Measurement of Direct-Photon Cross Section and Double-Helicity Asymmetry at sqrt[s]=510 GeV in p[over →]+p[over →] Collisions

We present measurements of the cross section and double-helicity asymmetry A_{LL} of direct-photon production in p[over →]+p[over →] collisions at sqrt[s]=510  GeV. The measurements have been performed at midrapidity (|η|<0.25) with the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. At relativistic energies, direct photons are dominantly produced from the initial quark-gluon hard scattering and do not interact via the strong force at leading order. Therefore, at sqrt[s]=510  GeV, where leading-order-effects dominate, these measurements provide clean and direct access to the gluon helicity in the polarized proton in the gluon-momentum-fraction range 0.02<x<0.08, with direct sensitivity to the sign of the gluon contribution.

Measurements of Strong-Interaction Effects in Kaonic-Helium Isotopes at Sub-eV Precision with X-Ray Microcalorimeters

We have measured the 3d→2p transition x rays of kaonic ^{3}He and ^{4}He atoms using superconducting transition-edge-sensor microcalorimeters with an energy resolution better than 6 eV (FWHM). We determined the energies to be 6224.5±0.4(stat)±0.2(syst)  eV and 6463.7±0.3(stat)±0.1(syst)  eV, and widths to be 2.5±1.0(stat)±0.4(syst)  eV and 1.0±0.6(stat)±0.3(stat)  eV, for kaonic ^{3}He and ^{4}He, respectively. These values are nearly 10 times more precise than in previous measurements. Our results exclude the large strong-interaction shifts and widths that are suggested by a coupled-channel approach and agree with calculations based on optical-potential models.

Infrared Thermography with High Accuracy in a Neonatal Incubator

As the accuracy of body temperature measurement is especially critical in premature infants on admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), noninvasive measurement using infrared thermography (IRT) has not been widely adopted in the NICU due to a lack of evidence regarding its accuracy. We have established a new calibration method for IRT in an incubator, and evaluated its accuracy and reliability at different incubator settings using a variable-temperature blackbody furnace. This method improved the accuracy and reliability of IRT with an increase in percentage of data with mean absolute error (MAE) < 0.3 °C to 93.1% compared to 4.2% using the standard method. Two of three IRTs had MAE < 0.1 °C under all conditions examined. This method provided high accuracy not only for measurements at specific times but also for continuous monitoring. It will also contribute to avoiding the risk of neonates' skin trouble caused by attaching a thermistor. This study will facilitate the development of novel means of administering neonatal body temperature.

A method for improving semantic segmentation using thermographic images in infants

Background

Regulation of temperature is clinically important in the care of neonates because it has a significant impact on prognosis. Although probes that make contact with the skin are widely used to monitor temperature and provide spot central and peripheral temperature information, they do not provide details of the temperature distribution around the body. Although it is possible to obtain detailed temperature distributions using multiple probes, this is not clinically practical. Thermographic techniques have been reported for measurement of temperature distribution in infants. However, as these methods require manual selection of the regions of interest (ROIs), they are not suitable for introduction into clinical settings in hospitals. Here, we describe a method for segmentation of thermal images that enables continuous quantitative contactless monitoring of the temperature distribution over the whole body of neonates.

Methods

The semantic segmentation method, U-Net, was applied to thermal images of infants. The optimal combination of Weight Normalization, Group Normalization, and Flexible Rectified Linear Unit (FReLU) was evaluated. U-Net Generative Adversarial Network (U-Net GAN) was applied to thermal images, and a Self-Attention (SA) module was finally applied to U-Net GAN (U-Net GAN + SA) to improve precision. The semantic segmentation performance of these methods was evaluated.

Results

The optimal semantic segmentation performance was obtained with application of FReLU and Group Normalization to U-Net, showing accuracy of 92.9% and Mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) of 64.5%. U-Net GAN improved the performance, yielding accuracy of 93.3% and mIoU of 66.9%, and U-Net GAN + SA showed further improvement with accuracy of 93.5% and mIoU of 70.4%.

Conclusions

FReLU and Group Normalization are appropriate semantic segmentation methods for application to neonatal thermal images. U-Net GAN and U-Net GAN + SA significantly improved the mIoU of segmentation.

Probing Gluon Spin-Momentum Correlations in Transversely Polarized Protons through Midrapidity Isolated Direct Photons in p^{↑}+p Collisions at sqrt[s]=200 GeV

Studying spin-momentum correlations in hadronic collisions offers a glimpse into a three-dimensional picture of proton structure. The transverse single-spin asymmetry for midrapidity isolated direct photons in p^{↑}+p collisions at sqrt[s]=200  GeV is measured with the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Because direct photons in particular are produced from the hard scattering and do not interact via the strong force, this measurement is a clean probe of initial-state spin-momentum correlations inside the proton and is in particular sensitive to gluon interference effects within the proton. This is the first time direct photons have been used as a probe of spin-momentum correlations at RHIC. The uncertainties on the results are a 50-fold improvement with respect to those of the one prior measurement for the same observable, from the Fermilab E704 experiment. These results constrain gluon spin-momentum correlations in transversely polarized protons.

Video-based neonatal state assessment method for timing of procedures

BACKGROUND

Procedures should be performed when an infant is most receptive to disruptions in order to reduce the stress on the infant. However, frequent direct observations place a heavy burden on medical staff. There is therefore a need for a method for quantitatively and automatically evaluating the neonatal state.

METHODS

Ten infants in our hospital were enrolled in this study. The states of the infants were assessed by medical staff using the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale and were recorded on video at the same time. The recorded states were reclassified as activity levels, a new state classification method that includes middle activity, which is the appropriate time for a procedure. Using image analysis, motions of the infant were quantified as two indices: activity and pause time. Activity and pause time were compared for each activity level. The cutoff values of the indices were calculated, and the sensitivity and specificity of the middle activity were calculated.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference between all groups of activity level (P < 0.01). The maximum sensitivity and specificity of middle activity were 71.7% and 51.2%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The neonatal state of infants can be quantitatively and automatically evaluated using video cameras, and the activity level can be used to determine an appropriate time for procedures in infants. This will reduce the burden on medical staff and lead to less stressful procedures for infants.

NIMG-08. PREDICTION OF LOWER-GRADE GLIOMA MOLECULAR SUBTYPES USING DEEP LEARNING

INTRODUCTION

It is useful to know the molecular subtype of lower-grade gliomas (LGG) when deciding on a treatment strategy. This study aims to diagnose this preoperatively.

METHODS

A deep learning model was developed to predict the 3-group molecular subtype using multimodal data including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and computed tomography (CT). The performance was evaluated using leave-one-out cross validation with a dataset containing information from 217 LGG patients.

RESULTS

The model performed best when the dataset contained MRI, PET, and CT data. The model could predict the molecular subtype with an accuracy of 96.6% for the training dataset and 68.7% for the test dataset. The model achieved test accuracies of 58.5%, 60.4%, and 59.4% when the dataset contained only MRI, MRI and PET, and MRI and CT data, respectively. The conventional method used to predict mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) gene and the codeletion of chromosome arms 1p and 19q (1p/19q) sequentially had an overall accuracy of 65.9%. This is 2.8 percent point lower than the proposed method, which predicts the 3-group molecular subtype directly. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE

PERSPECTIVE

A deep learning model was developed to diagnose the molecular subtype preoperatively based on multi-modality data in order to predict the 3-group classification directly. Cross-validation showed that the proposed model had an overall accuracy of 68.7% for the test dataset. This is the first model to double the expected value for a 3-group classification problem, when predicting the LGG molecular subtype. We plan to apply the techniques of heat map and/or segmentation for an increase in prediction accuracy.

Erratum: Evolution of π^{0} Suppression in Au+Au Collisions from sqrt[s_{NN}]=39 to 200 GeV [Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 152301 (2012)]

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.152301.

Prediction of lower-grade glioma molecular subtypes using deep learning

INTRODUCTION

It is useful to know the molecular subtype of lower-grade gliomas (LGG) when deciding on a treatment strategy. This study aims to diagnose this preoperatively.

METHODS

A deep learning model was developed to predict the 3-group molecular subtype using multimodal data including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and computed tomography (CT). The performance was evaluated using leave-one-out cross validation with a dataset containing information from 217 LGG patients.

RESULTS

The model performed best when the dataset contained MRI, PET, and CT data. The model could predict the molecular subtype with an accuracy of 96.6% for the training dataset and 68.7% for the test dataset. The model achieved test accuracies of 58.5%, 60.4%, and 59.4% when the dataset contained only MRI, MRI and PET, and MRI and CT data, respectively. The conventional method used to predict mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) gene and the codeletion of chromosome arms 1p and 19q (1p/19q) sequentially had an overall accuracy of 65.9%. This is 2.8 percent point lower than the proposed method, which predicts the 3-group molecular subtype directly.

CONCLUSIONS

A deep learning model was developed to diagnose the molecular subtype preoperatively based on multi-modality data in order to predict the 3-group classification directly. Cross-validation showed that the proposed model had an overall accuracy of 68.7% for the test dataset. This is the first model to double the expected value for a 3-group classification problem, when predicting the LGG molecular subtype.

Spin structure and spin Hall magnetoresistance of epitaxial thin films of the insulating non-collinear antiferromagnet SmFeO3

We report a combined study of imaging the antiferromagnetic (AFM) spin structure and measuring the spin Hall magnetoresistance (SMR) in epitaxial thin films of the insulating non-collinear antiferromagnet SmFeO₃. X-ray magnetic linear dichroism photoemission electron microscopy measurements reveal that the AFM spins of the SmFeO₃(1 1 0) align in the plane of the film. Angularly dependent magnetoresistance measurements show that SmFeO₃/Ta bilayers exhibit a positive SMR, in contrast to the negative SMR expected in previously studied collinear AFMs. The SMR amplitude increases linearly with increasing external magnetic field at higher magnetic fields, suggesting that field-induced canting of the AFM spins plays an important role. In contrast, around the coercive field, no detectable SMR signal is observed, indicating that the SMR of the AFM and canting magnetization components cancel out. Below 50 K, the SMR amplitude increases sizably by a factor of two as compared to room temperature, which likely correlates with the long-range ordering of the Sm ions. Our results show that the SMR is a sensitive technique for non-equilibrium spin systems of non-collinear AFMs.

Nuclear Dependence of the Transverse Single-Spin Asymmetry in the Production of Charged Hadrons at Forward Rapidity in Polarized p+p, p+Al, and p+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV

We report on the nuclear dependence of transverse single-spin asymmetries (TSSAs) in the production of positively charged hadrons in polarized p^{↑}+p, p^{↑}+Al, and p^{↑}+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV. The measurements have been performed at forward rapidity (1.4<η<2.4) over the range of transverse momentum (1.8<p_{T}<7.0  GeV/c) and Feynman x (0.1<x_{F}<0.2). We observed positive asymmetries for positively charged hadrons in p^{↑}+p collisions, and significantly reduced asymmetries in p^{↑}+A collisions. These results reveal a nuclear dependence of TSSAs for charged-hadron production in a regime where perturbative techniques are applicable. These results provide new opportunities to use p^{↑}+A collisions as a tool to investigate the rich phenomena behind TSSAs in hadronic collisions and to use TSSAs as a new handle in studying small-system collisions.

Beam Energy and Centrality Dependence of Direct-Photon Emission from Ultrarelativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions

The PHENIX collaboration presents first measurements of low-momentum (0.4<p_{T}<3  GeV/c) direct-photon yields from Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=39 and 62.4 GeV. For both beam energies the direct-photon yields are substantially enhanced with respect to expectations from prompt processes, similar to the yields observed in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200. Analyzing the photon yield as a function of the experimental observable dN_{ch}/dη reveals that the low-momentum (>1  GeV/c) direct-photon yield dN_{γ}^{dir}/dη is a smooth function of dN_{ch}/dη and can be well described as proportional to (dN_{ch}/dη)^{α} with α≈1.25. This scaling behavior holds for a wide range of beam energies at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and the Large Hadron Collider, for centrality selected samples, as well as for different A+A collision systems. At a given beam energy, the scaling also holds for high p_{T} (>5  GeV/c), but when results from different collision energies are compared, an additional sqrt[s_{NN}]-dependent multiplicative factor is needed to describe the integrated-direct-photon yield.

Pseudorapidity Dependence of Particle Production and Elliptic Flow in Asymmetric Nuclear Collisions of p+Al, p+Au, d+Au, and ^{3}He+Au at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV

Asymmetric nuclear collisions of p+Al, p+Au, d+Au, and ^{3}He+Au at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV provide an excellent laboratory for understanding particle production, as well as exploring interactions among these particles after their initial creation in the collision. We present measurements of charged hadron production dN_{ch}/dη in all such collision systems over a broad pseudorapidity range and as a function of collision multiplicity. A simple wounded quark model is remarkably successful at describing the full data set. We also measure the elliptic flow v_{2} over a similarly broad pseudorapidity range. These measurements provide key constraints on models of particle emission and their translation into flow.

Evaluation of the safety of ramucirumab in Japanese patients with advanced gastric cancer

As a result of the RAINBOW trial, ramucirumab plus paclitaxel was established as a second-line treatment of advanced gastric cancer. Regarding the safety of ramucirumab plus paclitaxel in the Japanese, a subgroup analysis of the RAINBOW trial was conducted. The incidence of neutropenia was higher in Japanese patients. However, information is lacking concerning the safety of ramucirumab after marketing in Japanese patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of ramucirumab in Japanese patients with advanced gastric cancer. The inclusion criteria were patients diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer who had commenced treatment with ramucirumab plus paclitaxel or paclitaxel only at Ogaki Municipal Hospital (Gifu, Japan) between January 2015 and December 2016. There were 26 patients in the ramucirumab plus paclitaxel group and 22 patients in the paclitaxel only group. Treatment-related adverse events were documented in 100.0% of the patients in the ramucirumab plus paclitaxel group (Grade 3-4, 73.1%) and 90.9 % of the patients in the paclitaxel only group (Grade 3-4, 45.5 %). The most frequently observed adverse event in both treatment groups was anemia. The second common adverse event was neutropenia. The incidence of neutropenia of Grade ≥3 was significantly higher in the ramucirumab plus paclitaxel group than in the paclitaxel only group. In conclusion, the incidence of neutropenia is high. However, we believe that ramucirumab plus paclitaxel can be safely administered.

Measurements of Multiparticle Correlations in d+Au Collisions at 200, 62.4, 39, and 19.6 GeV and p+Au Collisions at 200 GeV and Implications for Collective Behavior

Recently, multiparticle-correlation measurements of relativistic p/d/^{3}He+Au, p+Pb, and even p+p collisions show surprising collective signatures. Here, we present beam-energy-scan measurements of two-, four-, and six-particle angular correlations in d+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200, 62.4, 39, and 19.6 GeV. We also present measurements of two- and four-particle angular correlations in p+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV. We find the four-particle cumulant to be real valued for d+Au collisions at all four energies. We also find that the four-particle cumulant in p+Au has the opposite sign as that in d+Au. Further, we find that the six-particle cumulant agrees with the four-particle cumulant in d+Au collisions at 200 GeV, indicating that nonflow effects are subdominant. These observations provide strong evidence that the correlations originate from the initial geometric configuration, which is then translated into the momentum distribution for all particles, commonly referred to as collectivity.

Nuclear Dependence of the Transverse-Single-Spin Asymmetry for Forward Neutron Production in Polarized p+A Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV

During 2015, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) provided collisions of transversely polarized protons with Au and Al nuclei for the first time, enabling the exploration of transverse-single-spin asymmetries with heavy nuclei. Large single-spin asymmetries in very forward neutron production have been previously observed in transversely polarized p+p collisions at RHIC, and the existing theoretical framework that was successful in describing the single-spin asymmetry in p+p collisions predicts only a moderate atomic-mass-number (A) dependence. In contrast, the asymmetries observed at RHIC in p+A collisions showed a surprisingly strong A dependence in inclusive forward neutron production. The observed asymmetry in p+Al collisions is much smaller, while the asymmetry in p+Au collisions is a factor of 3 larger in absolute value and of opposite sign. The interplay of different neutron production mechanisms is discussed as a possible explanation of the observed A dependence.

45° sign switching of effective exchange bias due to competing anisotropies in fully epitaxial Co3FeN/MnN bilayers

We report an unusual angular-dependent exchange bias effect in ferromagnet/antiferromagnet bilayers, where both ferromagnet and antiferromagnet are epitaxially grown. Numerical model calculations predict an approximately 45° period for the sign switching of the exchange-bias field, depending on the ratio between magnetocrystalline anisotropy and exchange-coupling constant. The switching of the sign is indicative of a competition between a fourfold magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the ferromagnet and a unidirectional anisotropy field of the exchange coupling. This predicted unusual angular-dependent exchange bias and its magnetization switching process are confirmed by measurements on fully epitaxial Co₃FeN/MnN bilayers by longitudinal and transverse magneto-optic Kerr effect magnetometry. These results provide a deeper understanding of the exchange coupling phenomena in fully epitaxial bilayers with tailored materials and open up a complex switching energy landscape engineering by anisotropies.

Safety of an oral anticancer agent (trifluridine/tipiracil combination tablet) in patients with advanced and recurrent colorectal cancer

We retrospectively studied the safety of trifluridine/tipiracil combination tablet (TAS-102) monotherapy in patients with advanced and recurrent colorectal cancer. Adverse events to TAS-102 monotherapy were observed in 22 out of 23 cases (95.7%). The most frequent adverse events were neutropenia (69.6%), nausea (53.2%), and malaise (30.4%). Treatment was postponed in 54 (59.3%) out of 91 courses, and in 34 (66.7%) of these 54 courses, the delay in treatment was due to bone marrow suppression. Seven patients with peritoneal metastases suffered from nausea, whilst none of the patients without peritoneal metastases had nausea (p = 0.0139). Nausea and vomiting during a previous chemotherapy cycle was significantly associated with nausea after TAS-102 treatment (p = 0.0007), and the treatment cycles were significantly longer in patients with grade 3 or 4 neutropenia (p = 0.0061). Our results suggest that the incidence of nausea was higher in patients treated with TAS-102. Therefore, it is important to inform patients of the risk of these toxicities and to provide enhanced supportive care. Moreover, we recommend that, for patients with repeated treatment postponement due to neutropenia, the dosage should be fixed based on therapeutic efficacy and prognosis.

Centrality-Dependent Modification of Jet-Production Rates in Deuteron-Gold Collisions at √[s(NN)]=200 GeV

Jet production rates are measured in p+p and d+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV recorded in 2008 with the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. Jets are reconstructed using the R=0.3 anti-k_{t} algorithm from energy deposits in the electromagnetic calorimeter and charged tracks in multiwire proportional chambers, and the jet transverse momentum (p_{T}) spectra are corrected for the detector response. Spectra are reported for jets with 12<p_{T}<50  GeV/c, within a pseudorapidity acceptance of |η|<0.3. The nuclear-modification factor (R_{dAu}) values for 0%-100% d+Au events are found to be consistent with unity, constraining the role of initial state effects on jet production. However, the centrality-selected R_{dAu} values and central-to-peripheral ratios (R_{CP}) show large, p_{T}-dependent deviations from unity, challenging the conventional models that relate hard-process rates and soft-particle production in collisions involving nuclei.

Fine-tuning to minimize emittances of J-PARC RF-driven H⁻ ion source

The Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) cesiated RF-driven H(-) ion source has been successfully operated for about one year. By the world's brightest level beam, the J-PARC design beam power of 1 MW was successfully demonstrated. In order to minimize the transverse emittances, the rod-filter-field (RFF) was optimized by changing the triple-gap-lengths of each of pairing five piece rod-filter-magnets. The larger emittance degradation seems to be caused by impurity-gases than the RFF. The smaller beam-hole-diameter of the extraction electrode caused the more than expected improvements on not only the emittances but also the peak beam intensity.

Pre-conditioning procedure suitable for internal-RF-antenna of J-PARC RF-driven H⁻ ion source

The Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) cesiated RF-driven H(-) ion source has been successfully operated for about 1 yr. By the world brightest level beam, the J-PARC design beam power of 1 MW was successfully demonstrated. Although no internal-RF-antenna failure, except for the once caused by an excess cesium due to a misoperation, occurred in the operation, many antennas failed in pre-conditionings for the first hundred days. The antenna failure rate was drastically decreased by using an antenna with coating thicker than a standard value and the pre-conditioning procedure repeating 15 min 25 kW RF-power operation and impurity-gas evacuation a few times, before the full power (50 kW) operation.

Numerical study of plasma generation process and internal antenna heat loadings in J-PARC RF negative ion source

A numerical model of plasma transport and electromagnetic field in the J-PARC (Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex) radio frequency ion source has been developed to understand the relation between antenna coil heat loadings and plasma production/transport processes. From the calculation, the local plasma density increase is observed in the region close to the antenna coil. Electrons are magnetized by the magnetic field line with absolute magnetic flux density 30-120 Gauss which leads to high local ionization rate. The results suggest that modification of magnetic configuration can be made to reduce plasma heat flux onto the antenna.

Status of the RF-driven H⁻ ion source for J-PARC linac

For the upgrade of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex linac beam current, a cesiated RF-driven negative hydrogen ion source was installed during the 2014 summer shutdown period, with subsequent operations commencing on September 29, 2014. The ion source has been successfully operating with a beam current and duty factor of 33 mA and 1.25% (500 μs and 25 Hz), respectively. The result of recent beam operation has demonstrated that the ion source is capable of continuous operation for approximately 1100 h. The spark rate at the beam extractor was observed to be at a frequency of less than once a day, which is an acceptable level for user operation. Although an antenna failure occurred during operation on October 26, 2014, no subsequent serious issues have occurred since then.

Measurements of Elliptic and Triangular Flow in High-Multiplicity 3He+Au Collisions at √(s(NN))=200 GeV

We present the first measurement of elliptic (v(2)) and triangular (v(3)) flow in high-multiplicity (3)He+Au collisions at √(s(NN))=200  GeV. Two-particle correlations, where the particles have a large separation in pseudorapidity, are compared in (3)He+Au and in p+p collisions and indicate that collective effects dominate the second and third Fourier components for the correlations observed in the (3)He+Au system. The collective behavior is quantified in terms of elliptic v(2) and triangular v(3) anisotropy coefficients measured with respect to their corresponding event planes. The v(2) values are comparable to those previously measured in d+Au collisions at the same nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy. Comparisons with various theoretical predictions are made, including to models where the hot spots created by the impact of the three (3)He nucleons on the Au nucleus expand hydrodynamically to generate the triangular flow. The agreement of these models with data may indicate the formation of low-viscosity quark-gluon plasma even in these small collision systems.

CD133 is a positive marker for a distinct class of primitive human cord blood-derived CD34-negative hematopoietic stem cells

The identification of human CD34-negative (CD34(-)) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) provides a new concept for the hierarchy in the human HSC compartment. Previous studies demonstrated that CD34(-) severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)-repopulating cells (SRCs) are a distinct class of primitive HSCs in comparison to the well-characterized CD34(+)CD38(-) SRCs. However, the purification level of rare CD34(-) SRCs in 18 lineage marker-negative (Lin(-)) CD34(-) cells (1/1000) is still very low compared with that of CD34(+)CD38(-) SRCs (1/40). As in the mouse, it will be necessary to identify useful positive markers for a high degree of purification of rare human CD34(-) SRCs. Using 18Lin(-)CD34(-) cells, we analyzed the expression of candidate positive markers by flow cytometric analysis. We finally identified CD133 as a reliable positive marker of human CB-derived CD34(-) SRCs and succeeded in highly purifying primitive human CD34(-) HSCs. The limiting dilution analysis demonstrated that the incidence of CD34(-) SRCs in 18Lin(-)CD34(-)CD133(+) cells was 1/142, which is the highest level of purification of these unique CD34(-) HSCs to date. Furthermore, CD133 expression clearly segregated the SRC activities of 18Lin(-)CD34(-) cells, as well as 18Lin(-)CD34(+) cells, in their positive fractions, indicating its functional significance as a common cell surface maker to isolate effectively both CD34(+) and CD34(-) SRCs.

Medium modification of jet fragmentation in Au+Au collisions at √[s(NN)]=200 GeV measured in direct photon-hadron correlations

The jet fragmentation function is measured with direct photon-hadron correlations in p+p and Au+Au collisions at √[s(NN)]=200 GeV. The p(T) of the photon is an excellent approximation to the initial p(T) of the jet and the ratio z(T)=p(T)(h)/p(T)(γ) is used as a proxy for the jet fragmentation function. A statistical subtraction is used to extract the direct photon-hadron yields in Au+Au collisions while a photon isolation cut is applied in p+p. I(AA), the ratio of hadron yield opposite the photon in Au+Au to that in p+p, indicates modification of the jet fragmentation function. Suppression, most likely due to energy loss in the medium, is seen at high z(T). The associated hadron yield at low z(T) is enhanced at large angles. Such a trend is expected from redistribution of the lost energy into increased production of low-momentum particles.

Evolution of π(0) suppression in Au+Au collisions from √(s(NN))=39 to 200 GeV

Neutral-pion π(0) spectra were measured at midrapidity (|y|<0.35) in Au+Au collisions at √(s(NN))=39 and 62.4 GeV and compared with earlier measurements at 200 GeV in a transverse-momentum range of 1<p(T)<10 GeV/c. The high-p(T) tail is well described by a power law in all cases, and the powers decrease significantly with decreasing center-of-mass energy. The change of powers is very similar to that observed in the corresponding spectra for p+p collisions. The nuclear modification factors (R(AA)) show significant suppression, with a distinct energy, centrality, and p(T) dependence. Above p(T)=7 GeV/c, R(AA) is similar for √(s(NN))=62.4 and 200 GeV at all centralities. Perturbative-quantum-chromodynamics calculations that describe R(AA) well at 200 GeV fail to describe the 39 GeV data, raising the possibility that, for the same p(T) region, the relative importance of initial-state effects and soft processes increases at lower energies. The p(T) range where π(0) spectra in central Au+Au collisions have the same power as in p+p collisions is ≈5 and 7 GeV/c for √(s(NN))=200 and 62.4 GeV, respectively. For the √(s(NN))=39 GeV data, it is not clear whether such a region is reached, and the x(T) dependence of the x(T)-scaling power-law exponent is very different from that observed in the √(s(NN))=62 and 200 GeV data, providing further evidence that initial-state effects and soft processes mask the in-medium suppression of hard-scattered partons to higher p(T) as the collision energy decreases.

Relationship between sun-protection factor and application thickness in high-performance sunscreen: double application of sunscreen is recommended

BACKGROUND

High-performance sunscreen protects both healthy consumers and photosensitive patients from strong ultraviolet (UV) exposure. The sun-protection factor (SPF), which indicates the efficacy of UV protection, is determined using a prescribed sunscreen application thickness of 2.0 mg/cm(2). Therefore, users should apply at least 2.0 mg/cm(2) of sunscreen to obtain the level of UV protection expected from a product. In most cases, however, users apply insufficient amounts of sunscreen.

AIM

To determine the amount of sunscreen applied under specific conditions, and the relationship between application thickness and SPF value in high-performance sunscreen.

METHODS

The amount of applied sunscreen was calculated under practical conditions and conditions that directed a double application. The SPF values of high-performance sunscreen applied at three thicknesses (2.0, 1.0 and 0.5 mg/cm(2)) were determined according to the international SPF testing method. RESULTS. The relationship between SPF value and application thickness correlated in a logarithmic curve. The mean application thickness under practical conditions was approximately 1 mg/cm(2), and directing subjects to use a double application increased the application thickness to nearly 2 mg/cm(2).

CONCLUSION

Encouraging a double application of sunscreen will help users apply products at a thickness sufficient to achieve expected SPF efficacy. We recommend that guidance on double application of sunscreen should be posted in public locations where sunscreen is likely to be in use.

Drug sensitivity test for primary culture of human cancer-cells using collagen gel embedded culture and image-analysis

A new drug sensitivity assay method using the collagen gel embedded culture and image analysis was developed. Human cancer cells cultured in collagen gels showed extremely high cloning efficiency and in vivo-like drug response. In addition, image analysis was used successfully for the first time to automatically discriminate cancer colonies from contaminating fibroblastic cells by taking advantage of the difference in shape between them after cultivation to determine the drug response of cultured cancer cells accurately and easily. A new approach for the practical use of the drug sensitivity test on human cancer cells is suggested.

Mouth Movement Recognition Using Template Matching and its Implementation in an Intelligent Room

This paper proposes a method of recognizing movements of the mouth from images and implements the method in an intelligent room. The proposed method uses template matching and recognizes mouth movements for the purpose of indicating a target object in an intelligent room. First, the operator’s face is detected. Then, the mouth region is extracted from the facial region using the result of template matching with a template image of the lips. Dynamic Programming (DP) matching is applied to a similarity measure that is obtained by template matching. The effectiveness of the proposed method is evaluated through experiments to recognize several names of common home appliances and operations.