Metallic Behavior of Cyclotron Relaxation Time in Two-Dimensional Systems

Cyclotron resonance of two-dimensional electrons is studied at low temperatures down to 0.4 K for a high-mobility Si/SiGe quantum well which exhibits a metallic temperature dependence of dc resistivity $\rho$. The relaxation time $\tau_{\rm CR}$ shows a negative temperature dependence, which is similar to that of the transport scattering time $\tau_t$ obtained from $\rho$. The ratio $\tau_{\rm CR}/\tau_t$ at 0.4 K increases as the electron density $N_s$ decreases, and exceeds unity when $N_s$ approaches the critical density for the metal-insulator transition.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Late-diagnosed cesarean scar pregnancy resulting in unexpected placenta accreta spectrum necessitating hysterectomy

Cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) is a rare complication involving the implantation of the gestational sac in a cesarean delivery scar. The authors report a case of unexpected placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) caused by late diagnosed CSP, necessitating emergent hysterectomy. A 28-year-old Japanese woman with two previous cesarean deliveries presented to our hospital at 11 weeks of gestation with abnormal transvaginal ultrasound findings obtained at another hospital;however, transabdominal ultrasound revealed that the fetus was already present in the uterine cavity at this time. At 28 weeks, there was no evidence of placenta previa. The woman developed preeclampsia at 29 weeks, and a cesarean section was conducted. Intraoperative findings confirmed PAS, and hysterectomy was conducted immediately

Characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of severe sepsis of 3195 ICU-treated adult patients throughout Japan during 2011-2013

Severe sepsis is a major concern in the intensive care unit (ICU), although there is very little epidemiological information regarding severe sepsis in Japan. This study evaluated 3195 patients with severe sepsis in 42 ICUs throughout Japan. The patients with severe sepsis had a mean age of 70 +/- 15 years and a mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score of 23 +/- 9. The estimated survival rates at 28 and 90 days after ICU admission were 73.6 and 56.3 %, respectively

Antithrombin Supplementation and Mortality in Sepsis-Induced Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation : A Multicenter Retrospective Observational Study

Supplemental doses of antithrombin (AT) are widely used to treat sepsis-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in Japan. However, evidence on the benefits of AT supplementation for DIC is insufficient. This multicenter retrospective observational study aimed to clarify the effect of AT supplementation on sepsis-induced DIC using propensity score analyses. Data from 3,195 consecutive adult patients admitted to 42 intensive care units for severe sepsis treatment were retrospectively analyzed; 1,784 patients were diagnosed with DIC (n=715, AT group; n=1,069, control group). Inverse probability of treatment-weighted propensity score analysis indicated a statistically significant association between AT supplementation and lower in-hospital all-cause mortality (n=1,784, odds ratio [95% confidence intervals]: 0.748 [0.572-0.978], P=0.034). However, quintile-stratified propensity score analysis (n=1,784, odds ratio: 0.823 [0.646-1.050], P=0.117) and propensity score matching analysis (461 matching pairs, odds ratio: 0.855 [0.649-1.125], P=0.263) did not show this association. In the early days after intensive care unit admission, the survival rate was statistically higher in the propensity score-matched AT group than in the propensity score-matched control group (P=0.007). In DIC patients without concomitant heparin administration, similar results were observed. In conclusion, AT supplementation may be associated with reduced in-hospital all-cause mortality in patients with sepsis-induced DIC. However, the statistical robustness of this connection was not strong. In addition, although the number of transfusions needed in patients with AT supplementation increased, severe bleeding complications did not

Low-dose immunoglobulin G is not associated with mortality in patients with sepsis and septic shock

Abstract Background The administration of low-dose intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIgG) (5 g/day for 3 days; approximate total 0.3 g/kg) is widely used as an adjunctive treatment for patients with sepsis in Japan, but its efficacy in the reduction of mortality has not been evaluated. We investigated whether the administration of low-dose IVIgG is associated with clinically important outcomes including intensive care unit (ICU) and in-hospital mortality. Methods This is a post-hoc subgroup analysis of data from a retrospective cohort study, the Japan Septic Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (JSEPTIC DIC) study. The JSEPTIC DIC study was conducted in 42 ICUs in 40 institutions throughout Japan, and it investigated associations between sepsis-related coagulopathy, anticoagulation therapies, and clinical outcomes of 3195 adult patients with sepsis and septic shock admitted to ICUs from January 2011 through December 2013. To investigate associations between low-dose IVIgG administration and mortalities, propensity score-based matching analysis was used. Results IVIgG was administered to 960 patients (30.8%). Patients who received IVIgG were more severely ill than those who did not (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score 24.2 ± 8.8 vs 22.6 ± 8.7, p < 0.001). They had higher ICU mortality (22.8% vs 17.4%, p < 0.001), but similar in-hospital mortality (34.4% vs 31.0%, p = 0.066). In propensity score-matched analysis, 653 pairs were created. Both ICU mortality and in-hospital mortality were similar between the two groups (21.0% vs 18.1%, p = 0.185, and 32.9% vs 28.6%, p = 0.093, respectively) using generalized estimating equations fitted with logistic regression models adjusted for other therapeutic interventions. The administration of IVIgG was not associated with ICU or in-hospital mortality (odds ratio (OR) 0.883; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.655–1.192, p = 0.417, and OR 0.957, 95% CI, 0.724–1.265, p = 0.758, respectively). Conclusions In this analysis of a large cohort of patients with sepsis and septic shock, the administration of low-dose IVIgG as an adjunctive therapy was not associated with a decrease in ICU or in-hospital mortality. Trial registration University Hospital Medical Information Network Individual Clinical Trials Registry, UMIN-CTR000012543 . Registered on 10 December 2013