We previously believed that brain disorders could not be treated. However, brain-imaging techniques have demonstrated functional localization and the recovery of damaged areas of the brain. Through the use of various radiopharmaceuticals, positron emission tomography (PET) allows in vivo imaging of regional cerebral functions, including cerebral blood flow, molecular metabolism, and receptor binding capacity. In addition, PET demonstrates neural plasticity and compensation for brain damage. This paper discusses the plasticity and compensation of the brain revealed by our PET studies.

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We retrospectively analyzed the short-term results (8 weeks) of the use of a conjunctival pedicle flap (CPF) for treating late complications following trabeculectomy with mitomycin C in 10 eyes of 10 patients with glaucoma. The main indications for CPF were bleb leak (8 eyes), overhanging bleb (1 eye), and choroidal detachment (1 eye). In all patients we performed bleb excision and advancement of the adjacent conjunctiva. Eight weeks after CPF transfer, no hypotony, bleb leak, overhanging bleb, or choroidal detachment was observed in any patient. Mean intraocular pressure at all time points after 1 week was significantly higher than before CPF transfer (p<0.01). The intraocular pressure after CPF transfer was higher than 15mmHg in 7 cases (70%) and higher than 20mmHg in 4 cases (40%).

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An 81-year-old man with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) came to our hospital with symptoms of fever and worsening dyspnea. We diagnosed an acute exacerbation of IPF (AE-IPF) on the basis of the findings of high-resolution computed tomography of the chest and thus started steroid therapy. However, we detected Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the sputum and concluded that pulmonary tuberculosis coexisted with AE-IPF. Because high-resolution computed tomography showed circumscribed consolidation in S¹⁰ of the left lung, we suspected that the consolidation was the focus of the tuberculosis. We started treatment of the pulmonary tuberculosis with antituberculous drugs; however, we were unable to control the AE-IPF, and the patient died. Interpreting the imaging findings of infection is difficult, particularly in cases of AE-IPF, which is associated with consolidation and may coexist with infection. The frequency of tuberculosis was higher in patients with IPF than in the general population. In cases of AE-IPF caused by infection, screening sputum tests, including those for acid-fast bacteria, are useful.

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In this paper we describe statistical test. This is the most important statistical field for examining the mean, variance and other characteristics of population by using sample. First, we propose a null hypothesis, for example, that the population mean is a certain value. With statistical analysis, if we conclude that the null hypothesis is to be rejected, we judge that the hypothesis is probably not true. When we conclude that the null hypothesis is to be accepted, we can only say that we cannot reject it. In this paper, we also describe a test of independence. This is a method of testing, for example, whether we can recognize a difference in the numbers of male and female patients with certain diseases. The main method of testing for independence is not applicable to small samples, for which other methods must be used.

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