Soluble LR11 as a Novel Biomarker in Acute Kawasaki Disease.

Background: Intimal smooth muscle cells (SMCs) play an important role in the vasculitis caused by Kawasaki disease (KD). Lipoprotein receptor 11 (LR11) is a member of the low-density lipoprotein receptor family, which is expressed markedly in intimal vascular SMCs and secreted in a soluble form (sLR11). sLR11 has been recently identified as a potential vascular lesion biomarker.

Clinically Mild Encephalitis/Encephalopathy with a Reversible Splenial Lesion Associated with Rhinovirus.

A 2-year-old girl with fever and seizures was diagnosed as having clinically mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion, as indicated by magnetic resonance imaging. Virologic analysis identified human rhinovirus A49 in her serum. Although human rhinovirus rarely involves the central nervous system, such involvement could result in mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion.

Occurrence of severe rotavirus gastroenteritis in children younger than three years of age before and after the introduction of rotavirus vaccine: a prospective observational study in four pediatric clinics in Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan.

In Japan, rotavirus (RV) vaccines have already been introduced but not used for universal vaccination as of 2018. Therefore, we identified cases of severe rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) in children younger than three years of age and investigated the occurrence of infection before and after the introduction of RV vaccines. An ecological study through prospective surveillance was conducted in four pediatric clinics in Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, during the 2011 to 2018 RVGE epidemic seasons.

Twins with neonatal pemphigus vulgaris born to a mother with pemphigus vulgaris: a case report.

Dichorionic diamniotic twins were born at 37 weeks of gestation by cesarean section to a 34-year-old primigravid Japanese woman because the first twin was in breech presentation. The mother had been diagnosed with pemphigus vulgaris prior to her pregnancy. In addition to a high antidesmoglein 3 autoantibody titer, flaccid bullae and erosions on both of the twins' lips and in their oral cavities at 13 days of age led to the diagnosis of neonatal pemphigus vulgaris.

Rhabdomyolysis associated with antimicrobial drug-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

We describe a case of rhabdomyolysis in a patient infected with antimicrobial drug-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae The patient's acute-phase serum levels of interleukin-18 and tumor necrosis factor-α were high, which suggests a pathogenic role for M. pneumoniae. In an era of increasing antimicrobial drug resistance, a system for rapidly identifying resistant M.

Large pseudocyst of the umbilical cord detected in the second trimester.

We present a case of a large umbilical cord cyst detected at 21 weeks of gestation. Serial ultrasonographic examination revealed a single umbilical artery and progression of the cystic mass. A 2,842-g male infant was delivered at 37 weeks of gestation, and we confirmed that the umbilical cord cyst was a pseudocyst in our pathological examination.

Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome in an extremely low-birth-weight neonate: molecular characterization and rapid detection by multiplex and real-time PCR of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Background:   Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS), caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) producing exfoliative toxin (ET), is a life-threatening infection for neonates in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). SSSS in extremely low-birth-weight (ELBW) neonates is rare. A new class of MRSA (community-acquired MRSA, CA-MRSA) has been emerging in the community.

Fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus acutely emerged during pregnancy.

A pregnant woman at 32 weeks of gestation was emergently admitted to our hospital with symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and uterine contraction. Cardiotocogram demonstrated a loss of variability and late deceleration in fetal heart rate pattern. Emergency cesarean section was performed, and a male infant weighing 1750 g was born with Apgar scores of 1 at 1 min, and 3 at 5 min after delivery.

Management of patients with pregnancy-associated gastric cancer in Japan: a mini-review.

Gastric cancer associated with pregnancy is quite rare, and is most often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Furthermore, physicians are confronted with two conflicting issues in this condition: the need for early treatment of the maternal gastric cancer and the continuation of the pregnancy. To clarify the characteristics of pregnancy-associated gastric cancer and to obtain useful information that would help us choose the best treatment strategy for pregnancy-associated gastric cancer, we reviewed the existing literature, using the key words "pregnancy" and "gastric cancer".

Four cases of fetal hypoechoic hepatomegaly associated with Trisomy 21 and transient abnormal myelopoiesis.

Objective: Our objective was to determine the clinical significance of fetal hypoechoic hepatomegaly and serial change of liver sizes.

Methods: The liver sizes of four fetuses with hypoechoic hepatomegaly were serially estimated by liver length, as measured from the dome of the right hemidiaphragm to the tip of the right lobe.

Results: All cases were associated with trisomy 21 or transient abnormal myelopoiesis (TAM).

Urinary acidification in extremely low birth weight infants.

Premature infants often present metabolic acidosis without protein load in the early neonatal period, around days 4-6. In order to elucidate the cause of acidosis, we investigated urinary acidification of infants in the early neonatal period. Urine pH, fractional excretion of HCO(3)(-) (FEHCO(3)), excretion of HCO(3)(-) and NH(4)(+) of the appropriate-for-date infants were measured on days 0-2 and on days 4-6 of life.