Exacerbation of ventricular arrhythmias by continuous positive airway pressure treatment in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy can be beneficial in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and cardiovascular diseases, reducing arrhythmia frequency and improving cardiac function. We describe a case of moderate OSA with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, in which the frequency of premature ventricular contraction (PVC) and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) increased immediately after initiating CPAP therapy. Although PVC and NSVT are benign cardiac arrhythmias, they are associated with an increased risk of sustained lethal ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Therefore, when initiating CPAP therapy, the possibility of increased arrhythmia should be considered.

Effects of assigning physical therapists exclusively to the acute-phase stroke patient ward.

[Purpose] In April 2014, an additional health insurance system aiming to maintain or improve activities of daily living levels was newly established by the Japanese government. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of this new medical system for rehabilitation on patient management (e.g., activities of daily living level and length of hospital stay) in an acute-phase stroke patient ward. [Participants and Methods] All patients were admitted to the stroke patient ward in our hospital and were registered between January 2012 and December 2019. We assessed the differences in the time to initiation of rehabilitation, length of hospitalization, implementation rate of rehabilitation, and Barthel Index between the period before the start of the new medical system (Prior period) and after this system was started (Post period). [Results] Significant improvements were observed in the initiation of rehabilitation and the difference in the Barthel Index scores after the start of the new medical system. Although the length of hospitalization and implementation rate of rehabilitation did not differ significantly, both indicators gradually improved after the start of the new system. [Conclusion] Our results suggest that the new medical system for rehabilitation is beneficial for patient management in the acute-phase stroke patient ward.

Deviation in the recovery of the lower limb and respiratory muscles of patients with polymyositis: a preliminary clinical study.

[Purpose] The purposes of this study were to quantify the serial changes in lower limb and respiratory muscle strengths and to evaluate the acute effects of physiotherapy in polymyositis patients. [Subjects and Methods] Five patients (57.6 ± 9.0 years, 50 to 72; four females) received physiotherapy five days a week for four weeks. The lower limb and respiratory muscle strength, the % vital capacity, and the Barthel index were evaluated at baseline and after the intervention. [Results] The patient's symptoms and creatine kinase values did not change, and after four weeks, all of the patients exhibited significantly increased outcomes compared with the baseline. However, the inspiratory muscle strength of the patients presented smaller improvements than the expiratory muscle strength. [Conclusion] Differential changes in inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength were observed following physiotherapy, and an unbalanced muscle distribution may explain the pathological and therapeutic effects.

A thick placenta: a predictor of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of an ultrasonographic measurement of placental thickness and the correlation of a thick placenta with adverse perinatal outcome. METHODS: Placental thickness was measured in single gravidas, 16 to 40 weeks of gestation, between 2005 and 2009. Placentas were considered to be thick if their measured thickness were above the 95th percentile for gestational age. RESULTS: The incidence of thick placentas was 4.3% (138/3,183). Perinatal morbidity and neonatal conditions were worse in cases with thick placenta rather than without thick placenta. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonographic measurement of placental thickness is a simple method to estimate placental size. Thick placenta may be a useful predictor of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Synthesis of vertically aligned carbon nanofibers-carbon nanowalls by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

Vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (VA-CNFs)-carbon nanowalls (CNWs) have been prepared on a silicon (Si) substrate by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The VA-CNFs-CNWs were formed at bias voltage of - 185 V, whereas conventional VA-CNFs were synthesized under conditions of high bias voltages. Degenerated CNWs with turbostratic graphite structure were created on amorphous carbon layer around CNFs like a flag attached to a pole, which is evidenced by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Electron field emission characteristics of VA-CNFs-CNWs with unique microstructure, fabricated on the Si substrate, were primarily investigated. As a result, the VA-CNFs-CNWs showed the turn-on and the threshold fields of 1.7 V x microm(-1) and 3.35 V x microm(-1) with current densities of 10 nA x cm(-2) and 1 microA x cm(-2), respectively. The field enhancement factor beta was estimated to be 1059 by using Fowler-Nordheim theory.

Congenital high airway obstruction syndrome in the breech presentation managed by ex utero intrapartum treatment procedure after intraoperative external cephalic version.

Congenital high airway obstruction syndrome (CHAOS) caused by laryngeal atresia was diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound in a male fetus at 26 weeks of gestation. Findings included massive ascites, subcutaneous edema, enlarged hyperechogenic lungs with diaphragmatic inversion, dilated trachea, polyhydramnios, and breech presentation. Those findings of CHAOS spontaneously returned to normal by 33 weeks of gestation. However, the placenta was localized to the anterior uterine wall. In addition, the fetal position had been breech until delivery. At 36 weeks of gestation, a planned ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure was performed following intraoperative external cephalic version (ECV) in which the fetus was approached from the posterior wall of the uterus. Laryngoscopy revealed the predicted laryngeal obstruction, and tracheostomy was placed. Intraoperative ECV may be a useful technique in breech presentation before EXIT procedure.

Evolution of Ge nanoislands on Si(110)-'16 x 2' surface under thermal annealing studied using STM.

The initial nucleation of Ge nanoclusters on Si(110) at room temperature (RT), annealing-induced surface roughening and the evolution of three-dimensional Ge nanoislands have been investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). A few monolayers (ML) of Ge deposited at room temperature lead to the formation of Ge clusters which are homogeneously distributed across the surface. The stripe-like patterns, characteristic of the Si(110)-'16 x 2' surface reconstruction are also retained. Increasing annealing temperatures, however, lead to significant surface diffusion and thus, disruption of the underlying '16 x 2' reconstruction. The annealing-induced removal of the stripe structures (originated from '16 x 2' reconstruction) starts at approximately 300 degrees C, whereas the terrace structures of Si(110) are thermally stable up to 500 degrees C. At approximately 650 degrees C, shallow Ge islands of pyramidal shape with (15,17,1) side facets start to form. Annealing at even higher temperatures enhances Ge island formation. Our findings are explained in terms of partial dewetting of the metastable Ge wetting layer (WL) (formed at room temperature) as well as partial relaxation of lattice strain through three-dimensional (3D) island growth.

Dietary pulverized konjac glucomannan prevents the development of allergic rhinitis-like symptoms and IgE response in mice.

Konjac is a traditional Japanese food with a peculiar texture, and it has been suggested that its main ingredient, konjac glucomannan (KGM), ameliorates metabolic disorders such as diabetes and hypercholesteremia. We have found that feeding with pulverized KGM (PKGM) prevents skin inflammation in a murine model of atopic dermatitis. Here, we show that dietary PKGM suppresses allergic rhinitis-like symptoms in mice upon immunization and nasal sensitization with ovalbumin (OVA). The PKGM-fed mice showed a much lower frequency of sneezing than in control animals. We also found that PKGM supplementation exclusively suppressed OVA-specific IgE response without affecting IgG1/IgG2a responses as well as systemic Th1/Th2 cytokine production. These results suggest that PKGM can be a beneficial foodstuff in preventing nasal allergy such as seasonal pollinosis.

Electrochemically grown Pd nanoparticles used for synthesis of carbon nanotube by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

Pd nanoparticles of well-defined shapes with face centered cubic structure were grown electrochemically on silicon substrates with high degree of reproducibility. As direct application of these electrochemically grown Pd nanostructures they have been used as catalyst for the growth of multi wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT). It is observed that the MWCNTs are filled with a Pd based material during growth by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD) technique. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy, used to study the material inside MWCNT suggests the formation of PdH0.649 or Pd2Si during the growth of carbon nanotube. Raman spectroscopy has been used to study the structure of the MPECVD grown carbon nanotubes.

A case of pregnancy associated hypereosinophilia with hyperpermeability symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Hypereosinophilia commonly reflects an allergic, infectious, or neoplastic disease, and is a rare complication during pregnancy. CASE: A 27-year-old pregnant woman was referred to our hospital due to dyspnea at 10 weeks' gestation. Ultrasound examination showed the presence of pericardial effusion, pleural effusion, and ascites. Fluid transfusion, diuretic administration, and oxygen supplementation gradually improved the symptoms. Thereafter, the blood eosinophil count increased acutely and the fetus died. Following cessation of pregnancy the blood eosinophil count gradually decreased. Laboratory examinations did not assist the diagnosis of eosinophilia. CONCLUSION: This is the first case of hypereosinophilia associated with the life-threatening hyperpermeability symptoms, i.e., pericardial effusion, pleural effusion, and ascites, during early pregnancy.