Maternal outcomes associated with early preterm cesarean delivery.

Background: Data on complications associated with classic cesarean delivery are conflicting. In extremely preterm cesarean delivery (22 0/7-27 6/7 weeks' gestation), the lower uterine segment is thicker. It is plausible that the rates of maternal complications may not differ between classic and low transverse cesarean.

Prepregnancy Weight in Women with Type I Diabetes Mellitus: Effect on Pregnancy Outcomes.

 This study aims to evaluate the association between prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM).  This is a secondary analysis of a cohort of 426 pregnancies in women with type 1 DM recruited before 20 weeks gestation. Women were categorized according to prepregnancy BMI: low BMI (< 20 kg/m), normal BMI (20 to < 25 kg/m), and high BMI (≥ 25 kg/m).

Characterizing Gestational Weight Gain According to Institute of Medicine Guidelines in Women with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: Association with Maternal and Perinatal Outcome.

 This study aims to evaluate the association between gestational weight gain (GWG) defined by the current Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines and pregnancy outcomes in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM).  This is a secondary analysis of a cohort of 293 pregnancies of women with type 1 DM between 24 and 41 weeks' gestation. Women were categorized according to GWG per week over the second and third trimester: below, within, and above the IOM guidelines.

Placental Weight in Pregnant Women with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: The Association with Fetal Growth.

 To determine the association between placental weight (PW) and large for gestational age (LGA) in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and whether glycemic control modifies the association.  In a retrospective analysis of a cohort of women with T1DM, poor glycemic control was defined as glycohemoglobin A(HbA)≥ 8.5% (≥2 standard deviations [SD] above mean), and LGA as birth weight > 90th percentile, according to gestation, race, and sex.

Duration of Oxytocin and Rupture of the Membranes Before Diagnosing a Failed Induction of Labor.

Objective: To compare maternal and neonatal outcomes based on length of the latent phase during induction with rupture of membranes before 6 cm dilation.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study using data from the Consortium of Safe Labor study, including 9,763 nulliparous and 8,379 multiparous women with singleton, term pregnancies undergoing induction at 2 cm dilation or less with rupture of membranes before 6 cm dilation after which the latent phase ended. Outcomes were evaluated according to duration of oxytocin and rupture of membranes.

Induction of Labor in Women with Oligohydramnios: Misoprostol Compared with Prostaglandin E2.

 To compare perinatal outcomes in women with oligohydramnios and an unfavorable cervix undergoing labor induction with misoprostol to prostaglandin E2.  We conducted a secondary analysis of women with oligohydramnios undergoing labor induction in the Consortium on Safe Labor study (2002-2008). Oligohydramnios was recorded in the medical chart.

Lineage switch with t(6;11)(q27;q23) from T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma to acute monoblastic leukemia at relapse.

We present a patient with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) harboring t(6;11)(q27;q23) that converted to acute monoblastic leukemia at relapse. A 27-year-old man developed T-LBL with a mediastinal mass. He exhibited several recurrences in the central nervous system and marrow.

Indications for primary cesarean delivery relative to body mass index.

Background: Obesity is a known risk factor for cesarean delivery. Limited data are available regarding the reasons for the increased rate of primary cesarean in obese women. It is important to identify the factors leading to an increased risk of cesarean to identify opportunities to reduce the primary cesarean rate.

Evaluation of treatment for dry eye with 2-hydroxyestradiol using a dry eye rat model.

Purpose: 2-hydroxy estradiol (2-OHE2) is a catechol derivative of 17β -Estradiol (E2) and it is synthesized from E2 catalyzed by cytochrome P4501A1. Previous studies reported that 2-OHE2 is a physiologic antioxidant in lipoproteins, liver microsomes, and the brain. Catechol derivatives show an anti-inflammatory effect through the inhibition of prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase (PGS) activity.

Factors Associated with Myelosuppression Related to Low-Dose Methotrexate Therapy for Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases.

Objective: Severe myelosuppression is a serious concern in the management of rheumatic disease patients receiving methotrexate (MTX) therapy. This study was intended to explore factors associated with the development of MTX-related myelosuppression and its disease severity.

Methods: We retrospectively examined a total of 40 cases of MTX-related myelosuppression that had been filed in the registries of participating rheumatology and hematology divisions.

The sensitivity of adipose tissue visfatin mRNA expression to lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxemia is increased by ovariectomy in female rats.

Visfatin plays an important role in inflammatory and metabolic conditions. In this study, the effects of septic stress on the serum, white-adipose-tissue (WAT), and liver visfatin levels of male and female rats were examined. Both gonadally intact (sham) and ovariectomized (OVX) female rats were used in order to evaluate the effects of the gonadal hormonal milieu on visfatin responses.

[A Clinical Case Report Including In Vivo Laser Confocal Microscopic Findings of Keratitis Complicated with Takayasu's Arteritis].

Background: We present a clinical case report including in vivo laser confocal microscopic findings of keratitis complicated with Takayasu's arteritis (aortitis syndrome).

Case: A 47-year-old woman was referred to the outpatient clinic of ophthalmology with blurred vision in her both eyes at the onset of Takayasu's arteritis. Since multifocal infiltrates in the stromal corneas with injection were observed with slit-lamp biomicroscope in the both eyes, the diagnosis was keratitis.

Randomized, Multicenter, Double-Blind Study of the Safety and Efficacy of 1%D-3-Hydroxybutyrate eye drops for Dry Eye Disease.

In a previous study, we demonstrated that topical D-beta-hydroxybutyrate ameliorates corneal epithelial erosion and superficial punctate keratopathy in a rat model of dry eye disease. In the current investigation, we performed a prospective, randomized, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to assess the safety and efficacy of 1% D-3-hydroxybutyrate eye drops in patients with dry eye disease. A total of 65 patients were randomly assigned to either the placebo group or the 1% D-3-hydroxybutyrate group, and the treatments were administered 6 times a day for 4 weeks.

The Relation of Ocular Surface Irregularity and Visual Disturbance in Early Stage Acanthamoeba Keratitis.

Purpose: To evaluate the relation between ocular surface irregularity and visual disturbance in early stage Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK).

Methods: Fifteen patients with culture-proven AK underwent routine ophthalmic examinations, including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measurement, slitlamp biomicroscope examination, and corneal fluorescein dye staining test, in both the eyes. We also evaluated the corneal sensitivity with Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer, tear functions by Schirmer's test, and ocular surface irregularity by corneal topography and compared the results with the contralateral healthy eyes in this study.

Contributions of ADP and ATP to the increase in skeletal muscle blood flow after manual acupuncture stimulation in rats.

Objective: To investigate the contributions of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) to the increase in skeletal muscle blood flow (MBF) observed following manual acupuncture (MA) stimulation in rats.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used as experimental animals (300-370 g, n=40). MA was applied to the right tibialis anterior muscle (TA) for 1 min using a stainless steel acupuncture needle.

Challenges and Strategies for Regenerating the Lacrimal Gland.

The lacrimal gland produces the aqueous component of tears, including electrolytes, peptides, and glycoproteins necessary to maintain homeostasis and optical properties of the ocular surface. Stem cells that contribute to the homeostasis of the lacrimal gland are under extensive study. It is still unclear whether such stem cells are of mesenchymal or epithelial origin.

Cytokeratin expression in mouse lacrimal gland germ epithelium.

Purpose: The lacrimal gland secretes tear fluids that protect the ocular surface epithelium, and its dysfunction leads to dry eye disease (DED). The functional restoration of the lacrimal gland by engraftment of a bioengineered lacrimal gland using lacrimal gland germ epithelial cells has been proposed to cure DED in mice. Here, we investigate the expression profile of cytokeratins in the lacrimal gland germ epithelium to clarify their unique characteristics.

Neonatal complications associated with use of fetal scalp electrode: a retrospective study.

Objectives: To estimate the incidence and risk of complications associated with a fetal scalp electrode and to determine whether its application in the setting of operative vaginal delivery was associated with increased neonatal morbidity.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Twelve clinical centers with 19 hospitals across nine American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists US districts.

Tissue Renin-Angiotensin System in Lacrimal Gland Fibrosis in a Murine Model of Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease.

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a serious complication known to occur after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Clinical manifestation includes inflammation and fibrosis. Many peripheral tissues are capable of generating the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) components, called the tissue RAS, and have various roles in tissue-specific physiological and pathological functions of inflammation and fibrosis.

Adverse Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes in Adolescent Pregnancy.

Study Objective: To investigate the outcomes of adolescent pregnancy.

Design: Retrospective cohort study from the Consortium on Safe Labor between 2002 and 2008.

Setting: Twelve clinical centers with 19 hospitals in the United States.

Effectiveness of Autologous Serum Eye Drops Combined With Punctal Plugs for the Treatment of Sjögren Syndrome-Related Dry Eye.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of autologous serum (AS) eye drops combined with punctal plugs (PPs) in patients with Sjögren syndrome (SS)-related dry eye.

Methods: A retrospective clinical study was performed in patients with dry eye caused by SS. We evaluated the Schirmer test value, tear breakup time (tBUT), and fluorescein and Rose Bengal (RB) staining scores at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and >1 year after treatment.

Predictors of adverse neonatal outcomes in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.

Objective: We sought to determine predictors of adverse neonatal outcomes in women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).

Study Design: This study was a multicenter retrospective cohort study of all women diagnosed with ICP across 5 hospital facilities from January 2009 through December 2014. Obstetric and neonatal complications were evaluated according to total bile acid (TBA) level.