect

Background: In patients treated with bevacizumab, hypertension may be a biomarker of therapeutic efficacy. However, it is not clear whether drugs that control blood pressure influence bevacizumab's efficacy. In this study, we investigated drugs that may affect hypertension in bevacizumab-treated patients and examined the impact on the therapeutic effect. Patients and methods: We analyzed 3,724,555 reports from the third quarter of 2010 to the second quarter of 2015. All data were obtained from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) analysis. In this retrospective cohort study, we investigated a total of 58 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer and treated for the first time with bevacizumab containing XELOX or mFOLFOX6 at The University of Tokushima Hospital between January 2010 and December 2015. The effect of the treatment was evaluated according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.0. Thereafter, the effect was confirmed using Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and cultured cells. Results: There are few reports in FAERS of hypertension in patients treated with omeprazole on bevacizumab. Based on the chart review, patients who used proton pump inhibitors (PPI) had a lower response to treatment than those who did not (response rate: 25% vs 50%). Furthermore, experiments on GEO and cell lines suggested that induction of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene expression by PPIs is the cause of the reduced therapeutic effect. Conclusion: PPIs prevent hypertension in bevacizumab-treated patients but may reduce bevacizumab's anti-tumoral effects by inducing VEGF expression

Machine learning-based segmentation of the rodent hippocampal CA2 area from Nissl-stained sections

The hippocampus is a center of learning, memory, and spatial navigation. This region is divided into the CA1, CA2, and CA3 areas, which are anatomically different from each other. Among these divisions, the CA2 area is unique in terms of functional relevance to sociality. The CA2 area is often manually detected based on the size, shape, and density of neurons in the hippocampal pyramidal cell layer, but this manual segmentation relying on cytoarchitecture is impractical to apply to a large number of samples and dependent on experimenters’ proficiency. Moreover, the CA2 area has been defined based on expression pattern of molecular marker proteins, but it generally takes days to complete immunostaining for such proteins. Thus, we asked whether the CA2 area can be systematically segmented based on cytoarchitecture alone. Since the expression pattern of regulator of G-protein signaling 14 (RGS14) signifies the CA2 area, we visualized the CA2 area in the mouse hippocampus by RGS14-immunostaining and Nissl-counterstaining and manually delineated the CA2 area. We then established “CAseg,” a machine learning-based automated algorithm to segment the CA2 area with the F1-score of approximately 0.8 solely from Nissl-counterstained images that visualized cytoarchitecture. CAseg was extended to the segmentation of the prairie vole CA2 area, which raises the possibility that the use of this algorithm can be expanded to other species. Thus, CAseg will be beneficial for investigating unique properties of the hippocampal CA2 area

Photodynamic diagnostic ureteroscopy using the VISERA ELITE video system for diagnosis of upper-urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: a prospective cohort pilot study

Background The advantages of photodynamic diagnostic technology using 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA-PDD) have been established. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to evaluate the usefulness of ALA-PDD to diagnose upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UT-UC) using the Olympus VISERA ELITE video system. Methods We carried out a prospective, interventional, non-randomized, non-contrast and open label cohort pilot study that involved patients who underwent ureterorenoscopy (URS) to detect UT-UC. 5-aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride was orally administered before URS. The observational results and pathological diagnosis with ALA-PDD and traditional white light methods were compared, and the proportion of positive subjects and specimens were calculated. Results A total of 20 patients were enrolled and one patient who had multiple bladder tumors did not undergo URS. Fifteen of 19 patients were pathologically diagnosed with UT-UC and of these 11 (73.3%) were ALA-PDD positive. Fourteen of 19 patients were ALA-PDD positive and of these 11 were pathologically diagnosed with UC. For the 92 biopsy specimens that were malignant or benign, the sensitivity for both traditional white light observation and ALA-PDD was the same at 62.5%, whereas the specificities were 73.1% and 67.3%, respectively. Of the 38 specimens that were randomly biopsied without any abnormality under examination by both white light and ALA-PDD, 11 specimens (28.9%) from 5 patients were diagnosed with high grade UC. In contrast, four specimens from 4 patients, which were negative in traditional white light observation but positive in ALA-PDD, were diagnosed with carcinoma in situ (CIS). Conclusions Our results suggest that ALA-PDD using VISERA ELITE is not sufficiently applicable for UT-UC. Nevertheless, it might be better particularly for CIS than white light and superior results would be obtained using VISERA ELITE II video system. Trial registration: The present clinical study was approved by the Okayama University Institutional Review Board prior to study initiation (Application no.: RIN 1803-002) and was registered with the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR), Japan (Accession no.: UMIN000031205)

Case report: Usefulness of angioscopy in determining antiplatelet drug reduction after carotid artery stenting

We report a case in which neointima was confirmed by angioscopy and antiplatelet drug administration was reduced 2 months after carotid artery stenting (CAS). A patient in their 80s was scheduled to undergo resection for renal cancer; however, he also had right cervical internal carotid artery stenosis. Because this was a risk for general anesthesia, CAS was performed after first starting dual antiplatelet therapy. Urologically, early reduction of antiplatelet drugs was necessary for a nephrectomy. Although no obvious neointima could be identified on ultrasound 2 months after CAS, thin neointima was observed using angioscopy. Based on the above results, we reduced the antiplatelet drug administration, and then the nephrectomy was performed. Ultimately, no cerebral infarction occurred in the perioperative or postoperative periods. Angioscopy allows for visual confirmation of thin neointima. If sufficient neointima can be confirmed, antiplatelet drug reduction can be performed more safely and reliably