Motion is an important factor in visual information processing. Studies have shown that global optic flow guides attention, but it remains unclear whether this attentional guidance occurs regardless ...of top-down attentional control settings for another endogenous cue. To address this issue, we developed a visual search paradigm in which a task-irrelevant optic flow starts and stops prior to a visual search task itself. Participants first observed an initial optic flow motion pattern for a brief period; next, they searched a static display for a target amongst multiple distractors. Results showed faster target detection when a target’s locus coincided with the implied focus of expansion (FOE) from the preceding optic flow (vs. other loci). Eye-movement analyses revealed that initial saccades were drawn to the FOE during optic flow exposures and that relatively few saccades were needed to find targets contingent to the preceding FOE. The advantage of FOE for finding target occurred even when a salient feature singleton captured attention or when a task-relevant feature singleton was prioritized. Results of six experiments suggest that attentional control settings for a feature singleton do not over-ride a sustained influence of optic flow on attentional guidance.
EORT (Eyes-off-road time) as a metric of driver’s readiness to take over driving was investigated, under automated driving condition in curves using a fixed driving simulator. Two experiments were ...carried out. In first experiment, it was found that drivers tended to reduce EORT, according to the increase of driving task demand characterized by radius of curvature when they were aware of taking over. This trend was same as in manual driving. Time prediction to regain normal steering control by use of EORT metric after the sudden taking over was also experimented. It was found that multiple regression equation including both task demand, and EORT, may predict the time to regain normal steering control. Consequently, it is suggested that both EORT and task demand are to be included in a metric of readiness to estimate time to regain driving control.
Background The purpose of this study was to compare the long-term outcomes of patients ≥85 years old with gastric cancer who underwent curative distal gastrectomy or best supportive care alone. ...Methods Among 241 consecutive patients aged ≥85 years who were diagnosed with gastric cancer, we retrospectively examined the cases of 56 patients that were treated with curative distal gastrectomy and 55 patients that were treated with best supportive care alone. To reduce selection bias, we conducted a propensity score-matching analysis. The patients’ propensity scores were estimated using a logistic regression model based on the following variables: sex, age, clinical cancer stage, performance status score, and each item of the Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and morbidity score. Overall survival was compared using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Results Thirty pairs of patients were generated via propensity score matching. The clinical characteristics of the 2 groups were well matched. The median overall survival time was 57.3 months after distal gastrectomy, while it was 16.0 months after best supportive care ( P = .0002). Subgroup analyses of each sex showed that in males there was no significant difference in overall survival between distal gastrectomy and best supportive care ( P = .37) while the overall survival of females was significantly better after distal gastrectomy than after best supportive care ( P < .0001). Conclusion Our propensity score-matched study suggested that distal gastrectomy results in significantly better long-term survival than best supportive care alone in female patients with gastric cancer aged ≥85 years. In males, the indications for operation should be carefully determined.
Laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer has become a common procedure in many institutions. As manual palpation is impossible, various methods have been developed to identify the location ...of the tumor and determine the proximal resection line. Intraoperative endoscopy requires manpower and is time-consuming. The authors take an intraoperative X-ray. Here, we demonstrate our methods and outcomes.
We preoperatively applied metal clips just proximal to the tumor through esophagogastroduodenoscopy. During surgery, we applied metal vessel clips to the greater and lesser curvatures of the planned resection line of the stomach and took an intraoperative X-ray to examine the distance between the planned resection line and the tumor. If the distance was appropriate, the stomach was resected on the planned line, and if the distance was judged to be insufficient, the stomach was resected on the more proximal line, as appropriate. An intraoperative frozen section of the proximal resection margin was examined, as appropriate.
We performed this method for 71 patients. Tumors were successfully resected together with preoperative endoscopic clips in all patients. In five patients, intraoperative frozen section of the proximal resection margins was positive; however, additional resection confirmed negative margins. One patient underwent total gastrectomy, and the remaining 70 patients underwent distal gastrectomy.
An intraoperative X-ray seems to be a simple and useful method for identifying the location of the tumor and determining the proximal resection line.
The development of high‐sensitive, and cost‐effective novel biosensors have been strongly desired for future medical diagnostics. To develop novel biosensor, the authors focused on the specific ...optical characteristics of photonic crystal. In this study, a label‐free optical biosensor, polymer‐based two‐dimensional photonic crystal (2D‐PhC) film fabricated using nanoimprint lithography (NIL), was developed for detection of C‐reactive protein (CRP) in human serum. The nano‐hole array constructed NIL‐based 2D‐PhC (hole diameter: 230 nm, distance: 230, depth: 200 nm) was fabricated on a cyclo‐olefin polymer (COP) film (100 µm) using thermal NIL and required surface modifications to reduce nonspecific adsorption of target proteins. Antigen‐antibody reactions on the NIL‐based 2D‐PhC caused changes to the surrounding refractive index, which was monitored as reflection spectrum changes in the visible region. By using surface modified 2D‐PhC, the calculated detection limit for CRP was 12.24 pg/mL at an extremely short reaction time (5 min) without the need for additional labeling procedures and secondary antibody. Furthermore, using the dual‐functional random copolymer, CRP could be detected in a pooled blood serum diluted 100× with dramatic reduction of nonspecific adsorption. From these results, the NIL‐based 2D‐PhC film has great potential for development of an on‐site, high‐sensitivity, cost‐effective, label‐free biosensor for medical diagnostics applications
Polymer‐based 2D‐photonic crystal (PhC) film can detect C‐reactive protein at an extremely short reaction time (5 min) without the need for additional labeling procedures and secondary antibody: Conventional bioanalytical methods, such as an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) require time‐to‐result, sophisticated step‐by‐step liquid handling, and labeling procedures. In this study, 2D‐PhC film could be applied for development of label‐free optical biosensor to improve the disadvantages of conventional bioanalytical methods. This article is part of an AFOB (Asian Federation of Biotechnology) Special issue. To learn more about the AFOB, visit www.afob.org.
Purpose
Positive peritoneal lavage cytology for gastric carcinoma cells (CY1) is considered distant metastasis and is classified as Stage IV. However, patients with CY1 comprise a heterogeneous ...population, and their prognosis varies greatly. The prognostic factors for gastric cancer patients with CY1 were retrospectively reviewed.
Methods
The participants were 80 gastric cancer patients with CY1 in our institution encountered between 2005 and 2017. Prognostic factors were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses.
Results
The operative procedure was distal gastrectomy for 30 patients, total gastrectomy for 27 patients, staging laparoscopy for 10 patients, gastrojejunostomy for 8 patients, and probe laparotomy for 5 patients. Other distant metastases were recognized in 36 patients. A multivariate analysis revealed that other distant metastases were the strongest independent risk factor for the overall survival (
p
< 0.0001). When the cohort was limited to CY1 patients without other distant metastases, cN2–3 (
p
= 0.01), the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) < 40 (
p
= 0.02) and Type 4 (
p
= 0.03) were independent risk factors according to a multivariate analysis. The survivals of patients with cN2–3 or PNI < 40 after gastrectomy were equivalent to those with other distant metastases, as assessed by log-rank analyses.
Conclusions
The prognoses of CY1 gastric cancer patients with cN2–3 or PNI < 40 were poor, even after gastrectomy.
Background
An outbreak of cholangiocarcinoma occurred among workers in the offset color proof‐printing department at a printing company in Japan. The aim of this study was to clarify the ...characteristics of the patients with cholangiocarcinoma.
Methods
This was a retrospective study conducted in 13 Japanese hospitals between 1996 to 2013. The clinicopathological findings of cholangiocarcinoma developed in 17 of 111 former or current workers in the department were investigated. Most workers were relatively young.
Results
The cholangiocarcinoma was diagnosed at 25–45 years old. They were exposed to chemicals, including dichloromethane and 1,2‐dichloropropane. The serum γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase activity was elevated in all patients. Dilated intrahepatic bile ducts without tumor‐induced obstruction were observed in five patients. The cholangiocarcinomas arose from the large bile ducts. The precancerous or early cancerous lesions, such as biliary intraepithelial neoplasia and intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile ducts, as well as non‐specific bile duct injuries, such as fibrosis, were observed in various sites of the bile ducts in all eight patients for whom operative specimens were available.
Conclusions
The present results showed that cholangiocarcinomas occurred at a high incidence in relatively young workers of a printing company, who were exposed to chemicals including chlorinated organic solvents.
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