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Competing Interests: The authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to disclose.

Polymer hydrogels, including molecular hydrogels, are expected to become materials for healthcare and medical applications, but there is a need to create new functional molecular gels that can meet the required performance. In this paper, for creating new molecular hydrogel materials, the gel formation behavior and its rheological properties for the molecular gels composed of a polymer hydrogelator, poly(3-sodium sulfo- p -phenylene-terephthalamide) polymer ( NaPPDT ), and water-soluble polymer with the polar group, poly(vinyl alcohol) ( PVA ) in various concentrations were examined. Molecular hydrogel composites formed from simple mixtures of NaPPDT aqueous solutions (0.1 wt.%~1.0 wt.%) and PVA aqueous solutions exhibited thixotropic behavior in the relatively low concentration region (0.1 wt.%~1.0 wt.%) and spinnable gel formation in the dense concentration region (4.0 wt.%~8.0 wt.%) with 1.0 wt.% NaPPDT aq., showing a characteristic concentration dependence of mechanical behavior. In contrast, each single-component aqueous solution showed no such gel formation in the concentration range in the present experiments. No gel formation behavior was also observed when mixed with common anionic polymers other than NaPPDT . This improvement in gel-forming ability due to mixing may be due to the increased density of the gel's network structure composed of hydrogelator and PVA and rigidity owing to NaPPDT ., Competing Interests: The author declares no conflicts of interest.

A fraction of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) shows unexpected rapid tumor growth, called hyperprogressive disease (HPD) after the initiation of atezolizumab and bevacizumab (ATZ + BEV). However, little information is available concerning salvage therapy after HPD and the possibility of resuming ATZ + BEV. A 60-year-old woman with unresectable HCCs was treated with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and followed by lenvatinib, which showed an unsatisfactory result. Multiple HCCs had been noted in both lobes just before ATZ + BEV treatment. After the initiation of ATZ + BEV, a tumor in the left lobe grew rapidly. The tumor growth kinetics ratio and tumor growth rate ratio of the rapidly growing lesion were 3.76 and 2.02, respectively. Thyroid dysfunction was noted after the initiation of ATZ + BEV. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratios just before and at 3 weeks after the first ATZ + BEV treatment were 3.89 and 3.5, respectively. Drug-eluting bead (DEB)-TACE using cisplatin was performed for the rapidly growing tumor, which was effective for the targeted HCC in the left lobe as well as multiple HCCs in the right lobe. We were able to resume and continue ATZ + BEV without HPD, which was effective for HCC. We considered that DEB-TACE is an option for treating HPD., (© 2022. Japanese Society of Gastroenterology.)

Liver cirrhosis is frequently complicated by spontaneous portosystemic shunt (SPSS) due to portal hypertension. Shunt embolization is considered when symptoms related to SPSSs are refractory to endoscopic and/or medical therapies. However, little information is available on the treatment of patients with multiple and large SPSS. We report a successfully managed case in which patient with such SPSS received two embolization procedures within 6 months. A 57-year-old man with alcoholic liver cirrhosis was transferred to our hospital due to a ruptured gastric varix. CT examination showed gastrorenal and splenorenal shunts of 8 mm and 11 mm in diameter, respectively. In addition, multiple hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) were noted. First, balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) was performed for the gastrorenal shunt, resulting in the disappearance of the varix, followed by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for HCCs. However, the hepatic encephalopathy worsened after the BRTO and TACE, and the splenorenal shunt enlarged to 18 mm in diameter. Although the shunt was tortuous and had another drainage vein, we completed the embolization for the shunt using metallic coils without any events. The patient's hepatic encephalopathy and hepatic function were ameliorated after embolization for the splenorenal shunt, and the patient was free from hepatic encephalopathy., (© 2021. Japanese Society of Gastroenterology.)

For the purpose of imaging element- and shell-specific magnetic distributions under high magnetic fields, a scanning soft X-ray microscope has been developed at beamline BL25SU, SPring-8, Japan. The scanning X-ray microscope utilizes total electron yield detection of absorbed circularly polarized soft X-rays in order to observe magnetic domains through the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism effect. Crucially, this system is equipped with an 8 T superconducting magnet. The performance and features of the present system are demonstrated by magnetic domain observations of the fractured surface of a Nd 14.0 Fe 79.7 Cu 0.1 B 6.2 sintered magnet., (open access.)

We proposed and demonstrated a simple but deterministic scheme for generating polarization-entangled photon pairs at telecommunication wavelengths with type-II quasi-phase-matched spontaneous parametric down-conversion (QPM-SPDC) having two poling periods. We fabricated a LiNbO3 crystal having two poling periods so as to generate entangled photons at two wavelengths, i.e., 1506 nm and 1594 nm. We characterized the two-photon polarization state with state tomography and confirmed that the state was highly entangled.

A prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicenter study in cancer patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy was undertaken to evaluate and compare the tolerability of sargramostim (yeast-derived recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, RhuGM-CSF) and filgrastim (bacteria-derived recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, RhuG-CSF) in the prophylaxis or treatment of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. In all, 137 evaluable patients received sargramostim (300 micrograms; 193 mg/m2) or filgrastim (481 mg; 7 mg/kg) once daily by self-administered s.c. injection, usually beginning within 48 h after completion of chemotherapy. With the exception of a slightly higher incidence of grade 1 fever (< 38.1 degrees C) with sargramostim, there were no statistically significant differences in the incidence or severity of local or systemic adverse events possibly related to the growth factors. Although the study was not designed to evaluate efficacy directly, there also were no statistically significant differences between treatment groups in total days of growth factor therapy, days of hospitalization, or days of i.v. antibiotic therapy during the treatment period. Both sargramostim and filgrastim were comparably well tolerated when given by s.c. injection in this group of patients, and no clinically significant differences between the growth factors were demonstrated.

The efficacy and tolerability of monotherapy with imipenem-cilastatin (I-C) were compared with that of ceftazidime plus full-course therapy with an aminoglycoside (tobramycin) (C&T) in the treatment of presumed bacterial infection in neutropenic cancer patients. A total of 106 adult patients diagnosed with presumed bacterial infection and an underlying malignancy with an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) < 500/mm3 were enrolled in this open-label study. A total of 131 febrile episodes occurred. Forty-five patients in the I-C group and 41 in the C&T group, who were well matched on demographic and baseline characteristics, were evaluable for efficacy and safety. Seventy-two hours after the start of therapy, no significant between-group differences in treatment outcomes, including withdrawals or deaths, were seen. Thirty-five (78%) of 45 patients in the I-C group and 29 (71%) of the 41 in the C&T group had successful outcomes at the final evaluation. Superinfection occurred in 8 (18%) I-C patients and 3 (7%) C&T patients. Within the subgroup of patients with an initial ANC < 100/mm3, the final evaluation showed no significant differences in treatment outcome between groups. Of the 131 in the safety population 30 (46%) I-C patients and 28 (42%) C&T patients had one or more adverse experiences; drug-related adverse events occurred in 25 (38%) patients in the I-C group and 11 (17%) patients in the C&T group. The data suggest that imipenem-cilastatin should be considered for initial empiric therapy of presumed bacterial infection in neutropenic cancer patients.

A pilot study was performed to evaluate the feasibility of administering prolonged continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil with multiple bolus chemotherapeutic agents. Twelve patients with advanced measurable gastric carcinoma were treated with a combination chemotherapy program of continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil, bolus Adriamycin, mitomycin C, and low-dose cisplatin (FAMP). Responses were observed in 5 patients (2 complete and 3 partial). Observed toxicities included leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, mucositis, and hand-foot syndrome. Although the FAMP regimen has activity in advanced gastric carcinoma, the number of patients evaluated was small and significant improvement over currently available regimens could not be demonstrated. Evaluation of toxicities indicates that bolus administration of multiple agents (specifically, Adriamycin, mitomycin C, and cisplatin) can be used in conjunction with continuously infused 5-fluorouracil without excessive toxicity.

The Georgetown University Hospital experience in the treatment of advanced breast cancer using either a combination of doxorubicin (adriamycin) and vincristine (AV) or adriamycin and mitomycin-C (AM) is presented. Of 74 previously treated patients with advanced breast cancer, 50 patients were given AV and 24 patients were given AM. Both groups were comparable in regard to number of disease sites, age, prior radiation therapy, disease-free interval after mastectomy, duration of treatment, and estrogen-receptor status. The response rates were 32% and 25% with AV and AM combinations, respectively. Achievement of response was not related to menopausal or estrogen-receptor status. Median time to disease progression was 7.0 and 9.6 months for AV and AM, respectively. Median survivals were not statistically different (9.7 months for AV and 11.1 months for AM). Life-table analysis for responders versus nonresponders within each regimen and between responders in either regimen revealed no statistical differences. Duration of response for each regimen was also equivalent. Toxicity was mild and similar to previous reports using these drugs. However, myelosuppression was significantly greater for premenopausal than postmenopausal patients in the AV group. The possible reasons for this are discussed. Both AM and AV are well-tolerated regimens which provide equivalent but limited response rates, duration of response, and median survival in previously treated women with advanced breast cancer.

Sixty-two patients with advanced measurable gastric cancer were treated with a combination chemotherapy program of 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and mitomycin (FAM). Forty-two percent of patients achieved an objective partial response. The median duration of remission was 9 months and the median survival for responding patients, 12.5 months. The median survival for nonresponding patients was 3.5 months; all patients were dead by 8 months after initiation of therapy. The median survival of all 62 patients treated with FAM was 5.5 months. An analysis of possible prognostic variables including initial performance status, resectability of the primary gastric tumor, and histologic differentiation of the neoplasm failed to account for differences in patient response and survival. The FAM regimen was well tolerated, producing only moderate bone marrow suppression. These results show that patients with metastatic gastric cancer can be effectively palliated with FAM chemotherapy. The efficacy of this regimen should now be tested in patients with less advanced stages of this disease.

Partially purified thymosin fraction 5 ( TF5 ) was administered to 21 patients with advanced renal cancer. Two different loading dose schedules and doses (60 and 120 mg/m2) of SQ TF5 were employed in 10 patients each. Of 20 evaluable patients, three exhibited partial responses and two exhibited stable disease. All five of these patients had had prior nephrectomies and lung metastases as the dominant site of disease. Toxicity was minimal but included one probable systemic allergic reaction. We could not identify any specific relationship between TF5 dose/schedule or pretreatment immune abnormalities and tumor responsiveness. Our results indicate that the administration of TF5 alone can induce regressions of renal cancer. Additional trials with larger numbers of patients appear to be justified.

Ten of 23 patients with advanced measureable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas achieved an objective response after treatment with a regimen consisting of streptozotocin, mitomycin-C and 5-fluorouracil (SMF). The median duration of response is in excess of 7 months and responding patients have lived significantly longer than patients with progressive disease (7.5 + months vs. 3 months). The SMF regimen was adequately tolerated. Principal toxicities included myelosuppression, which was generally mild, nausea and vomiting. There was reversible nephrotoxicity in the form of proteinuria in 30% of patients and persistent axotemia in 9% of patients.