The correction of repositioning along the AP and SI direction from conventional bone matching in CT image-guided proton therapy was found to be effective to maintain the dose constraint of the rectum and the dose coverage of the prostate. This work indicated that prostate cancer treatment by prostate matching using CT image guidance may be effective to reduce the rectal complications and achieve better tumor control of the prostate. However, an adaptive approach is desirable to maintain better dose coverage of the SVs.

The positional deviations for the prostate on the posterior side and the SVs were smaller by PRB matching than the other strategies and effectively reduced the rectal dose. 3D dose calculations indicate that PRB matching with CT image guidance may do a better job relative to other positioning methods to effectively reduce the rectal complications. The WEL variation was quite large, and the appropriate margin (approx. 10 mm) must be adapted to the proton range in an initial planning to maintain the coverage of target volumes throughout entire treatment.

We have developed a multimodal complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor device for observing neural activities in the deep brain of a mouse. The CMOS sensor includes an image sensor, electrodes, and a light-emitting diode (LED). The image sensor was designed to be operated using only four inputs/outputs (I/Os) to reduce the number of connecting wires. The electrodes were placed on the pixel array of the sensor. Windows were opened in the electrode over the photodiodes to enable the fluorescence to be imaged using the pixels under the electrodes. An LED was mounted on the chip. The sensor chip was shaped like a shank to facilitate smooth insertion into the brain tissue. The entire device was coated with a parylene layer to make it biocompatible. The experimental results showed that the green fluorescent beads on the pixel array were successfully imaged using the LED on the chip as a light source. In a brain phantom, the change in the electrical potential was successfully sensed by the electrode, and green fluorescent beads were simultaneously imaged using the pixels under the electrode. We also demonstrated that the CMOS sensor device could successfully operate in the hippocampal area of an anesthetized mouse.

For territorial animals, establishment of status-dependent dominance order is essential to maintain social stability. In agonistic encounters of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii, a difference of body length of 3-7% is enough for larger animals to become dominant. Despite a physical disadvantage, small winners of the first pairings were more likely to win subsequent conflicts with larger inexperienced animals. In contrast, the losers of the first pairings rarely won subsequent conflicts with smaller naive animals. Such experiences of previous winning or losing affected agonistic outcomes for a long period. The winner effects lasted more than 2 weeks and the loser effect lasted about 10 days. Injection of 5HT1 receptor antagonist into the dominant animals 15-30 min after establishment of dominance order blocked the formation of the winner effects. In contrast, injection of adrenergic-like octopamine receptor antagonist into subordinate animals blocked the formation of the loser. 5HT1 receptors are negatively coupled to adenylyl cyclase and adrenergic-like octopamine receptors are positively coupled. Consistent with this, dominant animals failed to show the winner effect when injected with pCPT-cAMP, a cAMP analogue, and subordinate animals failed to show a loser effect when injected with adenylyl cyclase inhibitor SQ 22536. These results suggest that an increase and decrease of cAMP concentration is essential in mediating loser and winner effects, respectively. Furthermore, formation of the loser effect was blocked by injection of protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor H89, suggesting long-term memory of the loser effect is dependent on the cAMP-PKA signalling pathway.

We have developed a multimodal complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor device embedded with Au electrodes for fluorescent imaging and cell stimulation in the deep brain of mice. The Au electrodes were placed on the pixel array of the image sensor. Windows over the photodiodes were opened in the electrode area for simultaneous fluorescent imaging and cell stimulation in the same area of the brain tissue. The sensor chip was shaped like a shank and was packaged by two packaging methods for high strength or minimal invasion. The experimental results showed that the 90 Â 90 mm 2 Au electrodes with windows were capable of injecting theta burst stimulation (TBS)-like current pulses at 0.2 -1 mA in a saline solution. We successfully demonstrated that fluorescent imaging and TBS-like current injection can be simultaneously performed in the electrode area of a brain phantom. #