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PURPOSE: The aims of the current study were to compare changes in cerebral and systemic perfusion in appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants immediately after birth. METHODS: Cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral Hb oxygen saturation (cSO2) and cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction (cFTOE) among 57 AGA infants and 30 SGA infants were monitored using a newly developed time-resolved spectroscopy system during the first 3days of life. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular cardiac output (LVCO) and E/e' values were determined by three-dimensional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging performed simultaneously. RESULTS: There were significant differences between the body weights of both the AGA and SGA infants, but not between the gestational age and head circumferences in both groups. Although CBV showed no significant difference between the groups, cSO2 was significantly higher and cFTOE was lower in SGA infants than in AGA infants. Hematocrit (Ht) levels were significantly higher and LVEF and LVCO were lower in SGA infants than in AGA infants. Negative correlation was observed between CBV and Ht levels in AGA infants, but not in SGA infants. CONCLUSIONS: The high Ht levels and vasoreactivity in SGA infants might be a compensatory mechanism in order to maintain oxygen delivery to the brain, which reflects the condition of chronic hypoxia during the fetal period and also reflects the weak contraction and low cardiac output of the left ventricle sustaining the relatively large brain from the fetal period to after birth.

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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of umbilical cord milking at birth on cerebral perfusion and systemic perfusion in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. STUDY DESIGN: Cerebral tissue oxygenation index and cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction were monitored in 50 stable VLBW infants (gestational age <29 weeks, birth weight <1250 g), with 26 allocated to the milked group and 24 to the control group. We used near-infrared spectroscopy 3-6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 72 hours after birth. Left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricle (LV) Tei index (measurement of left ventricular systolic and diastolic function), left ventricular cardiac output, and superior vena cava flow were measured concurrently using echocardiography. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in gestational age and birth weight between the 2 groups. Hematocrit, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, left ventricular cardiac output, and superior vena cava flow were higher in the milked group than in the control group, with improvement in the LV Tei index despite the absence of left ventricular ejection fraction changes within 24 hours after birth. Tissue oxygenation index increased and cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction decreased in the milked group within 24 hours after birth. CONCLUSION: Umbilical cord milking stabilized cerebral oxygenation and perfusion in VLBW infants by improving LV diastolic function by increasing LV preload.

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We report a rare case of a 58-year-old male with accidental occlusion of left main trunk (LMT) artery by injured aortic valve during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Although we successfully bailed out this complication by urgent LMT stenting, aortic regurgitation developed immediately after PCI. Echocardiography detected a filamentous structure attached to the aortic valve. An elective aortic valve replacement surgery revealed that his right coronary cusp was torn into two filamentous strips. One strip accidentally plunged into LMT and was fixed by the intracoronary stent. Another strip floated in the aortic root and appeared as though vegetation attached to the aortic valve in case of acute infective endocarditis. Guiding catheters probably injured the aortic valve during PCI. This report reminded us of the importance of meticulous manipulation of a guiding catheter.

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The aim of this study was to determine whether the bone-morphogenetic proreins-2 (BMP-2) or -7 (BMP-7) levels in follicular fluid (FF) are associated with success in oocyte fertilization during assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment. Twenty-four cycles in 24 patients who underwent oocyte retrieval in Sugiyama clinic were included in this retrospective study. The patients were divided into two groups according to the success or failure of fertilization. FF samples were obtained from a single follicle in each patient, and the levels of BMP-2, BMP-7, Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), estradiol and progesterone from FF were measured, and evaluated in relation to the ART outcomes. The BMP-2 levels correlated positively with the AMH levels in FF (r(2) = 0.4928), but there was no statistically significant difference between BMP-7 and AMH levels. The BMP-2 and BMP-7 levels had no relation with either progesterone or estradiol levels, but BMP-2 levels in the fertilized group were significantly higher than those in the unfertilized group (P < 0.05). The BMP-2 levels in FF positively correlated with the AMH levels in FF, and those in the fertilized group were significantly higher than in the unfertilized group. Therefore, the BMP-2 levels in FF could be a predictive marker for fertilization.

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Surgical resections, such as peritoneal stripping (peritonectomy) are performed for disseminated diaphragmatic lesions of advanced ovarian cancer. This study retrospectively investigated the incidental events of diaphragmatic surgery. The records of patients with advanced mullerian carcinomas, including ovarian, primary peritoneal and fallopian carcinomas, who underwent diaphragmatic surgery were reviewed. Based on our criteria, stripping was performed for surface disease on the diaphragm, and full-thickness resection was performed for bulky disease. In certain cases, both procedures were performed. We analyzed intra- and post-operative incidental events in 82 patients. The χ(2) and Fisher's exact tests were used in the statistical analysis. There were 82 stage III-IV cases of which 56 patients underwent stripping, 12 underwent full-thickness resection and 14 patients underwent both procedures. Unexpected open chest surgery following stripping occurred in 1 out of 63 patients (1.6%) in the primary, 4 out of 13 patients (30.8%) in the interval and 0 out of 6 patients (0.0%) in the secondary debulking surgery groups. The incidence of unexpected open chest surgery was high in the interval debulking surgery group (p<0.001). Regarding post-operative events, accumulation of pleural effusion was identified in 43 patients (52.4%). The incidence of pleural effusions was not significantly different between the two procedures. No complications were encountered, nor was a chest tube required, during unexpected open chest surgery and postoperative pleural effusions. Therefore, it was concluded that special attention should be paid during interval debulking surgery even though it was possible for surgical resections of diaphragmatic lesions to be performed safely.

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Early growth response (Egr)-1 is a transcription factor that triggers transcription of downstream genes within 15-30 min of various stimulations. These genes are expressed rapidly through specific promoter activation and mediate cell growth and angiogenesis. Following the previous computational identification of a site that was thought to be an Egr-1 consensus binding site at -273 to -281 in the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promoter region, the present study was conducted to evaluate the role of Egr-1 in the regulation of hTERT and telomerase in uterine cervical cancer. First, the expression of Egr-1 and hTERT at the mRNA level was examined in cervical cancer tissues. Egr-1 and hTERT were expressed much higher in cervical cancer tissues than in the normal cervix. However, a negative correlation was noted in the expression between Egr-1 and hTERT. By luciferase assay using hTERT promoter constructs, hTERT transcriptional activation was shown to be inhibited when Egr-1 was overexpressed. Furthermore, Egr-1 overexpression decreased hTERT protein production as well as hTERT mRNA as observed by western blotting analysis and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The present study suggests that Egr-1 plays an important regulatory role in the transcriptional activation of hTERT.

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BACKGROUND: Myocardial remodeling is a crucial step for progression of heart failure (HF). Free radical generation by the failing myocardium has been proposed as linked to myocardial remodeling. The aim of this study was to evaluate the urinary excretion of 8-iso-prostaglandin F2alpha (8-iso-PGF2alpha), a reliable marker for oxidant stress in vivo, and collagen turnover in patients with acute worsening of congestive HF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Enrolled were 43 patients with acute worsening of congestive HF of various etiologies. On admission (acute phase) and after approximately 2 weeks of conventional treatment (chronic phase), the following were measured: (1) immunoreactive urinary 8-iso-PGF2alpha, (2) serum total antioxidant status (TAS); and (3) serum levels of procollagen type I carboxyterminal peptide (PIP) and carboxyterminal collagen type I telopeptide (CITP), biochemical markers for collagen synthesis and degradation, respectively. From the acute to the chronic phase the parameters changed as follows: 335.1+/-245.4 to 205.3+/-107.4 pg/mg creatinine for urinary 8-iso-PGF2alpha (p<0.0001); 0.92+/-0.16 to 0.98+/-0.13 mmol/L for TAS (p<0.01); 171.4+/-72.5 to 93.7+/-33.9 ng/ml for PIP (p<0.0001); and 7.2+/-3.6 to 12.6+/-8.4 ng/ml for CITP (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Acute worsening of congestive HF promotes free radical generation and collagen synthesis.

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BACKGROUND: Many studies have shown that changes in the weather affect health. In the field of obstetrics and gynecology, several events have been empirically shown to be related to the weather. Labor pain is controlled by the autonomic nervous system and various hormones, and is expected to be influenced by the weather and environmental changes. Several studies have been conducted on the relationship between delivery and barometric pressure, which shows constant changes with changes in weather, but there is no generally accepted view on this. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study in our patients who had a spontaneous cephalic delivery in this hospital between January 1997 and December 2003, in order to determine whether low barometric pressure induces labor pains, premature rupture of the membranes, and delivery, and whether changes in barometric pressure affect delivery. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the number of deliveries and rupture of the membranes at low barometric pressure (P < 0.01), although there was no significant correlation between onset of labor and barometric pressure. This tendency was noted in both women with spontaneous rupture of the fetal membranes and those with premature rupture of the membranes (P < 0.01). On days with a larger change in barometric pressure, regardless of whether it was increasing or decreasing, the number of deliveries increased and the relationship was statistically significant (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: A causal relationship was noted between the number of rupture of the fetal membranes, delivery and barometric pressure, suggesting that low barometric pressure induces rupture of the fetal membranes and delivery.

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The effect of torasemide and furosemide therapy was compared in 50 patients who had chronic heart failure and symptoms [NYHA class II-III] despite long-term therapy with both low-dose furosemide and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. In this randomized 6-month, open-label trial, baseline and follow-up echocardiograms and neurohumoral assays were obtained in 25 group F patients (continued same dose of oral furosemide at 20-40 mg/day) and in 25 group T patients (received torasemide at 4-8 mg/day in place of furosemide). At 6 months, parameters were unchanged in group F whereas the group T patients had a lower left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (p<0.005) and left ventricular mass index (p<0.005) with improved Doppler filling parameters, decreased plasma B-type natriuretic concentration (p<0.001) and increased plasma concentrations of active renin (p<0.005) and aldosterone (p<0.001). The magnitude of these changes appeared dose dependent and it is suggested these favorable effects of switching from furosemide to torasemide may be related to aldosterone receptor blockade.

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