Song-related brain auditory activity in Bengalese finches as examined by immediate early gene expressions: Comparison of arousal states and the correlational analyses between brain regions.

Songbirds use auditory feedback to memorize a tutor song in juveniles and to maintain it in adults. In Bengalese finches, electrophysiological studies showed the auditory responses in the premotor area HVC remained active regardless of asleep/awake status, in contrast to auditory gating phenomenon identified in zebra finches. We investigated the correlations in auditory activity between the brain regions and differences in the activity during wakefulness and sleeping in Bengalese finches. We used the immediate early gene egr-1 as a marker of neural activity that can detect regions responding to auditory stimuli in the whole brain. Results showed that auditory response, as measured by egr-1 expression to the bird's own song while sleeping and awake, was similar in HVC and NCM. Higher activity during awake than sleep was found only in the lower auditory area MLd. Analyses showed egr-1 expressions between brain regions induced by the bird's own song playback in awake/sleep conditions, suggesting that auditory information correlated with the inter part, not the outer part, of MLd with the higher song-related regions. Furthermore, the sleep condition suppressed the spontaneous activity, but not the song-induced activity in Area X. Altogether, this study presents a new attempt to explore the auditory-motor network using a molecular tool to map neurons of the nearly whole brain.

[Construction of a System That Links Treatment RIS Terminals and Smartphones to Facilitate Radiation Therapy Operations].

Confirmation of patient information is required to ensure the safety of radiation therapy. The purpose of this study was to construct a system that facilitates radiation therapy operations by linking a radiation therapy information system to a smartphone. By linking a smartphone to a radiation therapy operation support system, without using a PC terminal, we were able to input information about the patient's position and fixation into images taken with a smartphone. In addition, patient information could be directly linked into the radiation therapy information system. In addition, patient information could be verified in the irradiation room by synchronizing the smartphone with the radiation therapy support system. The questionnaire was highly evaluated in terms of radio reception, usability, visibility and barcode reading. In this study, by linking a smartphone to a radiotherapy information system, it was possible to construct a system that facilitates radiotherapy operations by checking and registering patient information at hand.

[Measurement of Head and Neck Exposure in CT Guided IVR].

In April 2011, the International Radiological Protection Committee recommended that "The equivalent dose of the crystalline lens should not exceed 20 mSv/year, averaged over defined periods of 5 years, with no single year exceeding 50 mSv". Based on this recommendation, it is predicted that the equivalent dose limit of our crystalline lens can be lowered in the near future. Therefore, it is important to grasp the current situation of radiation exposure. The purpose of this study is to measure the crystalline lens of surgeons by focusing on the CT-fluoroscopy guided interventional radiology's (IVRs). We also examined whether the exposure dose of the crystalline lens can be correctly evaluated by measuring the unequal exposure dose of the neck, which is usually used for the unequal exposure measurement. Results of the analysis of 200 CT-fluoroscopy guided IVR procedures showed that the unequal exposure dose of the neck was significantly correlated with the exposure dose of the crystalline lens which was measured near the left eye ball (R=0.83). However, the exposure dose of the crystalline was 33% lower than those of the neck. Therefore, although the individual dosimeter worn on the neck can be used as the useful index of the exposure dose of the crystalline lens, the results can be overestimated.

[Multi-facility Survey on Accuracy and Calibration Method for Dose Area Product Meter of Angiography Systems].

In many facilities, the displayed dose of dose-area product (DAP) is used for the dose management of interventional radiology. In this study, we investigated the measured dose at the patient entrance reference point (interventional reference point) and the displayed dose on each angiography systems. Also, we investigated the calibration method of each DAP. The errors of the measured dose and the displayed dose were less than 35%, but that dispersion was wide between the systems. The calibration methods varies according to a system. And even in the same manufacturer, the calibration methods were different. Therefore, to use the displayed dose of DAP for patient dose management, we need to compare that with the measured dose regularly. The differences of calibration methods induce the wide dispersion of the errors of the measured and the displayed dose. So the standardization of the calibration method in each manufacturer is expected.