Extended collimator model for pencil-beam dose calculation in proton radiotherapy

We have developed a simple collimator model to improve the accuracy of penumbra behaviour in pencil-beam dose calculation for proton radiotherapy. In this model, transmission of particles through a three-dimensionally extended opening of a collimator is calculated in conjunction with phase-space distribution of the particles. Comparison of the dose distributions calculated using the new three-dimensional collimator model and the conventional twodimensional model to lateral dose profiles experimentally measured with collimated proton beams showed the superiority of the new model over the conventional one

Clinical and Pathological Improvement in Stroke-Prone Spontaneous Hypertensive Rats Related to the Pleiotropic Effect of Cilostazol

Background and Purpose-Cerebral infarction is a major cause of death or decreasing activities of daily living. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of commonly used antiplatelet drugs on stroke and motor and cognitive functions in relation to oxidative stress markers and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R). Methods-Stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats were treated with vehicle, aspirin, clopidogrel, and cilostazol from 8 to 10 weeks of age. Physiological parameters, regional cerebral blood flow, and serum lipids were examined. Motor and cognitive functions were evaluated weekly by the Rotorod and water maze task. Spontaneous infarct volume, oxidative stress markers for lipid, protein, and DNA at the ischemic boundary zone of spontaneous infarction, and the IGF-1R-positive cell ratio in the hippocampus were immunohistochemically examined in brain sections. IGF-1R beta expression in the hippocampus was assessed by Western blotting. Results-The antiplatelet drugs, cilostazol and clopidogrel, reduced the spontaneous infarct volume more than aspirin. Only cilostazol improved motor and cognitive functions with a significant increase (P<0.05) in the memory-related IGF-1R-positive ratio and IGF-1R beta expression in the hippocampus. Cilostazol reduced the 4 oxidative stress markers in affected neurons in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats regardless of blood pressure, regional cerebral blood flow, or serum lipid levels. Conclusions-The present results suggest that a possible pleiotropic effect of cilostazol resulted in the reduction of spontaneous infarct volume and preservation of motor and spatial cognitive functions. The increase of IGF-1R-positive cells in the hippocampal CA1 region could partly explain the preservation of spatial cognitive function in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats

Modeling of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Derived Radioactive Cesium Dynamics in Grazing Grassland

The damage to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant incurred following the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011 resulted in serious radioactive pollution of Eastern Japan. In some grasslands of this area, radioactive cesium (Cs) content of grasses exceeded the provisional safety standard for use as feed for dairy and beef cattle of 100 Bq kg–1 fresh weight, and the livestock industry has been seriously affected in numerous ways: needing to dispose of polluted forage, grazing prohibitions, declines in beef prices, suspensions of shipping beef to market, and blanket testing of beef cattle (Manabe et al., 2013). The spatial distribution of radioactive Cs in grasslands was complex in various scales (Tsuiki and Maeda, 2012a; 2012b). So it is difficult to estimate actual pollution level in grassland ecosystems. The transfer of radioactive Cs from soil to plant is affected by soil soluble potassium (K) concentration, pH, clay and organic matter contents (Absalom et al., 2001; Tsuiki et al., 2013). The radioactive Cs dynamics in soil-plantanimal system is complex and modeling is necessary to clarify the relationships. In this study, a model of radioactive Cs dynamics in Zoysia japonica Steud. dominated grazing grassland was developed to predict radioactive Cs concentration of grass and grazing cattle

In vivo direct reprogramming of glial linage to mature neurons after cerebral ischemia

The therapeutic effect of in vivo direct reprogramming on ischemic stroke has not been evaluated. In the present study, a retroviral solution (1.5-2.0 × 107 /ul) of mock pMX-GFP (n = 13) or pMX-Ascl1/Sox2/NeuroD1 (ASN) (n = 14) was directly injected into the ipsilateral striatum and cortex 3 days after 30 min of transient cerebral ischemia. The reprogrammed cells first expressed neuronal progenitor marker Dcx 7 and 21 days after viral injection, then expressed mature neuronal marker NeuN. This was accompanied by morphological changes, including long processes and synapse-like structures, 49 days after viral injection. Meanwhile, therapeutic improvement was not detected both in clinical scores or infarct volume. The present study provides a future novel self-repair strategy for ischemic stroke with beneficial modifications of the inducer-suppressor balance

A unique stroke case with contralateral sulcal hyperintensity on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery image changed to linear serpiginous structures

An 83-year-old man developed acute ischemic stroke. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed ischemic stroke in the left parietal lobe gyri, but fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) showed hyperintensity in the contralateral right temporal-occipital lobe sulci. Follow-up FLAIR image showed the gradual disappearance of the sulcal hyperintensity in the sulci and changed to linear serpiginous structures. This is a unique stroke case showing transitioned FLAIR findings suggesting that the sulcal hyperintensity findings are more severe and an earlier ischemic condition than the linear serpiginous structures

Decreased serum phosphate levels are a useful biomarker to predict occurrence and severity of cytokine release syndrome in chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy

サイトカイン放出症候群の発症と重症化を予見する新たな指標 --キメラ抗原受容体T細胞療法における血清リン値が鍵--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-10-19

Yoga-plus exercise mix promotes cognitive, affective, and physical functions in elderly people

Objectives: Increased attention is being paid to Asian medicine in balanced total health care. We investigated the effects of mixed exercise including yoga ('Yoga-plus') among elderly individuals. Methods: A total of 385 subjects (72 males and 313 females, 75.5 ± 8.7 years old) participated in a 12-month (M) exercise program at a health and welfare center, a day service center, and a nursing home. Cognitive, affective, and physical functions, and activities of daily living (ADL), were compared at baseline (0M), 6M and 12M of exercise intervention. Results: Mean scores on the frontal assessment battery, clock drawing test, cube copying test, letter fluency, and category fluency significantly improved after the Yoga-plus intervention, while mini-mental state examination, Hasegawa dementia score-revised, and trail-making test performance were relatively stable. Affective scores on the geriatric depression scale (GDS), apathy scale (AS) and Abe's behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia were not significantly affected by exercise therapy, but subgroups with higher baseline GDS (GDS ≥ 5) and AS (AS ≥ 16) scores showed a significant improvement after intervention. One-leg standing time and 3-m timed up and go test performance significantly improved after 12M intervention. Discussion: Yoga-plus improved cognitive, affective, ADL, and physical functions in a local elderly population, particularly among below-baseline individuals, indicating the benefits of dementia prevention among elderly individuals