Fast x-ray detector system with simultaneous measurement of timing and energy for a single photon

We developed a fast X-ray detector system for nuclear resonant scattering (NRS) experiments. Our system employs silicon avalanche photo-diode (Si-APD) as a fast X-ray sensor. The system is able to acquire both timing and energy of a single X-ray photon simultaneously in a high rate condition, 10⁶ counts per second for one Si-APD. The performance of the system was investigated in SPring-8, a synchrotron radiation facility in Japan. Good time resolution of 120 ps (FWHM) was achieved with a slight tail distribution in the time spectrum by a level of 10^-9 at 1 ns apart from the peak. Using this system, we successfully observed the NRS from the 26.27-keV level of mercury-201, which has a half-life of 630(50) ps. We also demonstrated the reduction of background events caused by radioactive decays in a radioactive sample by discriminating photon energy.

Abstract PD4-08: Efficacy of compression therapy using surgical gloves for nanoparticle albumin-bound-paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy: A phase II multicenter study by the Kamigata breast cancer study group

PURPOSE: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is an adverse effect of many commonly used chemotherapeutic agents, including taxanes. However, there is currently no established effective prophylactic management for CIPN. Thus, we investigated the efficacy of using surgical glove (SG) compression therapy to prevent nanoparticle albumin-bound-paclitaxel (nab-PTX)-induced peripheral neuropathy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with primary and recurrent breast cancer who received 260 mg/m2 of nab-PTX were eligible for this case-control study. The patients wore two SGs of the same size, that is, one size smaller than the size that fit, on their dominant hand for 90 minutes. They did not wear SGs on the non-dominant hand, which served as the control hand. Peripheral neuropathy was evaluated at each treatment cycle using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.0 and the Patient Neurotoxicity Questionnaire (PNQ). The temperatures of each fingertip of the compression SG-protected and control hands were measured by using thermography.

RESULTS: Between August 2013 and January 2016, 43 patients were enrolled, and 42 were evaluated. As shown in Table 1, the overall occurrence of ≥grade 2 sensory and motor peripheral neuropathy according to the CTCAE was significantly lower in the SG-protected hands than in the control hands (76.1% vs. 21.4% and 57.1% vs. 26.2%, respectively, p < 0.0001). The PNQ results showed that the incidence of ≥grade 4 neuropathy was significantly higher in the control hands than in the SG-protected hands in terms of both sensory and motor neurotoxicity (p < 0.0001, Table 2). As the treatment cycles of nab-PTX increased, the mean CTCAE and PNQ grades of the control hands gradually increased. However, the SG-protected hands maintained significantly lower mean grades than the control hands over time (p < 0.0001).

No patients withdrew from this study because they could not tolerate the compression from the SGs. The mean temperature of each fingertip significantly decreased (1.42–2.60 °C) in the SG-protected hands compared to in the control hands.

CONCLUSIONS: SG compression therapy appears effective for reducing nab-PTX-induced peripheral neuropathy. The nab-PTX exposure to the peripheral nerve may be decreased because the SG decreases microvascular flow to the fingertip.

Table 1: Comparison of the overall occurrences of the different grades of peripheral neuropathy according to CTCAE version 4.0 between the compression surgical glove-protected hands and control handsCTCAE v.4.0SensoryMotorGradeSurgical GloveControlSurgical GloveControl012418712161311292411163080840000

Table 2: Changes in the overall occurrence of the Patient Neurotoxicity Questionnaire (PNQ) grade with surgical glove compression therapyPNQSensoryMotorGradeSurgical gloveControlSurgical gloveControl194209223512113717912431611050000

Citation Format: Tsuyuki S, Senda N, Kanng Y, Yamaguchi A, Yoshibayashi H, Kikawa Y, Katakami N, Kato H, Hashimoto T, Okuno T, Yamauchi A, Inamoto T. Efficacy of compression therapy using surgical gloves for nanoparticle albumin-bound-paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy: A phase II multicenter study by the Kamigata breast cancer study group [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD4-08.

Structure and Thermal Behaviour of a Thermotropic Liquid Crystalline Polyimide (PI-LC)

Anomalous solid structures formed by a thermotropic liquid crystalline polyimide (PI-LC) were investigated by thermal analysis, polarized light microscopy and x-ray analysis. It was revealed that PI-LC should undergo a phase transition from the crystalline to the isotropic phase through the smectic or nematic phase in the temperature range 277–300 °C. The PI-LC filament extruded at 280 °C, at which temperature the polymer was in liquid crystalline phase, was formed to have a structure similar to the smectic C phase, while that extruded and melt-drawn at 310 °C, at which temperature the polymer was in the isotropic phase, had a structure similar to the smectic A phase.

Processable Poly(Keto-Imide)s Having Bulky Pendent Ether Groups

1, 3-Bis(3-aminobenzoyl)benzene (BAB), 1, 3-bis(3-amino-4-phenoxybenzoyl)benzene (BAPB) and 1, 3-bis(3-amino-4-biphenoxybenzoyl)benzene (BABB) were synthesized from 1, 3-bis(3-nitro-4-chlorobenzoyl)benzene. By using these three diamines and commercially available tetracarboxylic dianhydrides such as 3, 3′, 4, 4′-benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) and pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA), several kinds of poly(keto-imide)s were synthesized. Thermal properties and processability such as melt-flowability and solubility in organic solvents of the obtained poly(keto-imide)s were investigated by focusing on the chemical structures of their repeating structure units. Inherent viscosities of poly(keto-imide)s ranged from 0.54 to 0.75 dl g−1. These poly(keto-imide)s displayed glass transition temperatures ( Tg) between 219 and 256 °C, and only the poly(keto-imide) prepared from BAB and PMDA showed a melting point ( Tm)at 451 °C. Melt-flowabilities of these poly(keto-imide)s except for BAB/PMDA poly(keto-imide) were observed between 285 and 330 °C. The poly(keto-imide)s having bulky pendent ether groups were soluble in chloroform, 1, 1, 2-trichloroethane, N, N-dimethylacetamide and m-cresol at ambient temperature.

Preparation and Properties of Novel Aromatic Polyimides from 5,7-Diamino-1,1,4,6-Tetramethylindan and Aromatic Tetracarboxylic Dianhydrides

Novel aromatic polyimides containing indan structure units were prepared from 5,7-diamino-1,1,4,6-tetramethylindan and various aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydrides. The glass transition temperatures ( Tg’s) of these polyimides were not observed by differential scanning calorimetry at a temperature lower than 500 °C and the 5% weight loss temperatures ( Td5’s) of them were above 422 and 474 °C in air and nitrogen, respectively. Polyimide prepared from 5,7-diamino-1,1,4,6-tetramethylindan and 2,2-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)-1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane dianhydride was soluble in organic solvents such as tetrahydrofuran, cyclopentanone, chloroform, acetone, ethyl acetate, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone and cresol at 20 wt% concentration at ambient temperature. The other resulting polyimides obtained from this diamine possessing an indan structure were also soluble in several organic solvents. These results indicated that polymer properties such as thermal behaviour and solubilities were influenced by the indan structure unit in a repeating structure.

Miscibility, Morphology and Tensile Properties of the Melt Blends of Liquid Crystalline Polyimide (PI-LC) with Two Different Thermoplastic Polyimides: Semicrystalline Polyimide (N-TPI) and Amorphous Poly(Ether-Imide) (PEI)

A liquid crystalline polyimide (poly[1, 3-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)-α, α-dimethylbenzyl]benzene pyromellitimide]: PI-LC) was blended with two kinds of thermoplastic polyimide: poly[3, 3′-(4, 4′-dioxybiphenyl)diphenylene pyromellitimide] (N-TPI) which is a semicrystalline polyimide having a melting point of 388 °C and poly[2, 2′-bis(3, 4-dicarboxyphenoxy)phenylpropane-2-phenylene bisimide] (PEI) which is an amorphous poly(etherimide) having a glass transition temperature at 220 °C. The miscibility of N-TPI and PI-LC was evaluated by DSC using enthalpy relaxation, and the phase diagram of their blend was drawn above the melting point of N-TPI. The result indicated that the PI-LC-rich blend was miscible in a wide range of compositions. However, the extruded samples of their blend, which had been prepared under a flow of high shear, showed a phase separation structure. In the other combination of PEI and PI-LC, the blend was immiscible, but at low composition of PI-LC their blend fibre showed higher tensile properties than the original PEI fibre.

Transcatheter Embolization of Testicular Vein for Varicocele Testis

Percutaneous transcatheter embolization of the testicular vein was performed on 28 patients with angiographically proven varicocele testis. In 2 patients bilateral and in 26 only the left vein was embolized using 3-, 5-, or 8-mm stainless steel coils. All patients had clinically palpable varicoceles and male infertility. The grade of varicoceles improved after embolization in 23 of 28 cases (82%). Effective sperm count increased significantly from 34.5 ± 44.6 to 65.1 ± 71.0 following embolization. However, pregnancy was achieved only in one of 28 cases. Technically, the basilic vein approach was felt to be superior to the femoral vein or jugular vein approach for this procedure.

Occipital lobe seizures and subcortical T2 and T2* hypointensity associated with nonketotic hyperglycemia: a case report

Background

Nonketotic hyperglycemia often causes seizures. Recently, seizures associated with nonketotic hyperglycemia have been found to be associated with subcortical T2 hypointensity on magnetic resonance imaging, especially in the occipital lobes. However, the mechanism remains unclear, although iron accumulation is suggested. We present a case of occipital lobe seizures associated with nonketotic hyperglycemia supporting the hypothesis that the mechanism of subcortical T2 hypointensity is iron accumulation using gradient-echo T2*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.

Case presentation

A 65-year-old Japanese man complained of intermittent pastel-colored flashing lights. On neurological examination, he also had lower right-side quadrant hemianopia. No other abnormal neurological findings were found. On laboratory analysis, his blood glucose level was 370 mg/dL, HbA1c was 11.4 %, and serum osmolarity was 326 mOsm/L. No ketones were detected in urine. A magnetic resonance imaging scan of his head showed subcortical T2 and T2* hypointensity in his left occipital lobe. Single-photon emission computed tomography with I123-N-isopropyl-iodoamphetamine revealed hyperperfusion in the left dominant occipital lobe. These magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities resolved during clinical recovery and treatment to control his blood sugar level. Therefore, a diagnosis of occipital lobe seizures associated with nonketotic hyperglycemia was made.

Conclusions

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of occipital lobe seizures associated with nonketotic hyperglycemia supporting the role of iron accumulation as a mechanism for subcortical T2 hypointensity using T2*-magnetic resonance imaging.

Development of C⁶⁺ laser ion source and RFQ linac for carbon ion radiotherapy

A prototype C(6+) injector using a laser ion source has been developed for a compact synchrotron dedicated to carbon ion radiotherapy. The injector consists of a laser ion source and a 4-vane radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) linac. Ion beams are extracted from plasma and directly injected into the RFQ. A solenoid guides the low-energy beams into the RFQ. The RFQ is designed to accelerate high-intensity pulsed beams. A structure of monolithic vanes and cavities is adopted to reduce its power consumption. In beam acceleration tests, a solenoidal magnetic field set between the laser ion source and the RFQ helped increase both the peak currents before and after the RFQ by a factor of 4.

Spin-dependent acoustic response in the nonunitary A1 and A2 phases of superfluid 3He under high magnetic fields

The transverse acoustic impedance of superfluid ^{3}He was measured in the A1 and A2 phases up to 13 T to investigate the surface states in nonunitary superfluids. The temperature dependence of the impedance was much larger in the A1 phase than in the A2 phase. This nonsymmetric behavior indicates that momentum exchange with walls for spin-down surface states is quite different from that for spin-up surface states. The spin-dependent response might be a reflection of an essential feature of the nonunitary states where gap amplitudes depend on spin states. Weak-coupling theories ignore any spin-dependent processes and do not account for the nonsymmetric behavior.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy using a coffee-ring-type three-dimensional silver nanostructure

We demonstrated surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy using a coffee-ring-type three-dimensional silver nanostructure (Ag3D).

Tooth loss and atherosclerosis: the Nagahama Study

Several epidemiologic studies have suggested that oral disease is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, whether a clinically significant association exists between the 2 disorders remains controversial. Here, we investigated the association between tooth loss, as an indicator of oral disease, and arterial stiffness, as a marker of atherosclerosis, in Japanese adults. Cross-sectional data were collected for 8,124 persons aged 30 to 75 y with no history of tooth loss for noninflammatory reasons, such as orthodontic treatment, malposition, and trauma. Participants received a comprehensive dental examination and extensive in-person measurements of CVD risk factors, and arterial stiffness was evaluated using the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI). We examined the association between CAVI and tooth loss using general linear models with adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, hemoglobin A1c, and a history of insulin or hypoglycemic medication depending on the model. In addition, we performed an analysis that included interaction terms of the centered variables tooth loss, sex, and age. The results of the multiple regression analysis that included the interaction terms detected that the relationship between CAVI and tooth loss was dependent on sex, with only men showing a positive correlation (β for interaction = 0.04; 95% confidence interval, 0.02-0.06). The findings from this study suggest that a linear relationship exists between tooth loss and degree of arterial stiffness and that the association differed depending on sex.

Reticulocyte hemoglobin content as a marker of iron status in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis

Background. Patients with renal anemia who show a poor response to erythropoietin might have iron insufficiency. Reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr) was measured in hemodialysis patients, and its potential as a marker for iron status was assessed by comparing CHr with ordinary markers. Methods. Ninety-one patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis were enrolled. Venous sampling was performed twice, at a 3-month interval. During the interval, none of the patients received any iron agent and there was no alteration in their erythropoietin doses. CHr was measured with an automated blood cell counter. Simultaneously, ordinary markers for iron status, such as hematocrit (Ht), mean hemoglobin content (CH), serum iron (Fe), ferritin (Fr), and transferrin saturation (TSAT), were measured. CHr was compared with these markers. Results. CHr randed from 24.1 to 34.7 pg, with a mean of 31.0 pg. CHr correlated with CH (P < 0.001), Fr (P < 0.01), Fe (P < 0.001), and TSAT (P < 0.001), but not with Ht. When patients were divided into two groups according to the CHr : CH ratio (CHr : CH ≧ 1 and CHr : CH < 1), there was no difference in any parameter between the two groups in the first measurement. In the second measurement, done after a 3-month interval, patients with CHr : CH ≧ 1 showed significantly higher values for CHr (P < 0.001), CH (P < 0.01), Fe (P < 0.05), and TSAT (P < 0.05) than patients with CHr : CH < 1. Conclusions. It was suggested that the CHr : CH ratio would predict changes in the state of iron supply. CHr might be a potential marker for monitoring renal anemia.