Association between prenatal mercury exposure and pediatric neurodevelopment: The Japan environment and children's study.

Mercury pollution, including from its use during gold mining and refining, remains an important problem worldwide. In particular, methylmercury, a microbial alteration of mercury released into the environment, is a major environmental neurotoxicant. Although there has been growing concern about the health hazards of exposure to low levels of mercury, the effects of prenatal mercury exposure on neurodevelopmental outcomes in children have remained controversial.

Association of phenol exposure during pregnancy and asthma development in children: The Japan Environment and Children's study.

Background: Alkylphenols can originate from numerous products containing alkylphenol ethoxylates, including cleaning products, household items, and cosmetics. Some phenols, such as nonylphenol, are known to be endocrine disruptors, and exposure to them is thought to have contributed to the recent increase in allergic diseases such as asthma. However, the impacts of prenatal phenol exposure on asthma development in children are still unclear.

Relationship between ETCO and PaCO under Changing Capnogram in Ventilated Infants with NAVA: An Observational Study.

This observational study evaluated the validity of end-tidal CO (ETCO) as a surrogate for arterial PCO (PaCO) in infants on neurally adjusted ventilatory assist (NAVA), particularly considering the influence of variable spontaneous breathing on capnography waveforms. The study involved 16 infants, analyzing 50 paired ETCO and PaCO values. Deming regression analysis highlighted a notably stronger correlation for maximum ETCO (r = 0.

Timing of Elective Cesarean Section and Neonatal Outcomes in Term Singleton Deliveries: A Single-Center Experience.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the timing of elective cesarean sections at 37 to 41 weeks from a tertiary hospital in Japan. The primary outcome was the rate of adverse neonatal outcomes, especially focusing on neonates delivered at 38 weeks of gestation.

Study Design: The study population was drawn from singleton pregnancies delivered following planned cesarean birth at the Fukuda Hospital from 2012 to 2019.

Sleep habits and problems across gestational progress in Japanese women.

Background: Pregnancy-related anatomic, physiologic, and hormonal factors can occur at different stages of pregnancy and affect sleep disturbances. Sleep problems and habits among Japanese women across gestational stages have not been described. This study aimed to elucidate sleep problems, including a high risk of sleep-disordered breathing and sleep habits, among Japanese women across gestational progress, including postpartum.

A quasi-randomized controlled trial of Ninjin'yoeito for the treatment of postpartum anemia and the prevention of postpartum depression.

Aim: To study the effect of Ninjin'yoeito (NYT) on postpartum anemia and on the development of postpartum depression (PPD).

Methods: In this prospective, single-center, open-label, quasi-randomized controlled trial, patients with anemia 1-2 days postdelivery were randomized to receive either NYT or an oral iron preparation for 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was the hemoglobin (Hb) level.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Associated with Pertussis Vaccination during Pregnancy: Japan, 2016-2017.

Neonatal pertussis can potentially cause severe complications and even death. Mothers have been most frequently identified as the source of neonatal pertussis. Approximately a dozen countries have implemented pertussis vaccination programs for pregnant women to protect neonates; however, in Japan, this has not been implemented.

Effect of tidal volume and end tracheal tube leakage on end-tidal CO in very low birth weight infants.

Objective: To examine the extents to which low tidal volume (VT) and endotracheal tube (ETT) leakeage influence the accuracy of ETCO for estimating arterial PCO (PaCO) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with mechanical ventilation.

Study Design: An observational study. We evaluated a total of 287 paired ETCO and PaCO values as well as VTs obtained from 22 VLBW infants with ventilation.

Feasibility of neurally synchronized and proportional negative pressure ventilation in a small animal model.

Rationale: Synchronized positive pressure ventilation is possible using diaphragm electrical activity (EAdi) to control the ventilator. It is unknown whether EAdi can be used to control negative pressure ventilation.

Aim: To evaluate the feasibility of using EAdi to control negative pressure ventilation.

One-hour oral glucose tolerance test plasma glucose at gestational diabetes diagnosis is a common predictor of the need for insulin therapy in pregnancy and postpartum impaired glucose tolerance.

Aims/introduction: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a risk for adverse perinatal outcomes, and patients with a history of GDM have an increased risk of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Here, we carried out two non-interventional and retrospective studies of GDM patients in Japan.

Materials And Methods: In the first study, we enrolled 529 GDM patients and assessed predictors of the need for insulin therapy.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in 61 neonates: Single-center experience.

Background: There have been few reports on the outcome of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in newborn Japanese infants.

Methods: A review was carried out of 61 neonates with ECMO between January 1995 and December 2015 at a single center. ECMO was used in neonates with oxygenation index >20 after conventional treatment.

Implications of mercury concentrations in umbilical cord tissue in relation to maternal hair segments as biomarkers for prenatal exposure to methylmercury.

In this study, we investigated how mercury (Hg) concentrations in umbilical cord tissue are correlated with those in biomarkers for prenatal exposure to methylmercury (MeHg). Total Hg (T-Hg) concentrations were measured in 54 mother-child paired samples of maternal blood, umbilical cord tissue, cord blood, and maternal hair segments (1-cm incremental segments from the scalp) collected at parturition. MeHg concentrations were also measured in the cord tissue.

Polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column direct hemoperfusion and continuous hemodiafiltration in premature neonates with systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

Background: There have been no previous studies regarding whether combined use of Polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column direct hemoperfusion (PMX-DHP) and continuous hemodiafiltration (CHDF) is helpful in the treatment of preterm infants with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and hypercytokinemia.

Methods: A retrospective review was carried out of 18 SIRS infants born at gestational week 24-28. Eight with blood interleukin (IL)-6 ≥ 1000 pg/mL were treated actively with 2 h PMX-DHP followed by 2 h PMX-DHP and CHDF.

Influenza 2014-2015 among pregnant Japanese women: primiparous vs multiparous women.

This study was performed to determine whether multiparous pregnant women are prone to influenza. A questionnaire survey was conducted at 19 centres located throughout Japan, targeting all 6,694 postpartum women within 7 days after birth before leaving the hospital. All women gave birth during the study period between March 1, 2015, and July 31, 2015.

Effects of infant flow Bi-NCPAP on apnea of prematurity.

Background: Infant flow biphasic nasal continuous positive airway pressure (Bi-NCPAP) and regular NCPAP (Re-NCPAP) are equally useful with respect to the rate of successful weaning from mechanical ventilation. It remains unclear, however, whether Bi-NCPAP or Re-NCPAP is more effective for reducing apnea of prematurity (AOP).

Methods: A multicenter randomized controlled study was conducted of 66 infants assigned to receive Bi-NCPAP and 66 assigned to receive Re-NCPAP for respiratory support after extubation.

Feasibility of neurally adjusted positive end-expiratory pressure in rabbits with early experimental lung injury.

Background: During conventional Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist (NAVA), the electrical activity of the diaphragm (EAdi) is used for triggering and cycling-off inspiratory assist, with a fixed PEEP (so called "Triggered Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist" or "tNAVA"). However, significant post-inspiratory activity of the diaphragm can occur, believed to play a role in maintaining end-expiratory lung volume. Adjusting pressure continuously, in proportion to both inspiratory and expiratory EAdi (Continuous NAVA, or cNAVA), would not only offer inspiratory assist for tidal breathing, but also may aid in delivering a "neurally adjusted PEEP", and more specific breath-by-breath unloading.

Significance of fingernail and toenail mercury concentrations as biomarkers for prenatal methylmercury exposure in relation to segmental hair mercury concentrations.

Objective: To investigate the appropriateness of mercury (Hg) concentrations in fingernails and toenails at parturition for detecting prenatal exposure to methylmercury (MeHg).

Methods: Total Hg concentrations were measured in 54 paired samples of fingernails, toenails, maternal blood, and maternal hair (1cm incremental segments from the scalp toward the tip) collected at 4th weeks of (early) pregnancy, and the same specimens and cord blood collected at parturition.

Results: Strong correlations were observed between Hg concentrations in fingernails and toenails at early pregnancy (r=0.

Population-based study of esophageal and small intestinal atresia/stenosis.

Background: The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of esophageal atresia/stenosis and small intestinal atresia/stenosis in Nagano, Japan, together with associated anomalies, prenatal diagnosis and survival.

Methods: A population-based cohort study of the prevalence of esophageal atresia/stenosis and small intestinal atresia/stenosis was conducted in Nagano in January 1993-December 2011. The Mann-Whitney test, χ(2) test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to compare variables.

CD133 is a positive marker for a distinct class of primitive human cord blood-derived CD34-negative hematopoietic stem cells.

The identification of human CD34-negative (CD34(-)) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) provides a new concept for the hierarchy in the human HSC compartment. Previous studies demonstrated that CD34(-) severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)-repopulating cells (SRCs) are a distinct class of primitive HSCs in comparison to the well-characterized CD34(+)CD38(-) SRCs. However, the purification level of rare CD34(-) SRCs in 18 lineage marker-negative (Lin(-)) CD34(-) cells (1/1000) is still very low compared with that of CD34(+)CD38(-) SRCs (1/40).