Bilateral round ligament varicosities mimicking inguinal hernia during pregnancy.

Round ligament varicosities during pregnancy have not been reported extensively. The swelling mimics an inguinal hernia and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a groin swelling during pregnancy. We report a case of a pregnant woman with bilateral round ligament varicosities.

A promising technique for transplantation of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells into rat heart.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of intracoronary application of endothelial progenitor cells and the subsequent distribution within the heart.

Methods: Endothelial progenitors cells (EPCs) cultured from rat bone marrow were identified by double-positive staining with Dil-Ac-LDL and BS1-lectin. Twenty-four hours before cell transplantation, EPCs were labeled with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU).

Erythropoietin induces neovascularization and improves cardiac function in rats with heart failure after myocardial infarction.

Objectives: We assessed the effects of erythropoietin (EPO) treatment in a rat model of post-myocardial infarction (MI) heart failure.

Background: Erythropoietin, traditionally known as a hematopoietic hormone, has been linked to neovascularization. Whereas administration of EPO acutely after MI reduces infarct size and improves cardiac function, its role in the failing heart is unknown.

Timing of erythropoietin treatment for cardioprotection in ischemia/reperfusion.

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hormone known to stimulate hematopoiesis. However, recent research suggests additional properties of EPO, such as protection against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in various tissues. We studied the effect of timing of EPO administration on cardioprotection during I/R in the heart.