Impact of adaptive radiotherapy on survival in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy

Yusuke Uchinami(Yusuke Uchinami ),Koichi Yasuda(Koichi Yasuda ),Hideki Minatogawa(Hideki Minatogawa ),Yasuhiro Dekura(Yasuhiro Dekura ),Noboru Nishikawa(Noboru Nishikawa ),Rumiko Kinoshita(Rumiko Kino 대한방사선종양학회 2024 Radiation Oncology Journal Vol.42 No.1

Purpose: To investigate the clinical significance of adaptive radiotherapy (ART) in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Materials and Methods: Eligible patients were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy using IMRT. Planning computed tomography in ART was performed during radiotherapy, and replanning was performed. Since ART was started in May 2011 (ART group), patients who were treated without ART up to April 2011 (non-ART group) were used as the historical control. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate overall survival (OS), locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). LRFS for the primary tumor (LRFS_P) and regional lymph node (LRFS_LN) were also studied for more detailed analysis. Statistical significance was evaluated using the log-rank test for survival. Results: The ART group tended to have higher radiation doses. The median follow-up period was 127 months (range, 10 to 211 months) in the non-ART group and 61.5 months (range, 5 to 129 months) in the ART group. Compared to the non-ART group, the ART group showed significantly higher 5-year PFS (53.8% vs. 81.3%, p = 0.015) and LRFS (61.2% vs. 85.3%, p = 0.024), but not OS (80.7% vs. 80.8%, p = 0.941) and DMFS (84.6% vs. 92.7%, p = 0.255). Five-year LRFS_P was higher in the ART group (61.3% vs. 90.6%, p = 0.005), but LRFS_LN did not show a significant difference (91.9% vs. 96.2%, p = 0.541). Conclusion: Although there were differences in the patient backgrounds between the two groups, this study suggests the potential effectiveness of ART in improving locoregional control, especially in the primary tumor.

Characteristics of soil respiration temperature sensitivity in a Pinus/Betula mixed forest during periods of rising and falling temperatures under the Japanese monsoon climate

Yusuke Oe,Akinori Yamamoto,Shigeru Mariko 한국생태학회 2011 Journal of Ecology and Environment Vol.34 No.2

We studied temperature sensitivity characteristics of soil respiration during periods of rising and falling temperatures within a common temperature range. We measured soil respiration continuously through two periods (a period of falling temperature, from August 7, 2003 to October 13, 2003; and a period of rising temperature from May 2, 2004 to July 2,2004) using an open-top chamber technique. A clear exponential relationship was observed between soil temperature and soil respiration rate during both periods. However, the effects of soil water content were not significant, because the humid monsoon climate prevented soil drought, which would otherwise have limited soil respiration. We analyzed temperature sensitivity using the Q_(10) value and R_(ref) (reference respiration at the average temperature for the observation period) and found that these values tended to be higher during the period of rising temperature than during the period of falling temperature. In the absence of an effect on soil water content, several other factors could explain this phenomenon. Here, we discuss the factors that control temperature sensitivity of soil respiration during periods of rising and falling temperature, such as root respiration, root growth, root exudates, and litter supply. We also discuss how the contribution of these factors may vary due to different growth states or due to the effects of the previous season, despite a similar temperature range.

Conservative Loan Loss Allowance and Bank Lending

Yusuke TAKASU,Makoto NAKANO 한국유통과학회 2019 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.6 No.3

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relation between conservative loan loss accounting practice of banks, defined as accounting behavior that increases loan loss allowances against expected credit losses, and bank lending. Furthermore, we specify the macroeconomic conditions reflecting debtors’ borrowing environments and analyze how these conditions affect the relation between conservative loan loss allowances and bank lending. Although existing literature reports that accounting conservatism has a direct effect on non-financial firms’ investment behavior, there is little evidence about an effect of conservatism on banks’ lending behavior. By exploiting data showing the links between individual Japanese firms and their individual lenders to control both loan demand and supply, we estimate OLS regressions to test the relationships among conservative loan loss allowance, bank lending, and macroeconomic conditions using a unique dataset containing bank–firm–year observations between 2001 and 2013. We find banks that have conservative loan loss allowances tend to provide fewer loans to firms with financing needs when macroeconomic conditions are good and these conservative banks are likely to provide more loans to firms when macroeconomic conditions are bad. Our findings suggest that reflecting expected credit loss into loan loss allowances can mitigate the procyclical behavior of banks.

Automatic Cell Identification in the Unique System of Invariant Embryogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans

Yusuke Azuma,Shuichi Onami 대한의용생체공학회 2014 Biomedical Engineering Letters (BMEL) Vol.4 No.4

In recent years, development of image processing methodshas rapidly progressed to automatically identify spatiotemporaldynamics of embryonic cells in Caenorhabditis elegans. Themethods allow quantitative and high-throughput analysis formolecular dynamics during embryogenesis. In turn, theanalyzed dynamics can be merged onto a reference embryo,providing an integrated view of embryogenesis. This integrationis enabled by invariant embryogenesis of C. elegans, whichis the most unique advantage offered by this organism. Therefore, the key point in the development of the methodsis how to take advantage of this feature. In this article, wereview a series of development of such methods and theirapplications. First, we describe basic image processing methodsthat are the basis for development of cell identificationmethods. Next, we describe methods that have succeeded toidentify cells in images and their performance. Finally, wereview studies that have employed cell identificationmethods to analyze the variability of cellular dynamics, cellcellcontacts and cell fate determination. Together withadvances in imaging technologies to measure moleculardynamics and computational methods to identify suchdynamics with high accuracy, the unique system of invariantembryogenesis in C. elegans will be invaluable to studydevelopmental mechanisms. Therefore, it is important tounderstand the ever developing technologies and theirresults.

Hyper-Raman scattering of SrTi18O3

Yusuke Minaki,Yuhji Tsujimi,Makoto Nakanishi,Mika Kobayashi,Mitsuru Itoh,Ruiping Wang,Toshirou Yagi 한국물리학회 2003 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.42 No.IV

Hyper-Raman scattering experiment has been performed in the SrTi(18Ox 16O1..x)3 single crystal plate with x = 0:87. Raman inactive ferroelectric Eu Slater mode is directly detected in the tetragonal phase. The mode clearly shows a softening behavior and seems to cause the ferroelectric transition at Tc = 26 1 K.

NPI licensing and the logic of the syntax-semantics interface

Yusuke Kubota,Robert Levine 경희대학교 언어정보연구소 2021 언어연구 Vol.38 No.2

In this paper, we propose an explicit syntax-semantics interface of NPI licensing in Hybrid TLG. Hybrid TLG is a version of categorial grammar that inherits properties of both lexicalist and derivational variants of generative grammar, and it has been shown in our previous research (summarized in Kubota and Levine 2020) that it offers elegant analyses for a number of complex phenomena at the interface of syntax and semantics (especially in the domains of coordination and ellipsis) that turn out to be highly problematic for other grammatical theories. In the present paper, we extend our work to NPI licensing and report on some initial results suggesting that the flexible and systematic architecture of Hybrid TLG turns out to be successful in this domain too. Specifically, our approach captures interactions between NPI licensing (or polarity sensitivity) and other complex phenomena at the syntax-semantics interface including the scopal properties of modal auxiliaries, Gapping, and VP fronting.

< 구두-B-02 > Visualizing MFA distribution from cross-section of wood cell wall

( Yusuke Kita ),( Junji Sugiyama ) 한국목재공학회 2019 한국목재공학회 학술발표논문집 Vol.2019 No.1

The orientation angle of the microfibril along the longitudinal axis of the plant cell wall, microfibril angle (MFA), is considered as one of the most important indices because of its obvious correlation with the mechanical and chemical properties of the plant itself like Young’s modulus, shrinkage anisotropy and so on. Therefore, many ways have been invented to estimate the MFA values. However, most of the conventional methods only give us the limited information, local or spatial mean MFA values. Hence, the brand-new approach is needed which can access microscopic and macroscopic MFA values simultaneously. This study proposes the technique for evaluating the MFA distribution from the cross section of wood cell wall by use of optical anisotropy of cellulose microfibril. 10μm cross sections of 3 wood species (C. obtusa, T. dolabrata, T. cuspidata) were prepared by sliding microtome. Wavelength-sliced images among 460-601 nm under the polarization with sensitive color plate (λ= 530 nm) were extracted by polarization optical microscope (Olympus Inc.) and VariSpec liquid crystal tunable filter (CRi Inc.). The magnification of the objective lens and the interval of the sliced images were set to x10 and 3nm, respectively. Finally, these images were sequentially transformed into light intensity profiles, retardation (nm) and MFA (degree) values, respectively. This methodology reveals the potential for visualizing 2-dimensional qualitative MFA distribution in the wide range at a one time.

Investigating the Transient Properties of a Superconducting Generator with High-response Excitation Introducing Current Source PWM Converter in an Improved Power System

Yusuke, Monma,Hideyuki, Shirato,Wu, Guohong The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers 2013 The Journal of International Council on Electrical Vol.3 No.1

Recently, power systems are being operated under increasingly stressed conditions, and the ability to maintain the system stability becomes an issue of concern. A Superconducting Generator (SCG) can be one of the ways to obtain higher stabilities, higher power density and higher efficiencies in the near future power systems. In this paper, SCG with high-response excitation is studied, which is identified to have the potential of improving the system stability by its SMES (Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage) effect. Taking consideration of the facts that the excitation voltage of a SCG is extremely low meanwhile the field current is considerable high in the normal operation, this paper proposed a new type excitation circuit for SCG that is different with the conventional one, which has introduced a current source PWM converter to automatically regulate the field current instead of the conventional automatic excitation voltage regulation. The validity of the proposed method has been examined by digital simulation studies, and the improving effect of the power system stability by the proposed SCG has been verified as well in this study.

Long-term Outcomes of One Stage Surgery Using Transanal Colorectal Tube for Acute Colorectal Obstruction of Stage II/III Distal Colon Cancer

Yusuke Okuda,Tomonori Yamada,Yoshikazu Hirata,Takaya Shimura,Ryuzo Yamaguchi,Eiji Sakamoto,Satoshi Sobue,Takahiro Nakazawa,Hiromi Kataoka,Takashi Joh 대한암학회 2019 Cancer Research and Treatment Vol.51 No.2

Purpose Since oncological outcomes of transanal colorectal tube (TCT) placement, an endoscopic treatment for colorectal cancer (CRC) with acute colorectal obstruction (ACO), remain unknown, this study analyzed long-term outcomes of TCT placement for stage II/III CRC with ACO. Materials and Methods Data were retrospectively reviewed from consecutive patients with distal stage II/III CRC who underwent surgery between January 2007 and December 2011 at two Japanese hospitals. One hospital conducted emergency surgery and the other performed TCT placement as the standard treatment for all CRCs with ACO. Propensity score (PS) matching was used to adjust baseline characteristics between two groups. Results Among 754 patients with distal stage II/III CRC, 680 did not have ACO (non-ACO group) and 74 had ACO (ACO group). The PS matching between both hospitals identified 234 pairs in the non-ACO group and 23 pairs in the ACO group. In the non-ACO group, the surgical quality was equivalent between the two institutions, with no significant differences in overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). In the ACO group, the rate of primary resection/anastomosis was higher in the TCT group than in the surgery group (87.0% vs. 26.1%, p < 0.001). No significant differences were noted between the surgery and the TCT groups in OS (5-year OS, 61.9% vs. 51.5%; p=0.490) and DFS (5-year DFS, 45.9% vs. 38.3%; p=0.658). Conclusion TCT placement can achieve similar long-term outcomes to emergency surgery, with a high rate of primary resection/anastomosis for distal stage II/III colon cancer with ACO.

Clinical Outcome of Arthroscopic or Open Trans-axillary First Rib Resection for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Yusuke Iwahori,Yukihiro Kajita,Yositaka Muramatsu,Ryosuke Takahashi,Masataka Deie 대한견주관절의학회 2018 대한견주관절학회 학술대회논문집 Vol.2018 No.3