Treatment of twin-reversed arterial perfusion sequence using high-intensity focused ultrasound

We describe our experience of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for fetal therapy in twin-reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) sequence. Six pregnant women underwent HIFU therapy, five before 16 weeks and one at 26 weeks. Two types of HIFU system were used: the first-generation system, which comprised a biaxial transducer and continuous exposure pattern, and the second-generation system, which comprised a coaxial transducer and sequential exposure pattern. The first-generation apparatus was used in four cases and the second-generation apparatus was used in two. In three cases, occlusion of the blood vessels mediating flow to the acardiac twin was achieved by HIFU. Two cases experienced intrauterine fetal death despite vessel occlusion. The total survival rate of pump fetuses 2 years after HIFU was 67% and the efficiency rate (the proportion of cases with occlusion or reduced blood flow on ultrasound after HIFU) was 83%. After more than 2 years of follow-up, the surviving infants had no severe clinical complications and no postnatal developmental problems. There was no significant difference in survival rate compared with TRAP cases managed expectantly. Given that complete occlusion of the blood vessels was not achieved in half of the cases, we could not show that HIFU therapy is superior to other treatments. However, HIFU can reduce the cardiac load of the pump fetus and, as it does not require uterine puncture for fetal therapy, there were no fatal complications, such as bleeding, rupture of membranes or infection. Thus, HIFU therapy may represent a less-invasive treatment for TRAP sequence in early pregnancy. Copyright © 2018 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Structural equation modeling for implementation intentions, cancer worry, and stages of mammography adoption

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to develop a structural model for mammography adoption in Japanese middle-aged women by using constructs from the transtheoretical model (TTM), the theory of planned behavior (TPB), implementation intentions, and cancer worry.

METHODS

Questionnaires based on items including TTM, TPB, implementation intentions, cancer worry-related variables, and demographic variables were distributed to 1000 adult women aged 40 to 59 years, with 641 subjects being used in the final analysis (response rate = 64.1%).

RESULTS

Regarding the stage of adoption, 79 participants (12.3%) were at the precontemplation stage, 30 (4.7%) were at the relapse stage, 142 (22.2%) were at the contemplation stage, 88 (13.7%) were at the action stage, and 302 (47.1%) were at the maintenance stage. Our model, derived from structural equation modeling, revealed that the stage of mammography adoption was significantly affected by goal intentions, implementation intentions, perceived barriers, history of breast cancer screening, and relative risk. A logistic regression analysis revealed that goal intentions and implementation intentions significantly predicted mammography uptake within 1 year.

CONCLUSION

This study developed an integrated model constructed from TTM, TPB, implementation intentions, and cancer worry to account for mammography adoption in Japan, and also confirmed the predictive validity of the model.

The relationship between health-related quality of life and social networks among Japanese family caregivers for people with disabilities

Aims

The purpose of this study was to examine HRQOL depending on whether the participants have family members with disabilities or not. In addition, we examined the relationship between HRQOL and social networks among family caregivers in Japan.

Methods

The study has a cross-sectional design. Survey forms were distributed to 9205 people aged 30 and older who visited a dispensing pharmacy within fifteen areas of Japan. We collected data on gender, age, job status, and care giving status for persons with disabilities. Moreover, we assessed support size, social support, and HRQOL. Out of the 2029 questionnaires returned, 1763 (male: 663, female: 1100, mean age = 63.06 ± 13.34) were valid for statistical analyses (the available response rate was 19.15%).

Results

A significant difference in HRQOL was identified between family caregivers and non-family caregivers. Further, in males (N = 101), the results confirmed that only social support predicted the PCS and MCS scores, while other variables did not predict either score. On the other hand, in females (N = 144), it was found from the second step of hierarchical multiple regression analysis that only age explained the PCS score, while job status and support size explained the MCS score.

Conclusion

It is reasonable to conclude that the HRQOL of family caregivers was lower than that of non-family caregivers, and that the HRQOL of family caregivers was estimated by their social networks.

Recombinant human lactoferrin has a potential to suppresses uterine cervical ripening in preterm delivery in animal model

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of recombinant human lactoferrin (rhLF) on cervical ripening using a rabbit model in which preterm labor was induced by bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

STUDY DESIGN

Timed pregnant rabbits (New Zealand White, 3-4 kg, day 14) were randomly assigned to the following treatment groups: Group A, LPS + rhLF (n = 4); Group B, LPS (n = 4); and Group C, control (n = 4). Recombinant human lactoferrin (10 microg) was administrated to pregnant rabbits in Group A and not in Group B. Lipopolysaccharide (100 microg) was given to the rabbits in both groups for 3 days (days14-16). Drugs were administered as a vaginal suppository. On day 18, the rabbits were anesthetized with intramuscular ketamine hydrochloride (20 mg/kg) and diazepam (4 mg/kg). Both cervices of the rabbit uterus, which is bicorpus-bicolli, were taken out. One cervix was placed in 10% formalin solution for a histological study with standard hematoxylin-eosin staining. The other was used for an extension test to assess the grade of ripening. Extension was measured after a 5-mm length of cervical tissue was loaded with 5.8 g.

RESULTS

The histological study showed remarkably loose and edematous connective tissue in Group B cervices. Cervical tissues in Group A was not different from those in Group C. Extension lengths were 2.2 +/- 0.2 mm in Group A, 7.0 +/- 2.7 mm in Group B, and 1.7 +/- 0.3 mm in Group C.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that rhLF inhibits cervical maturation induced by LPS in a rabbit model and may have a potential to prevent preterm delivery caused by cervical infection and ripening.

Cervical inflammatory cytokines and other markers in the cervical mucus of pregnant women with lower genital tract infection

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, lactoferrin (LF), and alpha defencine (alpha-DF) in the cervical mucus of pregnant women and analyze their relation to cervicitis and bacterial vaginosis (BV).

METHODS

Cervical mucus samples were obtained from August 2003 through May 2004 from 157 women who were between the 6th and 36th week of an uncomplicated singleton pregnancy. All women were delivered at term, 69 without BV or cervicitis, 9 with BV, and 79 with cervicitis.

RESULTS

Interleukin 8, LF, and mu-DF concentrations were higher in women with cervicitis (0.81 +/- 0.36 pg/mL, 14.8+/-12.3 microg/mL, and 0.60 +/- 0.49 microg/mL) than in women without BV or cervicitis (0.35 +/- 0.34 pg/mL, 8.0 +/- 11.0 microg/mL, and 0.15 +/- 0.12 microg/mL). Interleukin 6 concentration was higher in women with BV (0.26 +/- 0.32 pg/mL) than in women without BV or cervicitis (0.09 +/- 0.15 pg/mL) or in women with cervicitis (0.12 +/- 0.18 pg/mL).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher levels of inflammatory cytokines in the cervical mucus of pregnant women may lead to early detection of lower genital tract infection.

Stannum (IV) chloride stimulates vanadium (IV) catalyzed oxidation of NADH

Stannum has been found to be an essential ultratrace element, however, the biological functions of stannum remain to be clarified. We found that stannum (IV) chloride stimulates vanadium (IV) catalyzed free radical chain oxidation of NADH. Stannum (IV) chloride, per se, did not catalyze the NADH oxidation. Superoxide, H2O2, and OH. are known to be the key species in vanadium catalyzed NADH oxidation. The inhibition of the vanadium (IV) catalyzed NADH oxidation in the presence of stannum (IV) chloride by catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and hydroxyl radical scavengers indicated that the stannum (IV) chloride stimulated NADH oxidation consisted of almost the same reaction steps as that in the absence of stannum (IV) chloride. The results of inhibition studies on the NADH oxidation with SOD and catalase suggested that the reaction mixture containing stannum (IV) chloride contained a greater amount of H2O2 and a lower amount of O2- than that containing only vanadium (IV). Hydrogen peroxide is the precursor of OH. in the free radical chain reaction. The stimulation of NADH oxidation by stannum (IV) chloride is due to the stimulation of H atom abstraction by OH.. Stannum (IV) chloride might stimulate the generation of OH. by producing H2O2.