Emergency right lower lobectomy for severe pulmonary abscess in a pregnant woman at the 25th week of gestation: a case report.

Background: Pulmonary abscess is a severe infection commonly seen in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, interstitial pneumonia, immune deficiency disease, drug-induced immunocompromised state, and congenital pulmonary disease. The treatment strategy in pregnant women with a pulmonary abscess is considered challenging since adverse effects on the fetus must be avoided to ensure safe delivery.

Case Presentation: A 34-year-old female patient at 24 weeks of gestation (G2P1) was admitted to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology due to sudden right chest pain.

Effects of perinatal blood pressure on maternal brain functional connectivity.

Perinatal hypertensive disorder including pre-eclampsia is a systemic syndrome that occurs in 3-5% of pregnant women. It can result in various degrees of brain damage. A recent study suggested that even gestational hypertension without proteinuria can cause cardiovascular or cognitive impairments later in life.

Perinatal outcome of vaginal delivery with epidural analgesia initiated at the early or late phase of labor period: A retrospective cohort study in the Japanese population.

Aim: We compared the perinatal outcomes of vaginal delivery with epidural analgesia initiated at the early versus late phase in a Japanese population.

Methods: Women enrolled in this retrospective cohort study received intrapartum analgesia via combined spinal epidural analgesia after labor onset between May 2010 and August 2015. We compared the perinatal outcomes between two different timings of epidural analgesia: at the early phase (≤3 cm cervical dilatation) and the late phase (≥4 cm) or at the new definition-based early phase (≤5 cm) and late phase (≥6 cm).

Protective effects of anesthetics on vascular function related to K⁺ channels.

K(+) channels play an essential role in the membrane potential of arterial smooth muscle, and also in regulating contractile tone. Especially, in vascular smooth muscle, the opening of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive K(+) (KATP) channels leads to membrane hyperpolarization, resulting in muscle relaxation and vasodilation. This activation also plays a role in tissues during pathophysiologic events such as ischemia, hypoxia, and vasodilatory shock.

RET PLCγ phosphotyrosine binding domain regulates Ca2+ signaling and neocortical neuronal migration.

The receptor tyrosine kinase RET plays an essential role during embryogenesis in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration. Upon glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) stimulation, RET can trigger multiple intracellular signaling pathways that in concert activate various downstream effectors. Here we report that the RET receptor induces calcium (Ca(2+)) signaling and regulates neocortical neuronal progenitor migration through the Phospholipase-C gamma (PLCγ) binding domain Tyr1015.

The role of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid in cerebral arteriolar constriction and the inhibitory effect of propofol.

Background: We conducted this study to examine, in cerebral parenchymal arterioles, whether 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) induces constrictor responses via superoxide and whether propofol reduces this constriction.

Methods: Electrical field stimulation or 20-HETE was applied to rat brain slices monitored by computer-assisted microscopy. In some experiments, a Na(+) channel antagonist tetrodotoxin, a 20-HETE synthesis inhibitor HET0016, a superoxide scavenger, Tiron, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase inhibitors diphenyleneiodonium (DPI) and gp91ds-tat, or propofol was added.

Roles of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt and NADPH oxidase in adenosine 5'-triphosphate-sensitive K+ channel function impaired by high glucose in the human artery.

The present study was designed to examine roles of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt pathway and reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidases in the reduced ATP-sensitive K(+) channel function via superoxide produced by high glucose in the human artery. We evaluated the activity of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt pathway, as well as reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidases, the intracellular levels of superoxide and ATP-sensitive K(+) channel function in the human omental artery without endothelium. Levels of the p85-alpha subunit and reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase subunits, including p47phox, p22phox, and Rac-1, increased in the membrane fraction from arteries treated with D-glucose (20 mmol/L) accompanied by increased intracellular superoxide production.

Cholinesterase inhibitor donepezil dilates cerebral parenchymal arterioles via the activation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase.

Background: An acetylcholinesterase inhibitor donepezil currently is used to treat patients with Alzheimer disease. However, its direct effect on cerebral blood vessels has not been evaluated. The present study was designed to examine whether donepezil induces acute cerebral arteriolar dilation and whether neuronal nitric oxide synthase contributes to this vasodilator response.

Propofol restores brain microvascular function impaired by high glucose via the decrease in oxidative stress.

Background: Vascular dysfunction induced by hyperglycemia has not been studied in cerebral parenchymal circulation. The current study was designed to examine whether high glucose impairs dilation of cerebral parenchymal arterioles via nitric oxide synthase, and whether propofol recovers this vasodilation by reducing superoxide levels in the brain.

Methods: Cerebral parenchymal arterioles in the rat brain slices were monitored using computer-assisted videomicroscopy.

[Introduction of labor epidural analgesia in Wakayama].

Labor epidural analgesia is unfamiliar to parturients in Wakayama Prefecture partly because of insufficient information and medical services for expectant mothers given by anesthesiologists and other medical staffs. We offered introductory approaches for providing epidural analgesia for labor and delivery in our obstetric care unit. The preliminary survey among midwives, who are crucial for gravitas, revealed their negative attitude to painless labor assisted by epidural technique, while they opted for natural childbirth.

Sevoflurane, but not propofol, prevents Rho kinase-dependent contraction induced by sphingosylphosphorylcholine in the porcine coronary artery.

Background: Sphingosylphosphorylcholine may induce coronary vasospasm by the activation of Rho kinase. We designed the current study to examine the differential effects of anesthetics on Rho kinase activation induced by sphingosylphosphorylcholine in porcine coronary arteries.

Methods: Rings of porcine coronary artery without endothelium were prepared in tissue bath containing modified Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate solution.

Synthetic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma agonists restore impaired vasorelaxation via ATP-sensitive K+ channels by high glucose.

The present study was designed to examine whether in the human artery, synthetic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma agonists restore vasorelaxation as well as hyperpolarization via ATP-sensitive K+ channels impaired by the high concentration of D-glucose and whether the restoration may be mediated by the antioxidant capacity of these agents. The isometric force and membrane potential of human omental arteries without endothelium were recorded. The production rate of superoxide was evaluated using a superoxide-generating system with xanthine-xanthine oxidase in the absence of smooth muscle cells.

Augmented activity of adenosine triphosphate-sensitive K+ channels induced by droperidol in the rat aorta.

Droperidol produces the inhibition of K+ channels in cardiac myocytes. However, the effects of droperidol on K+ channels have not been studied in blood vessels. Therefore, we designed the present study to determine whether droperidol modulates the activity of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive K+ channels in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Vasodilation mediated by inward rectifier K+ channels in cerebral microvessels of hypertensive and normotensive rats.

Although inward rectifier K+ channels contribute to the regulation of cerebral circulation, dilation of cerebral microvasculature mediated by these channels has not been demonstrated in chronic hypertension. We designed the present study to examine the roles of inward rectifier K+ channels in the vasodilation produced by increased levels of extracellular K+ in cerebral parenchymal arterioles from hypertensive and normotensive rats. During constriction to prostaglandin F2alpha (5 x 10(-7) M), the arterioles within brain slices were evaluated using computer-assisted microscopy.

Landiolol attenuates tachycardia in response to endotracheal intubation without affecting blood pressure.

Purpose: Beta-adrenergic receptor antagonists (beta-antagonists) have long been used to control perioperative tachyarrhythmias. The effects of a beta(1)-antagonist, landiolol, on perioperative hemodynamics are unknown. We aimed to determine the appropriate dosage of landiolol for the treatment of hemodynamic changes in response to endotracheal intubation.

Inhibitory effects of lidocaine and mexiletine on vasorelaxation mediated by adenosine triphosphate-sensitive K+ channels and the role of kinases in the porcine coronary artery.

Background: Effects of antiarrhythmic drugs on coronary vasodilation mediated by K channels have not been studied. Modulator roles of protein kinase C and tyrosine kinase in the activity of K channels have also been unclear in the coronary artery. The current study examined whether lidocaine and mexiletine in the porcine coronary artery modify the vasorelaxation mediated by adenosine triphosphate-sensitive K channels via activation of protein kinase C and tyrosine kinase.

Inhibitory effect of high concentration of glucose on relaxations to activation of ATP-sensitive K+ channels in human omental artery.

Objective: The present study was designed to examine in the human omental artery whether high concentrations of D-glucose inhibit the activity of ATP-sensitive K+ channels in the vascular smooth muscle and whether this inhibitory effect is mediated by the production of superoxide.

Methods And Results: Human omental arteries without endothelium were suspended for isometric force recording. Changes in membrane potentials were recorded and production of superoxide was evaluated.

Lidocaine impairs vasodilation mediated by adenosine triphosphate-sensitive K+ channels but not by inward rectifier K+ channels in rat cerebral microvessels.

Vasodilator effects of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive, as well as inward rectifier, K+ channel openers have not been well demonstrated in cerebral microvessels. Although lidocaine impairs vasorelaxation via ATP-sensitive K+ channels in the rat aorta, the effects of this compound on K+ channels in the cerebral circulation have not been shown. We designed the present study to examine whether ATP-sensitive and inward rectifier K+ channels contribute to vasodilator responses in cerebral microvessels and whether the vasodilation mediated by these channels is inhibited by lidocaine.

Mild hypercapnia induces vasodilation via adenosine triphosphate-sensitive K+ channels in parenchymal microvessels of the rat cerebral cortex.

Background: Carbon dioxide is an important vasodilator of cerebral blood vessels. Cerebral vasodilation mediated by adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive K+ channels has not been demonstrated in precapillary microvessel levels. Therefore, the current study was designed to examine whether ATP-sensitive K+ channels play a role in vasodilation induced by mild hypercapnia in precapillary arterioles of the rat cerebral cortex.