ADC provides a measure of water molecule diffusion in tissue. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the fractional change in ADC during therapy can be used as a valid predictive indicator of ...treatment response in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with chemoradiotherapy.
Forty patients underwent DWI at pretreatment and 3 weeks after the start of treatment. The pretreatment ADC, fractional change in ADC, tumor regression rate, and other clinical variables were compared with locoregional control and locoregional failure and were analyzed by using logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic analysis. Furthermore, progression-free survival curves divided by the corresponding threshold value were compared by means of the log-rank test.
The fractional change in ADCprimary, the fractional change in ADCnode, primary tumor volume, nodal volume, tumor regression ratenode, N stage, and tumor location revealed significant differences between locoregional failure and locoregional control (P < .05). In univariate analysis, the fractional change in ADCprimary, fractional change in ADCnode, tumor regression ratenode, N stage, and tumor location showed significant association with locoregional control (P < .05). In multivariate analysis, however, only the fractional change in ADCprimary was identified as a significant and independent predictor of locoregional control (P = .04). A threshold fractional change in ADCprimary of 0.24 revealed a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 78.7%, and overall accuracy of 84.8% for the prediction of locoregional control. Progression-free survival of the 2 groups divided by the fractional change in ADCprimary at 0.24 showed a significant difference (P < .05).
The results suggest that the fractional change in ADCprimary is a valid imaging biomarker for predicting treatment response in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with chemoradiotherapy.
We study angular and frequency-angular distributions of the terahertz (THz) emission of the low-frequency region (0.3-3 THz) from a two-color femtosecond plasma spark experimentally and in ...three-dimensional numerical simulations. We investigate the dependence of the angular shapes of the THz radiation on focusing conditions and pulse durations by using two laser facilities (pulse durations 35 and 150 fs) for different focusing geometries. Our experiments and simulations show that decrease in the numerical aperture from NA ≈0.2 to NA ≈0.02 results simultaneously in (I) squeezing of the THz angular distribution and (II) formation of the bright conical emission in the THz range. The moderate focusing NA ≈0.05, which forms the relatively narrow unimodal THz angular distribution, is identified as optimal in terms of angular divergence. Numerical simulations with carrier wave resolved show that bright THz ring structures appear at the frequencies ≥2 THz for longer focuses (NA ≈0.02), while for optimal focusing conditions NA ≈0.05 the conical emission develops at THz frequencies higher than 10 THz.
Polycrystalline samples of novel oxypnictides, Sr2ScCo1−xFexPO3, with Fe-doped Co1−xFexP layer were synthesized, and their resistivities and Seebeck coefficients were measured. These materials, ...Sr2ScCo1−xFexPO3, crystallize in a layered structure which represent an alternative stack of ThCr2Si2 type Co1−xFex layers and K2NiF4 type Sr2ScO3 layers. The resistivities (ρ) decrease with decreasing temperature like a metal. The Seebeck coefficients (S) show negative values at room temperature, while the S show positive values for x = 0.04-0.7 at low temperature.
The Cancer Control Act of Japan came into effect in 2007. Most physicians, however, have not yet had sufficient opportunity to learn about pain management and other clinical palliative care ...practices. In an attempt to rectify this situation, the Japanese Society for Palliative Medicine has initiated the Palliative care Emphasis program on symptom management and Assessment for Continuous medical Education project. The two major roles of this project are to establish a faculty development program in palliative care, and to provide support for conducting workshops about basic palliative care throughout Japan. Another important movement is the development of a clinical guideline for the management of cancer pain. The Japanese Society for Palliative Medicine developed a clinical guideline for the pharmacological management of cancer pain in 2010. On the other hand, although clinical experience has demonstrated that psychological dependence is not a major concern when morphine is used to control pain in cancer patients, undue anxiety about psychological dependence on morphine in cancer patients has led physicians and patients to use inadequate doses of opioids. In an attempt to remedy this situation, therefore, Japanese basic researchers are cooperatively involved in conducting high-quality basic research to answer clinical questions in palliative care. They have demonstrated to the world, for the first time, that (i) chronic pain dramatically attenuates the reward effects of opioids and that (ii) atypical antipsychotics, such as olanzapine, can suppress morphine-induced emesis and alleviate the sleep dysregulation associated with neuropathic pain in animals. Thus, we are working in close collaboration to establish new strategies for palliative care in Japan.
We report the first experimental observation of backward terahertz emission from the two-color laser induced plasma filament in air. The ratio of measured forward-to-backward terahertz radiation is ...∼25/1. This result agrees with numerical simulations based on interferometric model assuming 0.3 mm long plasma source.
Rapid analgesic onset opioids, particularly fentanyl buccal tablet, is preferable for managing breakthrough pain. The efficacy and safety of fentanyl buccal tablet and its association with ...around-the-clock opioids needs to be explored with an option of dose adjustments, more closely reflecting administration in clinical practice. The aim of the study was to assess the safety and efficacy of fentanyl buccal tablet in breakthrough pain management in combination with around-the-clock opioids with the dose adjustment option, and explore the dose adjustment's influence on breakthrough pain management using detailed evaluation.
The 12-week open-label, multi-center study was conducted throughout Japan. Cancer patients aged 20 years or older, experiencing persistent pain controlled with around-the-clock opioids and breakthrough pain with supplemental medications were enrolled. Fentanyl buccal tablet and around-the-clock opioid doses could be adjusted under protocol-specified conditions. Efficacy variables were assessed at each fentanyl buccal tablet administration. Safety was assessed mainly by adverse events.
All efficacy variables showed sustained analgesic effect. Nearly half the patients stayed on the same dose; most fentanyl buccal tablet administrations did not require additional supplemental medications. Dose increase of fentanyl buccal tablet and around-the-clock opioids seemed to improve breakthrough pain intensity and frequency, respectively. Fentanyl buccal tablet and around-the-clock opioid doses were not strongly associated. Treatment-related adverse events were all common with opioid treatment and did not increase over time.
Fentanyl buccal tablet can stably and safely manage breakthrough pain in cancer patients with independent dose adjustment based on detailed evaluation of each patient's condition. Breakthrough pain management using fentanyl buccal tablet with around-the-clock opioids at optimal doses may be an important factor in palliative care for cancer patients with breakthrough pain.
We report the results of 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements on the layered cobalt oxyphosphide Sr2Sc(Co1−xFex)PO3 in order to investigate the magnetic properties at low temperatures ...from a microscopic view point. The 31P-Knight shifts measured at the resonance peak maximum of Sr2Sc(Co1−xFex)PO3 have positive values and are T-independent in an entire temperature range, and the absolute value decreases with increasing Fe content. Also, the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T1 is almost proportional to the temperature at low temperatures. The magnitude of 1/T1T decreases with increasing the Fe content, which suggests the decrease of the density of states around the Fermi level.
Polycrystalline samples of novel oxypnictides, Sr2ScMPO3, with MP layer (M Mn, Ni and Co0.5Fe0.5) were synthesized, and their resistivities and Seebeck coefficients were measured. Sr2ScMPO3 ...crystallizes in a stacked, layered structure comprised of a ThCr2Si2- type MP layer alternating with a K2NiF4-type Sr2ScO3 layer. Sr2ScMnPO3 is an insulator at room temperature. The resistivities (ρ) of Sr2ScNiPO3 and Sr2ScCo0.5Fe0.5PO3 decrease with decreasing temperature like a metal. The Seebeck coefficients (S) of these materials are negative at room temperature. For Sr2ScNiPO3, S initially decreases slightly with decreasing temperature, and increases with decreasing temperature below 50 K. However, for Sr2ScCo0.5Fe0.5PO3, S increases with decreasing temperature, and attains to a positive value below 270 K.
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