Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles reduce inflammatory responses to SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza viral proteins via miR-146a/NF-κB pathway.

The risk of severe disease caused by co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus (IAV) raises an annual concern for global public health. Extracellular vesicles (EV) derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) possess anti-inflammatory properties that can attenuate the inflammatory cytokine levels induced by viral infection. However, the effects of MSC-EV treatment on SARS-CoV-2 and IAV co-infection have not been elucidated.

Pharmacokinetic study of erlotinib in a pregnant woman with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and observation of the effects on the child growth.

Aims: The aim of the study is to report the clinical and pharmacological observations from a pregnant patient treated with erlotinib in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.

Methods: Maternal and neonatal blood levels and safety of erlotinib and its metabolites were evaluated. Child development was monitored for 6 years.

Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Type 2 Diabetic Mesenchymal Stem Cells Induce Endothelial Mesenchymal Transition under High Glucose Conditions Through the TGFβ/Smad3 Signaling Pathway.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with endothelial dysfunction, which results in delayed wound healing. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play a vital role in supporting endothelial cells (ECs) and promoting wound healing by paracrine effects through their secretome-containing extracellular vesicles. We previously reported the impaired wound healing ability of adipose tissue-derived MSC from T2DM donors; however, whether extracellular vesicles isolated from T2DM adipose tissue-derived MSCs (dEVs) exhibit altered functions in comparison to those derived from healthy donors (nEVs) is still unclear.

Extracellular vesicles derived from SARS-CoV-2 M-protein-induced triple negative breast cancer cells promoted the ability of tissue stem cells supporting cancer progression.

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 infection increases the risk of worse outcomes in cancer patients, including those with breast cancer. Our previous study reported that the SARS-CoV-2 membrane protein (M-protein) promotes the malignant transformation of triple-negative breast cancer cells (triple-negative BCC).

Methods: In the present study, the effects of M-protein on the ability of extracellular vesicles (EV) derived from triple-negative BCC to regulate the functions of tissue stem cells facilitating the tumor microenvironment were examined.

Transformed extracellular vesicles with high angiogenic ability as therapeutics of distal ischemic tissues.

The therapeutic effects of endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) in neovascularization have been suggested; however, to date, few studies have been conducted on the ability of EPC-derived extracellular vesicles (EV) to rescue the ischemic tissues. In order to examine the functional sources of EV for cell-free therapy of ischemic diseases, we compared the functions of EPC-EV and those of Wharton's Jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cell (WJ-EV) in the flap mouse model. Our results demonstrated that in the intravenous injection, EPC-EV, but not WJ-EV, were uptaken by the ischemic tissues.

Extracellular vesicles derived from Wharton's Jelly mesenchymal stem cells inhibit the tumor environment via the miR-125b/HIF1α signaling pathway.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with worse outcomes and results in high mortality; therefore, great efforts are required to find effective treatment. In the present study, we suggested a novel strategy to treat TNBC using mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived extracellular vesicles (EV) to transform the behaviors and cellular communication of TNBC cells (BCC) with other non-cancer cells related to tumorigenesis and metastasis. Our data showed that, BCC after being internalized with EV derived from Wharton's Jelly MSC (WJ-EV) showed the impaired proliferation, stemness properties, tumorigenesis and metastasis under hypoxic conditions.

Obstetric venous thromboembolism: Evaluation of prophylactic approach based on risk scores, D-dimer levels, and ultrasonography findings in a tertiary hospital in Japan.

Aim: Pulmonary embolism remains a leading cause of maternal mortality in developed countries despite developments in venous thromboembolism prophylaxis strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of our approach involving risk-scoring, D-dimer level assessment, and ultrasonography for obstetric venous thromboembolism.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included women who delivered at 22-41 weeks of gestation in The University of Tsukuba Hospital, Japan between January and December 2020.

Rectoperineal Fistula Presented 5 Months After Repair of Severe Obstetric Perineal Laceration: A Case Report.

Obstetric severe perineal laceration can frequently occur as a surgical site infection (SSI), which sometimes leads to rectovaginal fistula after repair. We encountered a rare case of a rectoperineal fistula 5 months after repair of a severe perineal laceration. The patient was a 39-year-old woman who underwent repair of a fourth-degree perineal laceration after vaginal delivery.

Wharton's Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Reduce SARS-CoV2-Induced Inflammatory Cytokines Under High Glucose and Uremic Toxin Conditions.

Cytokine storm is recognized as one of the factors contributing to organ failures and mortality in patients with COVID-19. Due to chronic inflammation, COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) or renal disease (RD) have more severe symptoms and higher mortality. However, the factors that contribute to severe outcomes of COVID-19 patients with DM and RD have received little attention.

Pelvic arterial embolisation with cyanoacrylate during caesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta.

Purpose: To compare -butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) and gelatine sponge (GS) as embolic materials for prophylactic pelvic arterial embolisation during caesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum (PAS).

Material And Methods: This retrospective study comprised 12 women (age range, 23-42 years; mean, 34.1 years) who underwent caesarean hysterectomy for PAS.

High prevalence of intrapelvic parasitic arteries in patients with placenta accreta spectrum: A case-control study using unenhanced magnetic resonance angiography.

Purpose: To compare the prevalence of enlarged ovarian and intrapelvic parasitic arteries to the gravid uterus between cases of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) and those with normal placentation using unenhanced magnetic resonance (MR) angiography.

Methods: Unenhanced time-of-flight MR angiography was performed in 12 consecutive women with PAS (mean age, 34 years; range, 23-42 years) and 24 women with normal placentation (mean age, 31 years; range, 24-42 years) in their third trimester and reviewed by two independent observers. The consensus reading served as the reference standard.

Diagnosis of female 17α-hydroxylase deficiency after gonadectomy: a case report.

Background: 17α-Hydroxylase deficiency is a recessively inherited autosomal disease caused by mutations in the CYP17A1 gene. It is a rare disease and accounts for approximately 1% of congenital adrenal cortex hyperplasias. Inhibition of 17α-hydroxylase causes low levels of cortisol and high levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone in the blood as well as excessive levels of mineralocorticoids that lead to hypertension and hypokalemia.

Clinical characteristics, treatment indications and treatment algorithm for post-partum hematomas.

Aim: Post-partum hematomas are a serious obstetrical complication. Choosing treatments for post-partum hematomas is difficult, and the application of transcatheter arterial embolization remains unclear. We aimed to clarify the clinical characteristics, identify the treatment indications and create a treatment algorithm for post-partum hematomas.

Association of antenatal antithrombin activity with perinatal liver dysfunction: A prospective multicenter study.

Background And Aim: Liver dysfunction with decreased antithrombin (AT) activity and/or thrombocytopenia is life threatening in pregnant women. Whether AT is clinically useful for prediction of liver dysfunction remains unclear.

Methods: A total of 541 women were registered prospectively at gestational week 34.

Isolated gestational proteinuria preceding the diagnosis of preeclampsia - an observational study.

Introduction: Some pregnant women develop significant proteinuria in the absence of hypertension. However, clinical significance of isolated gestational proteinuria (IGP) is not well understood. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of IGP in singleton pregnancies and the proportion of women with IGP who subsequently developed preeclampsia (IGP-PE) among all PE cases.

Higher D-dimer level in the early third trimester predicts the occurrence of postpartum hemorrhage.

Aims: This study aimed to determine effective predictive factors for primary postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) among clinical blood parameters associated with coagulation and fibrinolysis and demographic characteristics.

Methods: We retrospectively studied 1032 women who underwent determinations of clinical blood parameters at gestational week (GW) 29-32 and GW 35-37 and gave birth to singleton infants at our hospital between January 2011 and December 2013. PPH was defined as estimated blood loss ≥700 mL.

Urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio in pregnant women after dipstick testing: prospective observational study.

Background: The dipstick test is widely used as a primary screening test for detection of significant proteinuria in pregnancy (SPIP). However, it often shows a false positive test result. This study was performed to determine which pregnant women should be recommended to undergo determination of urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio (mg/mg, P/Cr test) after dipstick test for confirmation of SPIP.

Effect of hyperemesis gravidarum on gestational diabetes mellitus screening.

Objective: To clarify the effect of starvation due to hyperemesis gravidarum on the screening of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods: A retrospective study was undertaken of pregnant women who delivered at Tsukuba University Hospital, Japan, between October 1, 2010, and September 30, 2013. GDM screening was performed in the first trimester using the random blood glucose test with a cutoff value of 5.

Impact of planning of pregnancy in women with epilepsy on seizure control during pregnancy and on maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Purpose: To investigate whether planning of pregnancy in women with epilepsy affects seizure control during pregnancy and to compare the maternal and neonatal outcomes in planned and unplanned pregnancies.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 153 pregnant women with epilepsy who were treated at the University of Tsukuba Hospital and Hokkaido University Hospital between 2003 and 2011. Twenty-one pregnancies were excluded due to insufficient data.

Discordance in Pena-Shokeir phenotype/fetal akinesia deformation sequence in a monoamniotic twin.

We here report the first case of discordant Pena-Shokeir phenotype observed in monoamniotic twins. A 34-year-old woman, pregnant with twins, was referred at 10 weeks' gestation because one of the twins had increased nuchal translucency. Serial ultrasonographic examinations suggested that twin A may have had several other abnormalities, including pleural effusion at 21 weeks' gestation, decreased movement and contracted limbs at 24 weeks, and fetal growth restriction at 26 weeks.

Associations between multidrug resistance, plasmid content, and virulence potential among extraintestinal pathogenic and commensal Escherichia coli from humans and poultry.

The emergence of plasmid-mediated multidrug resistance (MDR) among enteric bacteria presents a serious challenge to the treatment of bacterial infections in humans and animals. Recent studies suggest that avian Escherichia coli commonly possess the ability to resist multiple antimicrobial agents, and might serve as reservoirs of MDR for human extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) and commensal E. coli populations.

Alveolar capillary dysplasia associated with duodenal atresia: ultrasonographic findings of enlarged, highly echogenic lungs and gastric dilatation in a third-trimester fetus.

We report a case of alveolar capillary dysplasia, wherein duodenal atresia was diagnosed during the third trimester. A 36-year-old mother was referred to our hospital for polyhydramnios at 31 weeks' gestation. Duodenal atresia was suspected from the ultrasonographic findings, which showed gastric dilation.

Diphenylhydantoin-induced severe yet reversible anemia during pregnancy.

Diphenylhydantoin (DPH) therapy, often used in treating epileptic seizures, can cause anemia in some patients. A 26-year-old female suffered from convulsions due to encephalitis and was placed on DPH therapy. About two months after the initiation of DPH therapy, her hemoglobin level was 3.

High-dose unfractionated heparin therapy in a pregnant patient with antiphospolipid syndrome: a case report.

A case of a 37-year-old pregnant patient with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), who has a medical history of both thrombosis and recurrent fetal loss, is presented. She was treated with predonisolone and fixed-dose unfractionated heparin (UFH) infusion, followed by plasmaphereses and fixed-dose low-molecular-weight heparin infusion during her fourth pregnancy. Unfortunately, this treatment did not have beneficial effects, resulting in intrauterine growth restriction and finally neonatal death.