Refractive Index Measurement Using SOI Photodiode with SP Antenna toward SOI CMOS-Compatible Integrated Optical Biosensor.

This paper proposes a new optical biosensor composed of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) p-n junction photodiode (PD) with a surface plasmon (SP) antenna. When the phase-matching condition between two lateral wavelengths of the diffracted light from the SP antenna and the waveguiding mode in the SOI PD is satisfied, we observe sharp peaks in the spectroscopic light sensitivity. Since the peak wavelength depends on the RI change around the SP antenna corresponding to the phase-matching condition, the SOI PDs with an SP antenna can be applied to the optical biosensor. The RI detection limit is evaluated in the measurements with bulk solutions, and 1.11 × 10-5 RIU (refractive index unit) can be obtained, which is comparable to that of a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor, which is well known as a representative optical biosensor. In addition, the response for intermolecular bonds is estimated by the electromagnetic simulations using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method to clarify its ability to detect biomolecular interactions. The results of this paper will provide new ground for high-throughput label-free biosensing, since a large number of SOI PDs with an SP antenna can be easily integrated on a single chip via an SOI complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication process.

Maintaining Weight and Nutritional Status with Ninjin'yoeito in Elderly Patients with Chronic Wasting Diseases.

Objectives: This retrospective study aimed to obtain information on the nutritional maintenance effects of Ninjin'yoeito (NYT) in elderly patients with chronic wasting diseases. Methods: Changes in body weight and serum levels of total protein and albumin were investigated in patients who received NYT for chronic wasting diseases for more than six months in Mito Medical Centre, University of Tsukuba-Mito Kyodo General Hospital, Mito, Japan, from April 2009 to October 2019. Results: During the study period, 11 patients (median age: 75 years) received NYT for six months or more. The median administration period of NYT was 14 months. The body weight and serum levels of total protein and albumin at the time of the last observation were not significantly different from those at the beginning of NYT administration (P = 0.176, P = 0.766 and P = 0.550, respectively). Conclusion: This study suggested the possibility of maintaining nutritional condition by administering NYT in elderly patients with chronic wasting disease of various aetiologies. More evidence will be required to confirm these results.

Effect of Shakuyakukanzoto on Chemotherapy-Induced Hiccups in Patients with Lung Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Shakuyakukanzoto, one of the traditional herbal medicines commonly used in North-East Asian countries, is known to be effective for muscle cramps. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the effect of shakuyakukanzoto on chemotherapy-induced metoclopramide-uncontrolled hiccups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the medical records of all the consecutive patients with lung cancer who were prescribed with shakuyakukanzoto (Tsumura Co. Tokyo, Japan) for chemotherapy-induced hiccups in our hospital from September 2013 to November 2017. In the medical record from the initiation of shakuyakukanzoto until the start of the next chemotherapy, when there was description of "complete or partial disappearance of hiccups" after the prescription of shakuyakukanzoto, it was judged as a complete or partial response. A statement of "unchanged," no description of improvement, or exacerbation was judged as no change. RESULTS: Of the 49 chemotherapy courses in 15 patients with lung cancer, 93.9% had a "partial or complete" response within a few hours after the administration of shakuyakukanzoto. The effect of shakuyakukanzoto was observed irrespective of the pathological type of lung cancer, platinum-containing or non-platinum chemotherapy, and with or without other anti-hiccup drugs. No adverse event was observed. CONCLUSION: Shakuyakukanzoto may offer an effective pharmacological approach to treat chemotherapy-induced metoclopramide-uncontrolled hiccups. Well-planned prospective studies will confirm our results.

Performance Comparison of SOI-Based Temperature Sensors for Room-Temperature Terahertz Antenna-Coupled Bolometers: MOSFET, PN Junction Diode and Resistor.

Assuming that the 0.6-µm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology, different Si-based temperature sensors such as metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) (n-channel and p-channel), pn-junction diode (with p-body doping and without doping), and resistors (n+ or p+ single crystalline Si and n+ polycrystalline Si) were designed and characterized for its possible use in 1-THz antenna-coupled bolometers. The use of a half-wave dipole antenna connected to the heater end was assumed, which limited the integrated temperature sensor/heater area to be 15 × 15 µm. Our main focus was to evaluate the performances of the temperature sensor/heater part, and the optical coupling between the incident light and heater via an antenna was not included in the evaluation. The electrothermal feedback (ETF) effect due to the bias current was considered in the performance estimation. A comparative analysis of various SOI bolometers revealed the largest responsivity (Rv) of 5.16 kV/W for the n-channel MOSFET bolometer although the negative ETF in MOSFET reduced the Rv. The noise measurement of the n-channel MOSFET showed the NEP of 245 pW/Hz1/2, which was more than one order of magnitude smaller than that of the n+ polycrystalline Si resistive bolometer (6.59 nW/Hz1/2). The present result suggests that the n-channel MOSFET can be a promising detector for THz applications.

Long-term maintenance of nutritional status with ninjinyoueito in terminal patients with chronic respiratory disease: Two case reports.

Ninjinyoeito, is a traditional herbal (Kampo) medicine which is administered to patients with debilitating diseases in North-East Asia. Ninjinyoeito has been reported to be effective against loss of physical strength, fatigue and loss of appetite in patients with wasting diseases. The present study described long-term maintenance of body weight with ninjinyoueito in 2 terminal patients with chronic respiratory diseases. The first patient was a 75-year-old with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who took ninjinyoueito for ≥5 years and the second patient was a 72-year-old man with metastatic lung cancer with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) who took ninjinyoueito for ≥1 year. Both of them maintained their physique and nutritional status during the terminal stages of disease and there were no adverse effects observed in these 2 patients which could be attributed to ninjinyoueito. The results suggest that ninjinyoueito may be a supplementary treatment for the maintenance of nutritional status in patients with a chronic respiratory disease accompanied by wasting, such as COPD.

Management of afatinib-induced stomatitis.

Severe stomatitis may lead to the need to interrupt or discontinue cancer therapy and, thus, may affect control of the primary disease. Stomatitis may also increase the risk of local and systemic infection and significantly affects the quality of life and the cost of care. The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of two traditional herbal medicines in controlling treatment-induced stomatitis in a small cohort of lung cancer patients treated with afatinib. All patients who were treated with afatinib for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutated nonsmallcell lung cancer (NSCLC) between January, 2015 and March, 2016, were included in this study. During the study period, a total of 14 NSCLC patients were treated with afatinib, an EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Two patients already had stomatitis at the time of initiation of afatinib therapy; among the remaining 12 NSCLC patients, 2 (16.7%) developed stomatitis. All the lesions in the 4 patients who developed stomatitis were completely alleviated after 2 weeks of therapy with Aznol mouthwash, a chamomile extract with anti-inflammatory effects, and Hangeshashinto, a traditional herbal (Kampo) medicine. Afatinib therapy was re-initiated, but none of the patients developed stomatitis thereafter. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report evaluating oral care and management of stomatitis. This type of care and treatment may reduce the incidence of complications associated with EGFR-TKI therapy.

Effect of a traditional herbal medicine, hangekobokuto, on the sensation of a lump in the throat in patients with respiratory diseases.

The sensation of a lump in the throat (SLT) is not a rarely encountered symptom. The etiology of SLT appears to be multifactorial, and the psychological characteristics, stress and pressure of a psychiatric disorder may be significant factors in SLT. Hangekobokuto, one of the traditional herbal medicines, is a known drug that has an effect on SLT. The efficacy of a short-term hangekobokuto treatment on SLT was evaluated. To assess whether a 2-week prescription of hangekobokuto improves SLT mainly in patients with respiratory diseases, a retrospective study was performed between April 2013 and August 2015. During the study period, a total of 43 patients were treated with hangekobokuto. Twelve (27.9%) of the 43 patients were reported to experience completely effective treatment (SLT completely disappeared), and 14 (32.6%) experienced moderately effective treatment (25-99% SLT disappeared). Patients with bronchial asthma and those without a medical history of respiratory disease exhibited a good response to hangekobokuto. No specific predictive factor of the response to hangekobokuto on SLT was identified in the multivariate regression analysis. Therefore, the present results suggested that hangekobokuto could be one of the treatment choices for uncontrolled SLT.

Effect of rikkunshi-to treatment on chemotherapy-induced appetite loss in patients with lung cancer: A prospective study.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of rikkunshi-to, a Japanese herbal medicine, on post-chemotherapeutic appetite loss. Patients with unresectable lung cancer, who were treated with carboplatin (CBDCA)-containing, cisplatin (CDDP)-containing or non-platinum chemotherapy between 2011 and 2014, were recruited for the prospective study. For each course of chemotherapy, the patients were randomized into two groups, with or without a rikkunshi-to prescription. In patients treated with CBDCA-containing chemotherapy, food intake at day 7 following the initiation of chemotherapy in the rikkunshi-to treatment group was significantly higher compared with the group not treated with rikkunshi-to (P=0.0078). However, a significant improvement in food intake with rikkunshi-to treatment was not observed in the CDDP-containing and non-platinum chemotherapy groups. An improved assessment of the incidence rate of chemotherapy-induced appetite loss is essential for achieving adequate control. The results of the present study indicated the possibility of the clinical application of rikkunshi-to for improving post-chemotherapeutic appetite loss.

A case study of bofutsushosan-induced pulmonary injury in a patient: Case report.

Bofutsushosan, a herbal (traditional Kampo) medicine, is administered to obese patients in North-East Asia. Bofutsushosan has been reported to exert various anti-obesity effects by stimulating the adipose tissue. The present study describes the case of a patient who developed a severe pulmonary injury that was potentially associated with bofutsushosan therapy. A 52-year-old woman was admitted to Mito Medical Center, University of Tsukuba, Mito Kyodo General Hospital (Mito, Japan) due to progressive dyspnea. Two months previously, bofutsushosan had been newly prescribed for her obesity. Bilateral ground-glass opacities and progressive respiratory deterioration suggested respiratory failure due to a therapeutic agent-induced lung injury. With discontinuation of bofutsushosan and the administration of a corticosteroid, an improvement in her respiratory condition was achieved, although sequelae remained in certain areas of the lungs. Resumption of other therapeutic agents did not reinduce the lung injury. Therefore, a diagnosis of bofutsushosan-induced lung injury was made. Although bofutsushosan-induced lung injury is particularly rare, clinicians should consider it when bofutsushosan is used.

The intraductal component of breast cancer is poorly responsive to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy.

Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy has been used for locally advanced breast cancers. With special attention to the proportion of intraductal component, we pathologically studied 25 patients that underwent neo-adjuvant chemotherapy via intra-arterial infusion or intravenous injection. In general, neo-adjuvant chemotherapy had a favorable effect on tumor reduction. The effectiveness varies depending on the predominance of intraductal component. The cases with a high proportion of intraductal component had lower response to the chemotherapies. The larger number of cancer cells remained within the mammary ducts. The residual cancer cells conserved proliferative activity. Intraductal component is poorly responsive to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.