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PurposeTo develop a support vector machine (SVM) classifier using CT texture-based analysis in differentiating focal-type autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) and pancreatic duct carcinoma (PD), and to assess the radiologists’ diagnostic performance with or without SVM.Materials and methodsThis retrospective study included 50 patients (20 patients with focal-type AIP and 30 patients with PD) who underwent dynamic contrast-enhanced CT. Sixty-two CT texture-based features were extracted from 2D images of the arterial and portal phase CTs. We conducted data compression and feature selections using principal component analysis (PCA) and produced the SVM classifier. Four readers participated in this observer performance study and the statistical significance of differences with and without the SVM was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.ResultsThe SVM performance indicated a high performance in differentiating focal-type AIP and PD (AUC = 0.920). The AUC for all 4 readers increased significantly from 0.827 to 0.911 when using the SVM outputs (p = 0.010). The AUC for inexperienced readers increased significantly from 0.781 to 0.905 when using the SVM outputs (p = 0.310). The AUC for experienced readers increased from 0.875 to 0.912 when using the SVM outputs, however, there was no significant difference (p = 0.018).ConclusionThe use of SVM classifier using CT texture-based features improved the diagnostic performance for differentiating focal-type AIP and PD on CT.

PurposeTo assess atrophy differences among brain regions and time-dependent changes after whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT).Materials and methodsTwenty patients with lung cancer who underwent both WBRT and chemotherapy (WBRT group) and 18 patients with lung cancer who underwent only chemotherapy (control group) were recruited. Three-dimensional T1WI were analyzed to calculate volume reduction ratio after WBRT in various brain structures. The volume reduction ratio of the hippocampus was compared among following 3 periods: 0–3, 4–7, and 8–11 months after WBRT.ResultsThe volume reduction ratio of the hippocampus was significantly higher in the WBRT group than in the control group (p < 0.05). In WBRT group, the volume reduction ratio of the hippocampus was significantly higher than that of the cortex and white matter (p < 0.05). There were significant differences in the volume reduction ratio between of 0–3 months and that of 4–7 months (p = 0.02) and between 4–7 months and that of 8–11 months (p = 0.01).ConclusionThe hippocampus is more vulnerable to the radiation compared with other brain regions and may become atrophic even in the early stage after WBRT.

PurposeTo evaluate the potential of full-iterative reconstruction (IR) for improving image quality of the cystic artery on CT angiography and to assess observer performance.MethodsThirty patients who underwent both liver dynamic CT and conventional angiography were included in this retrospective study. All CT data were reconstructed through filtered back projection (FBP), adaptive iterative dose reduction 3D (AIDR3D), and forward-projected, model-based, iterative reconstruction solution (FIRST), respectively. In objective study, we analyzed mean ΔCT numbers (the difference between the HU peak of the vessel and the background) and full-width at tenth-maximum (FWTM) of three parts of the cystic artery by profile curve method comparing the three reconstructions. Subjectively, visualization was evaluated using a four-point scale performed by two blinded observers. ANOVA was used for statistical analysis.ResultsIn all parts of the cystic artery, the mean ΔCT number of FIRST was shown to be significantly better than that of FBP and AIDR3D (p < 0.05). FWTM in FIRST was the smallest in all of the vessels. The mean visualization score was significantly better with FIRST than with other CT reconstructions (p < 0.05).ConclusionsThe FIRST algorithm led to improved CTA visualization of the cystic artery.

PurposeThis study aims to investigate hippocampal subfield volumes in patients with hippocampal sclerosis (HS) without visually detectable MRI abnormalities and to determine the diagnostic accuracy using hippocampal subfield volumes.Materials and methodsWe examined 46 patients with unilateral HS who had a histopathological diagnosis, and 54 controls. The patients were divided into two groups; visually detectable HS (n = 26) and undetectable HS (n = 20) on MRI. The volumes of hippocampal subfield using FreeSurfer were compared among the three groups. Diagnostic accuracy was calculated as the AUC of ROC using cutoff values for each individual subfield.ResultsCompared with the controls, visually detectable HS showed significantly reduced volumes of all the hippocampal subfields and entire hippocampus, whereas visually undetectable HS showed significant atrophy only in the CA3 and hippocampus-amygdala-transition-area. To diagnose visually undetectable HS, the CA3 volumes had AUC of 0.719, which was higher than AUC of 0.614 based on the entire hippocampal volumes.ConclusionVisually undetectable HS demonstrated volume reductions in the CA3. Further, the CA3 volumes was more useful to diagnose visually undetectable HS compared with the entire hippocampal volumes.

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of DNA causes genotoxic photolesions, such as carcinogenic pyrimidine(6-4)pyrimidone photoproducts ((6-4)PPs). In many organisms, (6-4)PPs are repaired by (6-4) photolyases, which contain a flavin chromophore and use blue light energy to initiate the catalytic reaction. Although (6-4)PP repair has been shown to require the input of two successive photons, details of the mechanism remain elusive. Here, we applied recently developed time-resolved UV and infrared (IR) spectroscopic techniques to capture a key intermediate that awaits the second photon in the repair reaction of Xenopus laevis (6-4) photolyase. The results indicate that the intermediate is formed within 500 μs following the initial absorption of a photon and contains a four-membered oxetane ring that bridges two adjacent pyrimidine bases. These findings shed light on the molecular basis of DNA repair involving two-photon activation. (6-4) photolyases repair carcinogenic pyrimidine(6-4)pyrimidone photoproducts, a process that requires two successive photons but whose mechanistic details remain elusive. Here, the authors use time-resolved ultraviolet and infrared spectroscopy to identify a long-lived oxetane intermediate formed within 500 µs after absorption of the first photon by Xenopus laevis (6-4) photolyase.

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The literature shows that computer-delivered interventions with personalized normative feedback can reduce problem drinking for up to 6 months in the West. Meanwhile, no studies have been conducted to examine the effects of such interventions among Japanese problem drinkers. Possible moderators associated with effectiveness of the intervention need to be also explored. The purpose of this study is to conduct a trial and examine the efficacy of a brief intervention with personal normative feedback and psychoeducation on several measures of alcohol consumption among Japanese problem drinkers. Additionally, this study will examine whether the level of alcohol use disorder and beliefs about the physical and psychological outcomes of drinking moderate the effect of the intervention on outcome measures. This study will conduct a single-blind, 2-armed randomized controlled trial. Japanese adults with an Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test score of 8 or higher will be enrolled in the trial. Participants allocated to the intervention group will receive the intervention immediately after the baseline measurements, and participants allocated to the waitlist group will receive the intervention at the end of the trial. Outcome measures include drinking quantity, drinking frequency, and alcohol-related consequences. Follow-up assessment will take place at 1 month, 2 months, and 6 months following the baseline measurement. The authors will not know the group allocation during trial. The authors will plan to collect a sample of 600 participants. Mixed-effect analyses of variance will be used to examine the main effects of condition, the main effects of time, and the interaction effects between condition and time on outcome variables. Enrollment for the trial began on January 6, 2018 and data are expected to be available by August 2018. This study will contribute to the literature by demonstrating the efficacy of Web-based screenings and brief interventions among Japanese problem drinkers and indicating several possible moderators between the intervention and outcomes. This type of Web-based brief intervention has the possibility of being implemented in Japanese schools and workplaces as a prevention tool. UMIN Clinical Trials Registry R000034388; https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi? recptno=R000034388 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6xmOoTfTI). RR1-10.2196/10650.