Gifu University of Medical Science

About: Gifu University of Medical Science is a education organization based out in Gifu City, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Imaging phantom & Motion sickness. The organization has 89 authors who have published 202 publications receiving 1350 citations.

The Impact of 3D Games on Brain Blood Flow Dynamics and its Utilization

Abstract: A 3D game machine/video clip is focused on to enhance the brain activity. Virtual space might enhance the brain activity for the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) that are now reported to increase in the aging society. We herein increase knowledge about the influence of stereoscopic images on the body, especially on the brain activity. The electroencephalograms (EEG) and the cerebral blood flow are measured in this study. Functional near-infrared imaging (fNIRS) was used to determine if either 2D or 3D video games changes brain activity.

Development of a myocardial phantom and analysis system toward the standardization of myocardial SPECT image across institutions

Abstract: We developed a novel myocardial phantom and analysis program to standardize using a quantitative index to objectively evaluate the image quality. We aimed to reveal whether our proposed phantom and analysis program are suitable for image standardization. An evaluation system of myocardial image based on technical grounds (EMIT) phantom was developed to standardize the image quality of myocardial SPECT and was constructed with the lung and myocardium in the thorax phantom; the myocardial phantom included five normal areas and eight defective areas with four defects in size (5, 10, 15, and 20 mm) and four defects in thickness (10, 7.5, 5, and 2.5 mm). Therefore, this phantom was appropriate to simultaneously simulate eight different defects and normal myocardium. The %rate value, calculated using the region of interest method, and the %count value, calculated from the profile method, were automatically analyzed to evaluate myocardial defects. The phantom was validated using difference in count levels and filter parameters compared with those in previously reported models. The average %count of eight defects by 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6 cycles/cm were 56.8, 47.4, 44.3, and 43.4 %, respectively, whereas the %count for 0.3 cycles/cm was significantly higher than that for 0.5 and 0.6 cycles/cm. The uniformity between full- and half-time images was 16.5 ± 4.2 and 18.7 ± 5.5 % for integral uniformity and 3.4 ± 1.2 and 3.4 ± 1.3 % for differential uniformity, respectively, revealing a significant difference in integral uniformity between the two acquisition times. Visual differences in defects were evident in full-time images between 0.30 and 0.50 cycles/cm, and defect detectability of the myocardial image at 0.30 cycles/cm was poor. Normal myocardial thickness widened in comparison with images at 0.50 cycles/cm. Compared with full-time myocardial image at the same cut-off frequency, the half-time myocardial image demonstrated inhomogeneous distribution and thickness of the normal myocardium. We developed a new phantom and program to standard image quality among multicenter for myocardial SPECT. The EMIT phantom and quantitative indices were useful for evaluating image quality. The physical characteristics of the image quality, including defects and uniformity, were properly measured by this method.

Evaluation of Moving Picture Image Quality on LCDs Using Stabilometer

Abstract: 液晶ディスプレイによる動画表示は特有の「ぼやけ」や「にじみ」を伴うという欠点があったが, OCB液晶技術によって開発されたディスプレイはこの問題を解消した. そこで, OCB液晶ディスプレイと従来からの液晶ディスプレイについて, 高齢者から若年者までの幅広い年齢層を対象として, 動画を注視している際の重心動揺の測定を行った. 被験者は, 20歳から73歳の正常裸眼視力または正常な矯正視力を有するとともに, 平衡機能に既往症のない55名を対象とした. OCB液晶ディスプレイと従来からの液晶ディスプレイには, 横方向にスクロールする地図を表示した. 重心動揺の測定結果は, 定量化指標を用いて比較検討を行った. その結果, OCBディスプレイと従来型ディスプレイの間に差が認められ, OCBディスプレイ注視時は重心の不安定さが改善されたことが示された. この傾向は, 若年層で著しく, 中年層と高齢者では従来型ディスプレイ注視時とOCBディスプレイ注視時との差異は有意ではなかった.

Anagrelide Modulates Proplatelet Formation Resulting in Decreased Number and Increased Size of Platelets.

Abstract: We retrospectively evaluated 48 essential thrombocythemia (ET) patients who were treated in our institute (male/female, 14/34, median age, 61.5 years). In 14 patients treated with anagrelide (ANA), the degree of platelet count reduction (median, -56.6%) was strongly correlated with increase of mean platelet volume (MPV) (median, +11.7%) (R = 0.777). This correlation was not observed in ET patients treated with hydroxycarbamide alone (R = 0.245). The change in size of platelets strongly suggested that ANA affected the final process of platelet production. Thus, we hypothesized that ANA modifies the process by which platelets are released from proplatelets. To verify the association in an in vitro setting, we compared MEG-01 cells treated with PMA ± ANA. The number of platelet-like particles (PLPs) was decreased (P < 0.05) and the size of PLPs estimated by using flow cytometry was significantly increased when MEG-01 cells were treated with PMA + ANA (P < 0.05 vs PMA alone), recapitulating the clinical findings. The cytoplasmic protrusions extending from MEG-01 cells were shorter and thicker and the number of proplatelets was decreased when MEG-01 cells were treated with PMA + ANA (P < 0.01 vs PMA alone). Western blotting analysis showed that ANA treatment resulted in increased phosphorylation of MLC2 and reduced phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). The morphological change of proplatelets were reversed by blebbistatin, a specific inhibitor of myosin II. These findings indicated that ANA modulates the FAK-RhoA-ROCK-MLC2-myosine IIA pathway and suppresses proplatelet maturation, leading to a decrease in platelet count and increase in MPV.