Multidirectional Traction Method Using SURGICEL NU-KNIT and Surgical Suture in Robot-assisted Laparoscopic Surgery for Endometrial Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a novel approach to robot-assisted laparoscopic total hysterectomy (RH) for endometrial cancer that minimizes cancer sell spillage and develops a stable surgical field. DESIGN: Demonstration of the multidirectional traction method with narrated video footage. SETTING: Many reports have indicated that RH for endometrial cancer has the same or superior short-term results compared with conventional laparoscopic hysterectomy (LH), and the long-term prognosis is the same [1,2]. However, there are no randomized controlled trials of RH versus LH, and some previous reports [3] have suggested that RH has a worse prognosis than LH, so the long-term prognosis should be considered with caution. Factors that may affect the long-term prognosis include the use of uterine manipulators [4] and compression of the uterine body with robotic forceps without tactile sensation [3]. However, to the best of our knowledge, no surgical technique capable of avoiding these factors has been established yet. Herein, we report a multidirectional traction method using SURGICEL NU-KNIT (Ethicon; Johnson & Johnson Medical Ltd., Tokyo, Japan), a local hemostatic agent, and surgical sutures. INTERVENTION: Cut 2-0 Prolene (Ethicon; Johnson & Johnson Medical Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) with straight needles (ST-70) thread to 35 cm, stick a 1 × 2 cm piece of SURGICEL NU-KNIT, and make knots Fig. 1. This implement is used to puncture the incisional margins of the peritoneum and then the abdominal wall to bring the thread to the surface of the body, where it is grasped with forceps and fixed. By repeating this operation, multidirectional traction can be obtained Fig. 2. A manipulating suture is also attached to the uterus to minimize the compression of the uterine body with robotic forceps. CONCLUSION: The multidirectional traction method allows for reproducible stable surgical field development and minimizes cancer cell spillage by reducing uterine grasping by robotic forceps without the use of uterine manipulators.

Vaginal malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor treated with complete surgical resection and postoperative radiation therapy.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are neoplasms originating from or differentiating into nerve sheaths of peripheral nerves. Vaginal origin is rare, with only six vaginal primary cases reported to date. A 55-year-old woman presented to our hospital with a 7 cm vulvar mass. Tumor biopsy results were suspicious of sarcoma, and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging and hysterofiberscopy showed that the tumor originated from the lower vagina. The mass was transvaginally excised, and histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of a vaginal MPNST with negative surgical margins. The patient underwent radiotherapy because the risk of recurrence was high, owing to the large tumor size and high mitotic index. The patient remained recurrence-free for 1 year after the primary treatment. This is the first case of a high-risk vaginal MPNST that avoided early disease recurrence with additional radiotherapy after complete tumor resection.

Trends and future projections of cervical cancer-related outcomes in Japan: What happens if the HPV vaccine program is not implemented?

Contrary to other developed countries, in Japan, recent years have seen increases in cervical cancer incidence and mortality among young people. However, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine program, a key measure for avoiding cervical cancer, has been virtually suspended. Temporal changes in cervical cancer profiles in this unique situation have not been fully investigated epidemiologically. Our study aimed to determine the current status and future trends of the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer and precancerous lesions in Japan. Mortality rates of cervical cancer during 1975 to 2016 and incidence rates of cervical cancer and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 3 during 1975 to 2013 were examined using vital statistics and population-based cancer registry data in Japan. Bayesian age-period-cohort analyses were performed to analyze temporal changes of the three cervical cancer-related outcomes. We also calculated projections to 2028 for the three outcomes, assuming that HPV vaccination coverage and screening rates in Japan would be maintained at the current level after the resumption of the national vaccination program. The risk of occurrence of the three outcomes showed similar changes by birth cohort, peaking in the mid-1890s to 1900s birth cohorts, declining sharply in the 1940s birth cohort, and persistently increasing in the 1950s and later birth cohorts. Projections to 2028 show increases in cervical cancer incidence and mortality in the 30 to 69 age group, with a particular increase in CIN3 incidence in the 25 to 49 age group, if HPV vaccine programs and screening are not effectively implemented. These findings revealed an increasing cervical disease burden among reproductive age females in Japan.

The impact of assisted reproductive technology on the risk of postpartum hemorrhage: Difference by the mode of delivery and embryo transfer.

AIM: The frequency of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is increasing in developed countries, and some reports suggest that assisted reproductive technology (ART) increases various perinatal complications, including PPH. We investigated whether the effect of ART pregnancies on the incidence of PPH is modified by the mode of delivery. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed. We analyzed the medical records of 2914 pregnant women, including 411 pregnancies achieved by ART, which were delivered in our hospital from 2017 to 2020. PPH was defined as hemorrhage exceeding the 90th percentile of blood loss per the mode of delivery and number of fetuses. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between ART and PPH. Propensity score-matched analyses were used to assess the difference in the incidence of PPH by the mode of delivery. RESULTS: As previously reported, multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that ART pregnancy is an independent risk factor for PPH. Propensity score-matched analysis for with and without ART showed a 3.39-fold higher incidence of PPH for ART pregnancy in the vaginal delivery group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The effect of ART pregnancies on the incidence of PPH differed depending on the mode of delivery. Only in vaginal delivery, ART pregnancy increased the incidence of PPH.

Resting-state functional connectivity predicts recovery from visually induced motion sickness.

Movies depicting certain types of motion often provoke uncomfortable symptoms similar to motion sickness, termed visually induced motion sickness (VIMS). VIMS generally evolves slowly during the viewing of a motion stimulus and, when the stimulus is removed, the recovery proceeds over time. Recent human neuroimaging studies have provided new insights into the neural bases of the evolution of VIMS. In contrast, no study has investigated the neural correlates of the recovery from VIMS. Study of the recovery process is critical for the development of a way to promote recovery and could provide further clues for understanding the mechanisms of VIMS. We thus investigated brain activity during the recovery from VIMS with functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging. We found enhanced recovery-related functional connectivity patterns involving brain areas such as the insular, cingulate and visual cortical regions, which have been suggested to play important roles in the emergence of VIMS. These regions also constituted large interactive networks. Furthermore, the increase in functional connectivity was correlated with the subjective awareness of recovery for the following five pairs of brain regions: insula-superior temporal gyrus, claustrum-left and right inferior parietal lobules, claustrum-superior temporal gyrus and superior frontal gyrus-lentiform nucleus. Considering the previous findings on the functions of these regions and the present results, it is suggested that the increase in FC may reflect brain processes such as enhanced interoceptive awareness to one's own bodily state, a neuroplastic change in visual-processing circuits and/or the maintenance of visual spatial memory.

Left Ventricular Diastolic Function During the Normal Peripartum Period.

BACKGROUND: Because cardiovascular function and hemodynamics markedly change during pregnancy, our aim was to elucidate left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in pregnant women.Methods and Results:We prospectively collected the data of 397 pregnant women treated between 2012 and 2013. We evaluated their LV systolic and diastolic functions via echocardiography during the 3rd trimester (28-30 weeks' gestation) and within 4 days of delivery. Additionally, we analyzed the cardiac geometry: relative wall thickness and LV mass index (LVMI). Diastolic dysfunction was defined as early diastolic mitral annulus velocity (e') <7 cm/s and peak early filling velocity (E)/e' ratio >15. The pregnant women were 33.7±5.0 years old and the prevalence of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) was 4.0%. LV systolic function was preserved in all pregnant women. However, diastolic function significantly decreased after delivery (mean e': 12.6 vs. 11.6 cm/s, P<0.0001; median E/e' ratio: 6.4 vs. 7.3, P<0.0001). Diastolic function after delivery was associated with the prevalence of HDP (P=0.035) and was correlated with age (R=-0.17, P=0.0009) and LVMI (R=-0.30, P<0.0001). However, these changes in diastolic function remained within the normal range and only 1 woman (1/397, 0.3%) had LV diastolic dysfunction after delivery. CONCLUSIONS: LV diastolic function decreased after delivery in pregnant women but was within the normal range.

Age-related survival disparity in stage IB and IIB cervical cancer patients.

AIM: Whether young cervical cancer patients have poorer prognosis compared to older ones has remained controversial over the past half century. The last three decades have seen a rise in morbidity and mortality among young Japanese women with cervical cancer. This reflects the fact that the importance of prevention has not been fully recognized due to limited clinical studies. We examined the relationship between age and prognosis in cervical cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively examined medical records of consecutive patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IB and IIB cervical cancer at a hospital in Japan. Patients were divided into two age groups: less than or equal to 39 years (adolescent and young adult [AYA] group) and greater than or equal to 40 years (older adult group). We compared prognosis and clinical factors associated with prognosis between AYA and older adult patients. RESULTS: Data from 182 patients (AYA n = 71; older adults n = 111) treated between 2004 and 2011 were analyzed. The proportion of loss to follow-up was 6.0%. Significant differences were observed in stage and lymph node metastasis between the two groups at baseline. However, despite the older adult group having a higher proportion of advanced cancer patients, the overall survival rate of stage IIB patients in the AYA group at the 3-year follow-up was significantly lower (AYA 53.6%, older adults 86.3%, P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis adjusted for clinical factors revealed that AYA patients had a 3.7-3.9 times greater mortality risk compared to older adults. CONCLUSION: AYA patients with stage IB and IIB cervical cancer may have a prognostic disadvantage.

Abnormal menstruation after radical trachelectomy and its effects on fertility.

AIM: To evaluate and identify the risk factors for abnormal menstruation after radical trachelectomy. METHODS: This study included 58 patients who underwent radical trachelectomy at our hospital between April 2005 and January 2018. Patients were divided into groups of those with no change in postoperative menstruation (regular [R] group; n = 46) and those with abnormal menstruation such as amenorrhea or hypomenorrhea (irregular [I] group; n = 12). The perioperative characteristics and fertility of the groups were compared retrospectively. The data were statistically analyzed using Student's t-test, Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney U test for univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis for multivariate analysis, with the level of statistical significance set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Based on Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging, 54 patients had stage IB1, 2 had stage IB2 and 2 had stage IIA1 cervical cancer. Eight patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Pretreatment tumor size, residual uterine cavity length and neoadjuvant and postoperative chemotherapy use were not significantly different between the groups. Abnormal menstruation was significantly more common in patients with postoperative pelvic infection (R group, 13.0%; I group, 58.3%) and cervical stenosis (R group, 15.2%; I group, 58.3%). CONCLUSION: To maintain healthy menstruation even after radical trachelectomy, it is important to prevent postoperative pelvic infection and cervical stenosis.

Value and limitation of conization as a diagnostic procedure for cervical neoplasm.

AIM: In the recent years, the number of cervical conization procedures performed for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes is increasing, accompanied by increased cervical neoplasia among young women. This study aimed to analyze the clinical data of patients who underwent conization in Japan. METHODS: Among the 14 832 cases of conization registered in 205 facilities over 2 years (2009-2011), the data of 2409 and 12 417 patients who underwent conization for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, respectively, were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The median age of the patients in diagnostic and therapeutic conization groups was 44 and 37 years, respectively. When comparing the diagnostic and therapeutic groups, 25.5% of the patients in the former were suspected with invasive cancer preoperatively, which is higher than that in the latter (2.7%). About 25.7% in the diagnostic and 14.1% in the therapeutic group had positive margin in the conization specimens. Additional treatment was required for 36.0% and 5.5% of the patients in the diagnostic and therapeutic groups, respectively, which are high figures for both. The risk factors of pathological upgrade in the conization specimens were diagnostic purpose, postmenopausal status and glandular lesion. Additional hysterectomy was performed in 1304 patients after conization, and pathological diagnosis was upgraded in 550 cases. Multivariate analysis revealed that postmenstrual status was an independent risk factor. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that cervical lesions of glandular lineage and patients with postmenopausal status benefit from diagnostic conization. However, in postmenopausal patients, the underlying disease cannot be excluded in the preserved uterus even by diagnostic conization.

Invasive cervical cancer accompanied by IgG4-related disease.

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a systemic disease that affects multiple organs and generates nodules or thickening. Discriminating these diseases from malignancy is important because glucocorticoid treatment is effective for patients with IgG4-RD. Coexistence of IgG4-RD with various malignant diseases has been reported, but there are few reports with regard to gynecologic malignant diseases. We encountered a case of invasive cervical cancer stage IIB accompanied by IgG4-RD. The patient was a 46-year-old woman. On pelvic magnetic resonance imaging, fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography and computed tomography, systemic multiple lymph node swelling was seen, including in the neck and the mediastinum in addition to uterine cervix. Diagnosis (and hence, appropriate treatment choice) was achieved on pathology of the submandibular gland and uterus, and analysis of serum IgG4. IgG4-RD should be suspected in patients presenting with malignancy and unusual multiple lymph node swelling.

Inter-hemispheric desynchronization of the human MT+ during visually induced motion sickness.

Visually induced motion sickness (VIMS) is triggered in susceptible individuals by stationary viewing of moving visual scenes. VIMS is often preceded by an illusion of self-motion (vection) and/or by inappropriate optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) responses associated with increased activity in the human motion-sensitive middle temporal area (MT+). Neuroimaging studies have reported predominant right hemispheric activation in MT+ during both vection and OKN, suggesting that VIMS may result from desynchronization of activity between left and right MT+ cortices. However, this possibility has not been directly tested. To this end, we presented VIMS-free and VIMS-inducing movies in that order while measuring the temporal correlations between corresponding left and right visual cortices (including MT+) using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The inter-hemispheric correlation was reduced significantly during the viewing of the VIMS-inducing movie compared to the control VIMS-free movie in the MT+ of subjects reporting VIMS, but not in insusceptible subjects. In contrast, there were no significant inter-hemispheric differences within VIMS-free or VIMS-inducing movie exposure for visual area V1, V2, V3, V3A or V7. Our findings provide the first evidence for an association between asynchronous bilateral MT+ activation and VIMS. Desynchronization of left and right MT+ regions may reflect hemispheric asymmetry in the activities of functional networks involved in eye movement control, vection perception and/or postural control.

Activity in early visual areas predicts interindividual differences in binocular rivalry dynamics.

When dissimilar images are presented to the two eyes, binocular rivalry (BR) occurs, and perception alternates spontaneously between the images. Although neural correlates of the oscillating perception during BR have been found in multiple sites along the visual pathway, the source of BR dynamics is unclear. Psychophysical and modeling studies suggest that both low- and high-level cortical processes underlie BR dynamics. Previous neuroimaging studies have demonstrated the involvement of high-level regions by showing that frontal and parietal cortices responded time locked to spontaneous perceptual alternation in BR. However, a potential contribution of early visual areas to BR dynamics has been overlooked, because these areas also responded to the physical stimulus alternation mimicking BR. In the present study, instead of focusing on activity during perceptual switches, we highlighted brain activity during suppression periods to investigate a potential link between activity in human early visual areas and BR dynamics. We used a strong interocular suppression paradigm called continuous flash suppression to suppress and fluctuate the visibility of a probe stimulus and measured retinotopic responses to the onset of the invisible probe using functional MRI. There were ∼130-fold differences in the median suppression durations across 12 subjects. The individual differences in suppression durations could be predicted by the amplitudes of the retinotopic activity in extrastriate visual areas (V3 and V4v) evoked by the invisible probe. Weaker responses were associated with longer suppression durations. These results demonstrate that retinotopic representations in early visual areas play a role in the dynamics of perceptual alternations during BR.

Successful fertility preservation in stage II endometrial carcinoma with long-term progestin therapy: A case report.

Progestin therapy is a fertility-sparing treatment option for well-differentiated stage IA endometrioid carcinomas without myometrial invasion. Here, we present a case of successful pregnancy and live birth following long-term progestin therapy in a patient with stage II well-differentiated endometrioid carcinoma. A 30-year-old nulliparous woman with an unremarkable medical history presented with abnormal uterine bleeding. A 45 mm mass was identified in the lower uterine segment. An endometrial biopsy revealed grade 1 endometrioid carcinoma, leading to a diagnosis of stage II uterine corpus cancer based on hysteroscopic findings. The patient refused surgical treatment and underwent oocyte retrieval and cryopreservation at another hospital. A subsequent endometrial biopsy revealed a marked reduction in the Ki-67 index from approximately 60 % to less than 10 %, suggesting the possibility of a hormone-sensitive tumor. The patient persistently refused surgery. Therefore, progestin therapy with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) at a dose of 400 mg/day was initiated as a temporary measure until the patient would accept surgery. The tumor gradually reduced in size and eventually disappeared after 9 months. The MPA therapy was discontinued uneventfully after 20 months. Sixteen months after the discontinuation of MPA therapy, atypical endometrial hyperplasia was detected, and a second round of MPA therapy was initiated. Progestin retreatment was successful and was discontinued at 6 months. Four years after the initial treatment, the patient achieved pregnancy through timed intercourse and delivered a healthy baby at 38 weeks of gestation.

Coexistence of ovarian cancer and peritoneal tuberculosis: a case report.

Peritoneal tuberculosis (TB) is known to mimic advanced ovarian cancer. In this case report, we describe a unique case of ovarian cancer (endometrioid carcinoma grade 3) at the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IC1 with pulmonary and peritoneal TB, which was suspected preoperatively to be a coexistence of advanced ovarian cancer and pulmonary TB. A 68-year-old woman presented with a prominent abdominal mass and fever. Laboratory investigations, imaging, and sputum analysis indicated a probable diagnosis of ovarian cancer at FIGO stage IIIC, characterized by peritoneal dissemination and para-aortic lymph node metastasis, which was further complicated by coexisting pulmonary TB. Surgical management included total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and partial omentectomy. Intraoperatively, the tumor was localized to the right ovary with significant peritoneal thickening and adhesions indicative of peritoneal TB. The surgery was completed without apparent complications. Postoperative histopathological evaluation confirmed grade 3 endometrioid carcinoma in the right ovary along with evidence of peritoneal TB. Given the extent of adhesions attributed to TB, lymph node dissection for staging was deemed challenging and was thus not pursued. Initiation of anti-TB treatment on postoperative day 2 resulted in marked regression of the preoperatively identified pulmonary nodules and para-aortic lymph node enlargement, suggesting their inflammatory origin from TB. Although postoperative chemotherapy is typically advocated for patients with stage IC1 endometrioid carcinoma grade 3, the patient opted against it. Consequently, no adjuvant therapy was administered and the patient remained under close observation.

Gestational Ectopic Hyperparathyroidism: A Case Report of Perioperative and Perinatal Outcomes.

In the realm of obstetric care, discerning the subtle signs of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) amidst common pregnancy symptoms remains a formidable challenge. Our exploration into a case of gestational hypercalcemia peels back the layers of this complexity, revealing the clinical conundrum posed by overlapping gastrointestinal manifestations. The journey from diagnosis through surgical intervention to the resolution of symptoms underscores the importance of vigilance for PHPT in pregnant patients. This case further prompts consideration of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) as a potential piece in the puzzle of persistent symptoms post-calcium normalization, inviting a broader dialogue on the intricacies of parathyroid pathology in pregnancy.

Long-term vs short-term tocolysis with ritodrine hydrochloride: Propensity score-matched analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the short-term tocolysis protocol is as effective as the traditional long-term tocolysis protocol with intravenous ritodrine hydrochloride for preterm labour. STUDY DESIGN: This single-centre, retrospective, observational study was conducted at Kitano Hospital, Osaka, Japan between April 2016 and July 2021. At the study hospital, the management protocol for preterm labour after 26 weeks of gestation was changed from the long-term tocolysis protocol to the short-term tocolysis protocol in November 2019. This study compared patients managed with the two protocols, using propensity score analysis to overcome the potential weaknesses of a retrospective study. The primary outcome was the frequency of preterm birth before 34 weeks of gestation before and after the protocol was revised. The secondary outcomes were frequency of neonatal intensive care unit admission and frequency of neonatal chronic lung disease. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 82 patients managed by the long-term tocolysis protocol and 56 patients managed by the short-term tocolysis protocol. After propensity score-weighted adjustment, the median durations of intravenous ritodrine administration in the long-term and short-term protocols were 18 days and 3 days, respectively. Differences were not detected between the long-term and short-term protocols in terms of the frequency of preterm delivery before 34 weeks of gestation [23.7 % vs 21.6 %, risk ratio (RR) 0.91, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.47-1.77], frequency of neonatal intensive care unit admission due to preterm birth (49.5 % vs 39.3 %, RR 0.79, 95 % CI 0.53-1.19) and frequency of neonatal chronic lung disease (4.4 % vs 9.2 %, RR 2.07, 95 % CI 0.51-8.48). CONCLUSION: Using propensity score analysis, changing from the long-term tocolysis protocol to the short-term tocolysis protocol for the management of preterm labour after 26 weeks of gestation did not have a negative effect on the frequency of preterm birth or neonatal prognosis.

Predictive score for postpartum hemorrhage in vaginal deliveries following frozen embryo transfer.

Objective: To develop a predictive score for life-threatening severe postpartum hemorrhage in vaginal deliveries following frozen embryo transfer. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 315 singleton vaginal deliveries following frozen embryo transfer from 2017 to 2022. Severe postpartum hemorrhage was defined as hemorrhage exceeding 1500 mL. A predictive score was generated from maternal characteristics and obstetric complications before delivery. We performed multivariable logistic regression analysis using 2017-2020 data and assigned points to identified risk factors. The predictive score's accuracy was evaluated using 2021-2022 data. Results: A large baby (birth weight ≥3500 g), pre-delivery maternal body mass index ≥25 kg/m2, marginal or velamentous umbilical cord insertion, and history of postpartum hemorrhage were identified as risk factors. We assigned one point to a large baby, a pre-delivery maternal body mass index ≥25 kg/m2, and marginal or velamentous umbilical cord insertion, and two points to a history of postpartum hemorrhage. The sum of the points was defined as the predictive score. The cut-off was set at two points, with a score ≥2 points being the high-risk group and a score ≤1 point being the low-risk group. The predictive score demonstrated a sensitivity of 47.8%, specificity of 85.4%, positive predictive value of 45.8%, and negative predictive value of 86.4% in the 2021-2022 validation cohort. Conclusion: The predictive score identified severe postpartum hemorrhage in approximately half of the high-risk cases. Implementing measures such as autologous blood storage may facilitate rapid response during heavy bleeding and improve maternal prognosis.

Functional Connectivity Pattern Using Resting-state fMRI as an Assessment Tool for Spatial Neglect during the Recovery Stage of Stroke: A Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: To determine if functional connectivity measured with resting-state functional MRI could be used as a tool to assess unilateral spatial neglect during stroke recovery. METHODS: Resting-state functional MRI was performed on 13 stroke patients with lesions in the right cerebral hemisphere and 31 healthy subjects. The functional connectivity score was defined as a correlation of a target region with the right inferior parietal lobule. Spatial neglect was measured with a behavioral inattention test. RESULTS: First, the functional connectivity scores between the right inferior parietal lobule and right inferior frontal gyrus, including the opercular and triangular parts, were significantly decreased in stroke patients with unilateral spatial neglect compared with patients without unilateral spatial neglect and were significantly correlated with the behavioral inattention test score. Second, the functional connectivity scores between the bilateral inferior parietal lobules were also significantly decreased in patients with unilateral spatial neglect compared with patients without unilateral spatial neglect and were significantly correlated with the behavioral inattention test score. Third, negative functional connectivity scores between the right inferior parietal lobule and bilateral medial orbitofrontal cortexes, which are related to the default mode network, were detected in patients without unilateral spatial neglect in contrast to a reduction of this negative tendency in patients with unilateral spatial neglect. The functional connectivity scores between these regions were significantly different between patients with and without unilateral spatial neglect and were negatively correlated with the behavioral inattention test score. CONCLUSION: Though still in the pilot research stage and using a small number of cases, our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that functional connectivity maps generated with resting-state functional MRI may be used as a tool to evaluate unilateral spatial neglect during stroke recovery.

Lower systolic blood pressure levels in early pregnancy are associated with a decreased risk of early-onset superimposed preeclampsia in women with chronic hypertension: a multicenter retrospective study.

To clarify the impact of blood pressure (BP) management ranges on pregnancy outcomes, we conducted a multicenter retrospective analysis of 215 women with singleton pregnancies diagnosed with essential hypertension either before or within 14 weeks of gestation. Patients were classified according to systolic BP (sBP; <130, 130-139, 140-159, and ≥160 mmHg) or diastolic BP (dBP; <80, 80-89, 90-109, and ≥110 mmHg) at 8-11, 12-15, and 16-19 weeks of gestation. The risk of early-onset superimposed preeclampsia and small-for-gestational-age neonates was assessed in each BP group. Moreover, a subgroup analysis was performed in 144 eligible patients whose BP was measured at both 12-13 and 14-15 weeks of gestation. At 16-19 weeks of gestation, higher sBP significantly increased the incidence of early-onset superimposed preeclampsia (13.3%, 24.6%, 32.2% and 75.0%, respectively) and small-for-gestational-age neonates (6.0%, 13.1%, 16.9% and 50.0%, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that women with sBP < 130 mmHg at 16-19 weeks of gestation had a significantly lower risk of early-onset superimposed preeclampsia than women with sBP of 140-159 mmHg. Subgroup analyses also showed that even at 14-15 weeks of gestation, sBP < 130 mmHg was associated with a significantly lower risk of early-onset superimposed preeclampsia than an sBP of 140-159 mmHg. In conclusion, sBP < 130 mmHg within 14 weeks of gestation reduced the risk of developing early-onset superimposed preeclampsia in women with chronic hypertension.