bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diastolic flow velocity of the left pulmonary artery of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants
Authors: Suzumura Hiroshi , Nitta Akihisa , Tanaka Goro , Arisaka Osamu 
Published: March 2003

Abstract

Background
: The usefulness of diastolic pulmonary flow velocity determined by echocardiography in the assessment of symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus (sPDA) in preterm infants has not been confirmed.
Methods
: Echocardiography was performed daily in infants ranging from 23 to 31 gestational weeks of age, and diastolic flow velocity of the left pulmonary artery (DFLPA) was measured. The DFLPA data before indomethacin administration for sPDA were compared with data obtained after indomethacin administration. The normal range of DFLPA was also determined from serial measurements performed in infants who did not develop sPDA during the first 7 days of life. Then, this range was compared with data from infants who did develop sPDA during this time.
Results
: In infants who underwent indomethacin treatment, DFLPA increased with the development of sPDA and decreased when the symptoms of sPDA disappeared. On the basis of results from serial DFLPA measurement, the sensitivity and specificity of DFLPA for assessing sPDA was found to be 0.82 and 0.83, respectively.
Conclusions
: Measurement of DFLPA by echocardiography is a useful method for assessing sPDA in preterm infants.
Development of sucking behavior in infants who have not been fed for 2 months after birth
Authors: Mizuno Katsumi , Ueda Aki 
Published: March 2003

Abstract

Background
: Term infants are able to develop sucking behavior after birth. However, the requirements for this development have not yet been fully elucidated. In the present study, we investigated whether an oral‐feed practice is necessary for the development of sucking behavior and whether non‐nutritive sucking could support the development of this behavior while the infants cannot be fed.
Methods
: Subjects of the present study were four term or near‐term infants who had never been fed orally for approximately 2 months after birth because of gastrointestinal problems. Sucking pressure was measured with a silicone tube inserted into an artificial nipple and sucking efficiency was calculated during an entire feeding.
Results
: Sucking pressure, frequency and duration at the first time oral feed corresponded to values obtained for normal‐term infants at their first oral feed. Although infants who had not received oral feeding demonstrated poor sucking abilities initially, sucking performance improved with practice. Sucking parameters measured 1 month since oral feeding was initiated in these infants corresponded to values obtained for normal‐term infants at 1 month of age. Although infants who had not received oral feeding had often sucked a pacifier for sedation, this non‐nutritive sucking did not result in the development of sucking behavior.
Conclusions
: These results demonstrate that an oral feeding practice is necessary for the development of sucking behavior and that non‐nutritive sucking does not affect the development of sucking.
Proinflammatory cytokines, prostaglandins and zinc in febrile convulsions
Authors: Tütüncüoğlu Sarenur , Kütükçüler Necil , Kepe Lütfü , Çoker Canan , Berdeli Afig , Tekgül Hasan 
Published: March 2003

Abstract

Background
: Some changes in the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, prostaglandins and zinc (Zn) in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have been suggested to occur for the pathogenesis of febrile convulsions (FC).
Methods
: In order to test this hypothesis, the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, interleukin (IL)‐1α, IL‐1β and prostaglandins (PGE2, PGF2α, PGD2) in the CSF and plasma and the levels of Zn in serum and CSF were investigated in children during the acute and late phases of FC. Results were compared with control subjects with meningismus.
Results
: During the acute phase of FC, children had significantly elevated plasma levels of IL‐1β, CSF levels of TNF‐α, plasma levels of PGE2, PGF2α and PGD2 and CSF levels of PGD2 (P<0.05). A positive correlation between the degree of fever and plasma IL‐1β levels was observed in both patients and controls. Three months after the acute phase of FC, plasma levels of IL‐1β had returned to levels seen in controls. Children with FC also had significantly decreased serum Zn levels during the acute phase (P<0.05). Hovewer, there was no significant difference between the groups with respect to CSF Zn levels (P>0.05).
Conclusions
: During the acute phase of FC, patients had significantly increased plasma IL‐1β and prostaglandin levels and decreased serum Zn levels. These changes may be responsible for FC pathogenesis.
Plasma and liver carnitine status of children with chronic liver disease and cirrhosis
Authors: Selimoğlu Mukadder A , Aydoğdu Sema , Yağci Raşit V , Huseyinov Afig 
Published: March 2003

Abstract

Background
: Carnitine is an essential cofactor in the transfer of long‐chain fatty acids across the inner mitochondrial membrane for oxidation. As its synthesis is performed in the liver, alterations in carnitine metabolism is expected in liver diseases, especially in cirrhosis.
Methods
: In this study, we investigated plasma and liver carnitine concentrations of 68 children with chronic liver disease, 36 of whom had cirrhosis as well. Carnitine level was determined by enzymatic method.
Results
: Plasma and liver carnitine concentrations were not correlated. Mean plasma carnitine level of cirrhotic children was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0. 0001). While there was no difference between liver carnitine concentrations of children with chronic liver disease and cirrhosis (P>0.05), mean plasma level of cirrhotics were lower (P<0.05). Plasma carnitine was correlated with albumin, triglyceride and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) in patients with chronic liver disease (P<0.05). Liver carnitine was correlated with GGT in cirrhotic patients (P<0.005). Children with malnutrition had higher plasma and liver carnitine levels (P<0.05). The highest plasma and liver carnitine levels were detected in children with biliary atresia and criptogenic cirrhosis, respectively. Both the lowest plasma and liver carnitine levels were detected in Wilson’s disease.
Conclusion
: Children with cirrhosis have low plasma carnitine concentrations. This finding is prominent in children with Wilson’s disease. As carnitine is an essential factor in lipid metabolism, the carnitine supplementation for patients with cirrhosis in childhood, especially with Wilson’s disease, seems to be mandatory.
Cytomegalovirus DNA among children attending two day‐care centers in Tokyo
Authors: Kashiwagi Yasuyo , Nemoto Shiori , Hisashi  , Kawashima  , Takekuma Kouji , Matsuno Tetsuhiko , Hoshika Akinori , Nozaki‐Renard Junko 
Published: March 2003

Abstract

Background
: In the USA, a high prevalence rate of cytomegalovirus (CMV) excretion among children in day‐care centres was reported. However, there is no research about the prevalence rate of CMV among children in day‐care centres in Japan.
Methods
: The CMV excretion was studied in 54 children’s saliva samples, collected from two different day‐care centres in Tokyo. As a control, the prevalence of CMV was studied among 61 healthy children who did not attend any day‐care centers. The CMV DNA in saliva were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis with one pair of primers for the immediate early region. The sequence of CMV genomes were examined in CMV PCR positive samples.
Results
: Of the 54 saliva samples, 20.6% (6/29) and 24% (6/25) were CMV PCR positive in children at A and B day‐care centres, respectively. The overall positivity of CMV PCR in saliva was 22.2% (12/54). Of the 61 saliva samples as the control study, 6.5% (4/61) were CMV PCR positive. There was a difference in the positivity in each age group of day‐care centres and normal control. Each sample of the same day‐care center gave conclusive and identical sequence results.
Conclusion
: We suspected that in each day‐care center that there was one prevailing viral strain. We suppose that CMV infections were acquired inside the day‐care centres. This is a first report which described viral transmission in day‐care centres in Japan.
Giant coronary aneurysms due to Kawasaki disease: A case−control study
Authors: Nakamura Yosikazu , Yashiro Mayumi , Oki Izumi , Tanihara Shinichi , Ojima Toshiyuki , Yanagawa Hiroshi 
Published: March 2003

Abstract
Background
: Epidemiologic features of giant coronary aneurysm due to Kawasaki disease and its risk factors are still not clear.
Methods
: Sixty‐six patients with giant coronary aneurysms were reported to a 15th nationwide survey of Kawasaki disease in Japan. With all other patients treated in the same hospital as a control group, odds ratios were calculated for certain potential risk factors.
Results
: Infant males aged less than 1 year, neutrophil concentration among leukocyte, late administration of Intravenous gammaglobulin (IVGG) therapy and additional administration of IVGG were considered as risk factors of giant coronary aneurysms due to Kawasaki disease. In univariate analysis, use of IVGG therapy and a large amount of IVGG (2500+ mg/kg) elevated the risk, whereas the relationship disappeared after the adjustment.
Conclusions
: The observation of 66 cases with giant coronary aneurysms due to Kawasaki disease reported to the nationwide survey provides some risk factors and consideration about the aneurysms.
Detection of neutrophil‐associated immunoglobulin using flow cytometry in autoimmune neutropenia of infancy
Authors: Yamada Shinji , Yasui Kozo , Shinozaki Koji , Nagumo Haruo , Kumagai Toshiko 
Published: March 2003

Abstract
Background
: Autoimmune neutropenia of infancy (ANI) is a common form of chronic childhood neutropenia, which is caused by antineutrophil antibodies. The syndrome is characterized by a severe selective neutropenia accompanied with recurrent bacterial infections.
Methods
: We investigated 10 ANI patients in our hospital. Neutropenia in ANI patients was found in patients aged between 9 and 19 months. They had no life‐threatening infections and their infections episode could be controlled by the conventional antibiotic therapy in general. The correlation of absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) and neutrophil‐associated immunoglobulin (NAIg) levels in each case was analyzed and their clinical courses followed.
Results
: The NAIg levels were high in all cases at the diagnosis, however, they had no relationship with ANC. The severity of infection and the period of neutropenia in our patients have no correlation to NAIg levels either. In our four cases, neutropenia disappeared after a median of 26 months (range, 18−29 months). The periods of neutropenia were nearly similar to previous reports. After the NAIg level began to wane, neutrophil counts increased in four patients whose neutrophil counts had recovered finally.
Conclusions
: Detection of NAIg is useful for the diagnosis, and the observation of changes in NAIg may be helpful one by one for prediction of the prognosis.
Intrafamilial transmission of Salmonella oranienburg
Authors: Niizuma Takahiro , Terada Kihei , Matsuda Kazuyuki , Ogita Satoko , Kataoka Naoki 
Published: March 2003

Abstract
Backgroud
: There were diffuse outbreaks of Salmonella oranienburg in Japan since March 1999 which included 1505 patients. The outbreak was caused through ingestion of a dried squid snack contaminated with S. oranienburg. Such a large number of cases has not been previously recorded in Japan or other countries.
Methods
: A 9‐month‐old boy was admitted to our hospital with enteritis and bacteremia due to S. oranienburg. His older brother had eaten the contaminated snack. We detected S. oranienburg in the stools of five out of his six family members.
Results
: With the exception of the index case's brother, no other family members had eaten the contaminated snack. The S. oranienburg strain detected in the family was confirmed to be the same strain by pulse field gel electrophoresis. Therefore, we presumed there had been a series of household transmissions.
Conclusion
: Our observation of intrafamilial transmission suggests that S. oranienburg may be highly infectious.
Septic arthritis in patients followed‐up in neonatal intensive care unit
Authors: Kabak Sevki , Halici Mehmet , Akcakus Mustafa , Cetin Neside , Narin Nazmi 
Published: March 2003

Abstract
Background
: Septic arthritis is an uncommon, but serious disorder in neonates. Most patients survive with permanent handicaps. Due to the rarity of this condition in neonates and paucity of signs and symptoms, the diagnosis of septic arthritis in newborns is more difficult than in older children.
Methods
: Septic arthritis or suppurative arthritis is an infection of the joint by a variety of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, mycobacteria and fungi. Purulent synovial fluid, positive culture and positive Gram stain were accepted as a gold standard for exact diagnosis. Fourteen neonates who were followed‐up in a neonatal intensive care unit, with septic arthritis, were included in a study based on a review of medical reports and a long‐term clinical and radiological follow‐up. Clinical symptoms, bacteriology, risk factors and outcomes are discussed.
Results
: Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant causative organism. Risk factors for septic arthritis were prematurity (4/14), umbilical catheterization or venous catheterization (3/14), sepsis (3/14), perinatal asphyxia (2/14) and difficult birth (1/14). All cases of septic arthritis in neonates were improved without squealae except in two patients. One patient died and one patient had severe squealae. In these two patients, the duration of disease from clinical onset to initiation of therapy was long.
Conclusion
: The most important prognostic factor in predicting a favorable outcome in neonatal septic arthritis is early diagnosis and therapy. When appropriate treatment is delayed, catastrophic sequelae are inevitable. Early diagnosis of the condition and rapid removal of pus are mandatory for the survival of the joint. Long‐term follow‐up may reveal effects of epiphyseal damage, early degenerative changes and limitation of the range of motion.
Proliferation and differentiation of rat dorsal prostatic epithelial cells in collagen gel matrix culture, focusing upon effects of adipocytes
Authors: Tokuda Yuji , Toda Shuji , Masaki Zenjiro , Sugihara Hajime 
Published: March 2003

Abstract
Background
: Prostatic epithelial cells organize functional acinus structures under epithelial– extracellular matrix and epithelial–stromal cell interactions. Recently, the adipose tissue, which surrounds and even exists within the prostate, has been suggested to affect the differentiation and proliferation of some cell types. Therefore, tissue fragments, which consist mainly of epithelial and fibromuscular stromal cells, were cultured in three‐dimensional collagen gel matrix culture with adipocytes.
Methods
: Tissue fragments of rat dorsal prostate, including both epithelial and fibromuscular stromal components, were cultured in collagen gel with or without adipocytes. Epithelial cell differentiation was evaluated with the reconstruction of acinus‐like structures and with immuno‐histochemistry of rat dorsal prostate‐specific proteins, dorsal protein‐1 and probasin. The proliferation was examined by uridine uptake.
Results
: Under coculture of the fragments and adipocytes, epithelial cells reconstructed more differentiated acinus‐like structures surrounded by fibromuscular stromal cells than tissue fragment culture without adipocytes. Dorsal protein‐1 and probasin expressions of epithelial cells in this coculture system were the same as in rat prostate in vivo. In the coculture, epithelial cells had a higher proliferation activity.
Conclusion
: These results indicate that adipocytes promote proliferation and differentiation of prostatic epithelial cells. Our new culture model with adipocytes suggests the importance of cell–cell interactions, including those of epithelial cells and adipocytes.
Necessity of repeat biopsies in men for suspected prostate cancer
Authors: Noguchi Masanori , Yahara Junro , Koga Hiroshi , Nakashima Osamu , Noda Shinshi 
Published: March 2003

Background: The indications for repeat prostate needle biopsy in men whose initial biopsy results revealed no evidence of cancer are not defined.Methods: We retrospectively studied 218 consecutive cases of men undergoing prostate biopsies for suspected cancer. Men in whom cancer was found on repeat biopsy were compared with others with regard to age, digital rectal examination, serum prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) concentration, prostate volume, PSA density, PSA slope and the frequency of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) on initial prostate biopsy.Results: Of the 114 cancers detected, 99 (87%) were diagnosed on initial biopsy and 15 (13%) were diagnosed on repeat biopsy. Mean PSA concentration and mean PSA density were significantly higher in patients with cancer on initial biopsy than on repeat biopsy (P &lt; 0.05), but they were similar among patients with and without cancer on repeat biopsy. The PSA slope showed a more progressive increase in patients with cancer on repeat biopsy than in those patients without cancer at 6 month intervals. Of the 218 patients undergoing prostate biopsy, seven (3.2%) were identified with high grade PIN but without concurrent prostate cancer. Prostate cancers were detected in two of these seven patients (29%) on repeat biopsy.Conclusions: Serum PSA levels and PSA density did not provide useful predictive information about the indications of repeat biopsy. We conclude that men with a more progressive increase in PSA levels at 6 months intervals and high grade PIN on prostate needle biopsy should undergo repeat sampling to exclude missed cancer.
Complete disruption of the female urethra
Authors: Takayama Tatsuya , Mugiya Soichi , Ohira Tomoaki , Un‐No Toshiyuki , Fujita Kimio 
Published: March 2003

Purpose: We report a rare condition of complete rupture of the bladder neck with an anterior vaginal laceration secondary to blunt pelvic trauma in a 19‐year‐old woman.Methods: Management consisted of a suprapubic cystostomy, followed by end‐to‐end anastomosis 3 days later.Results/Conclusions: After 6 months, the patient is continent without any urinary disturbances.
Clinical outcome of microsurgery for obstructive azoospermia
Authors: INABA YOKO , FUJISAWA MASATO , OKADA HIROSHI , ARAKAWA SOICHI , KAMIDONO SADAO 
Published: March 2003

Background: Recent technical advances in microscopy have greatly improved the reconstruction of the seminal tract in cases of obstructive azoospermia.Methods: We evaluated the clinical outcome of 28 patients with obstructive azoospermia who underwent microsurgical reconstruction (i.e. vasovasostomy or unilateral epididymovasostomy). Diagnoses included postvasectomy (n = 9), childhood inguinal herniorrhaphy (n = 10) and cases of unknown cause (n = 9). Six of the unknown cases proved to be inoperable. We analyzed the outcome of the surgical reconstructions of operable cases according to the causes of obstruction, duration of obstruction, quality of the fluid obtained from the distal seminal tract (concentration, morphology and motility of sperm) and the histologic findings of the testis.Results: The surgical outcome was analyzed with regard to the incidence of patency and pregnancy. The incidence of patency achieved in nine vasectomy cases was 89%, while the incidence of pregnancy was 44%. In contrast, the incidence of patency in the nine operable cases with herniorrhaphy was 44%, while the pregnancy rate was 0%. Of four cases of unknown cause who underwent epididymovasostomy, the incidence of patency was 100% and the incidence of pregnancy was 75%. The outcomes were worse in post‐vasectomy cases with long‐term obstruction of more than 10 years; however, this was not statistically significant. The outcome was significantly worse in cases with low sperm concentrations. There was no significant relationship between histologic findings and surgical outcome.Conclusions: The surgical outcome of vasovasostomy of postherniorrhaphy cases was significantly worse than that of post‐vasectomy cases. With regard to epididymovasostomy, a unilateral repair was clinically evaluated.
Role of ejaculation in the treatment of chronic non‐bacterial prostatitis
Authors: YAVAŞÇAOĞLU ĮSMET , OKTAY BÜLENT , ŞIMŞEK ÜMIT , ÖZYURT MUSTAFA 
Published: March 2003

Background: Chronic non‐bacterial prostatitis (NBP) is the most common prostatitis syndrome. Prevention and cure are not possible because the cause of NBP is unknown. However, patients may benefit from supportive measures. The impact of the frequency of ejaculation alone on the course of NBP was evaluated in the present study.Methods: Thirty‐four single male patients who avoided masturbation and extramarital sexual intercourse for personal and/or religious beliefs and who did not respond to a clinical trial of doxycycline hydrochloride therapy (200 mg daily for 4 weeks) directed against mycoplasmas, chlamydiae and ureaplasmas were enrolled in the study. They were encouraged to masturbate regularly at least twice a week and were re‐evaluated at the end of a 6 month period, including a complete inquiry regarding their sexual function during this time. Response was assessed by a symptom severity index.Results: Clinical and laboratory re‐evaluation could be performed in 28 patients. Of 18 patients who adhered to the recommendations, two (11%) experienced complete relief of symptoms, whereas six (33%) had marked improvement, six had moderate improvement and four (22%) did not benefit. In contrast, three of seven patients who masturbated less frequently reported partial improvement. Three patients who did not ejaculate other than during wet dreams had a worse prognosis.Conclusions: Young men who are single and suffering from NBP must be informed about their illness in detail and, if they are not doing so, they should be encouraged to ejaculate regularly, for example by masturbation in the absence of a sexual relationship with a partner. We believe that normal sexual activity decreases the incidence of NBP in some cases.
Prognosis of patients with T4 prostate carcinoma
Authors: Furuya Yuzo , Akakura Koichiro , Ichikawa Tomohiko , Ito Haruo 
Published: March 2003

Background: The clinical course of patients with T4 prostate carcinoma was examined in order to consider whether there are alternative treatment options besides androgen ablation therapy.Methods: From 1986 to 1995 at Chiba University Hospital, there were 22 cases of T4 prostate carcinoma. Sixteen cases had no bone metastasis at initial diagnosis. Tumor grade and response of prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) to endocrine treatment were evaluated in these 16 cases.Results: Four patients had moderately differentiated and 12 had poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. For initial treatment, all patients received endocrine therapy. Anti‐androgen therapy was effective in 15 cases and the 5 year cause‐specific and progression‐free survival rates were 72.1 and 38.1%, respectively. Patients with moderately differentiated tumors tended to have a longer disease‐free period than those with poorly differentiated tumors (P = 0.047).Conclusions: Endocrine therapy was effective in patients with T4 tumors. It was suggested that aggressive local treatment (i.e. radiotherapy) in combination with endocrine therapy may be considered if the patients had no distant metastases and had a long life expectancy.