Artificial colloids versus human albumin for the treatment of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: A retrospective cohort study

Background: The optimal colloid solution for the treatment of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) remains to be established. Objective: We aimed to compare artificial colloids (AC) with human albumin (HA) for the treatment of OHSS. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, data for OHSS participants were collected from a national inpatient database in Japan. The participants received intravenous fluid management with AC (n = 156) or HA (n = 127). We compared the two groups in terms of the length of stay, development of post-treatment complications, and termination surgery. Results: In multivariable linear regression analyses for log-transformed length of stay with reference to the OHSS participants receiving AC, the regression coefficient (95% confidence interval) in participants receiving HA was 0.03 (-0.04-0.09, p = 0.42). Thromboembolism occurred in two participants in the HA group and three participants in the AC group. Two participants in the HA group suffered renal failure during hospitalization. No participants underwent termination surgery in the two groups. Conclusions: The present results showed comparable efficacy between AC and HA for the treatment of OHSS. There were no significant differences in post-treatment complications between the two groups. Key words: Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, Treatment, Colloid, Length of stay

Culprit segments identified by optical coherence tomography in patients with acute myocardial infarction: Two case reports

The high resolution of optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides detailed information about coronary plaque morphology, which enables the mechanism of acute myocardial infarction to be evaluated. We describe two patients with acute myocardial infarction in whom culprit segments were identified by OCT, but not by either coronary angiography or intravascular ultrasound

Antenatal corticosteroid administration in women undergoing tocolytic treatment who delivered before 34 weeks of gestation: a retrospective cohort study using a national inpatient database

Abstract Background Antenatal corticosteroid treatment is globally recommended for women at risk of giving birth before 34 weeks of gestation. In Japan, data on the rate of completing recommended antenatal corticosteroid treatment are lacking. This study aimed to: (i) determine the proportion of patients treated for threatened preterm birth with tocolysis who received antenatal glucocorticoids; and (ii) analyze the association between long-term tocolysis and antenatal glucocorticoids treatment as recommended. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study using a national inpatient database in Japan. We selected pregnant women who had undergone treatment in hospitals due to threatened preterm birth and received the tocolytic ritodrine hydrochloride by infusion from July 2010 to March 2016, and delivered at < 34 weeks of gestation. The primary outcome was receiving of antenatal glucocorticoid treatment as recommended. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate factors associated with receiving antenatal glucocorticoid treatment. Results Only 23% of 4048 eligible patients received glucocorticoid treatment as recommended. Those with longer durations of ritodrine hydrochloride infusion were significantly less likely to receive glucocorticoid treatment as recommended. Conclusions In Japan, many patients who receive tocolytic treatment for threatened preterm birth do not receive antenatal glucocorticoid treatment as recommended. Recommended treatment based on apparent evidences should be performed for the patients with threatened preterm birth

Unusual temperature dependence of electroluminescence intensity in blue InGaN single quantum well diodes

Temperature dependence of electroluminescence (EL) spectral intensity of the super-bright blue InGaN single quantum well (SQW) light emitting diodes (LEDs) has been carefully investigated over a wide temperature range (T=15–300 K) and as a function of injection current level (0.1–10 mA) in comparison with high quality GaAs SQW–LEDs. When T is slightly decreased to 180 K, the EL intensity efficiently increases in both cases due to the reduced non-radiative recombination processes. However, further decreasing T below 100 K, striking differences exist in EL intensity as well as injection current dependences between the two types of diodes. That is, the EL efficiency at lower T is found to be quite low for the blue diode in strong contrast to that of red GaAs SQW–LED where significant enhancement of the EL efficiency persists down to 15 K. These results indicate that the carrier capture efficiency of the blue SQW diode is unusually worse at lower T than at T=180–300 K, reflecting the unique radiative recombination processes under the presence of high-density dislocation (1010 cm−2)

T Cell Bispecific Antibodies: An Antibody-Based Delivery System for Inducing Antitumor Immunity

As a breakthrough immunotherapy, T cell bispecific antibodies (T-BsAbs) are a promising antibody therapy for various kinds of cancer. In general, T-BsAbs have dual-binding specificity to a tumor-associated antigen and a CD3 subunit forming a complex with the TCR. This enables T-BsAbs to crosslink tumor cells and T cells, inducing T cell activation and subsequent tumor cell death. Unlike immune checkpoint inhibitors, which release the brake of the immune system, T-BsAbs serve as an accelerator of T cells by stimulating their immune response via CD3 engagement. Therefore, they can actively redirect host immunity toward tumors, including T cell recruitment from the periphery to the tumor site and immunological synapse formation between tumor cells and T cells. Although the low immunogenicity of solid tumors increases the challenge of cancer immunotherapy, T-BsAbs capable of immune redirection can greatly benefit patients with such tumors. To investigate the detailed relationship between T-BsAbs delivery and their T cell redirection activity, it is necessary to determine how T-BsAbs deliver antitumor immunity to the tumor site and bring about tumor cell death. This review article discusses T-BsAb properties, specifically their pharmacokinetics, redirection of anticancer immunity, and local mechanism of action within tumor tissues, and discuss further challenges to expediting T-BsAb development

Unusual temperature dependence of electroluminescence intensity in blue InGaN single quantum well diodes

Temperature dependence of electroluminescence (EL) spectral intensity of the super-bright blue InGaN single quantum well (SQW) light emitting diodes (LEDs) has been carefully investigated over a wide temperature range (T=15–300 K) and as a function of injection current level (0.1–10 mA) in comparison with high quality GaAs SQW–LEDs. When T is slightly decreased to 180 K, the EL intensity efficiently increases in both cases due to the reduced non-radiative recombination processes. However, further decreasing T below 100 K, striking differences exist in EL intensity as well as injection current dependences between the two types of diodes. That is, the EL efficiency at lower T is found to be quite low for the blue diode in strong contrast to that of red GaAs SQW–LED where significant enhancement of the EL efficiency persists down to 15 K. These results indicate that the carrier capture efficiency of the blue SQW diode is unusually worse at lower T than at T=180–300 K, reflecting the unique radiative recombination processes under the presence of high-density dislocation (1010 cm−2)