Investigating the role of the Itoigawa-Shizuoka tectonic line towards the evolution of the Northern Fossa Magna rift basin

AbstractThe Itoigawa-Shizuoka tectonic line (ISTL) fault system is considered to have one of the highest probabilities for a major inland earthquake occurrence in the whole of Japan. It is a complex fault system with the dip directions of the local fault segments changing from north to south between an east-dipping low-angle thrust fault, a strike slip fault and a west-dipping thrust fault. The tectonic relations between the different parts of the fault system and the surrounding geological units are yet to be fully explained. This study aims to reveal the juncture of the northern and central parts of the ISTL and investigate its contribution towards the shaping of the Northern Fossa Magna rift basin. We conducted 3 deployments of 1 or 2 linear arrays of seismic stations across the central and northern ISTL regions and observed local micro-earthquakes for a period of 3 years. Each deployment recorded continuous waveform data for approximately 3 months. Using arrival times of 1193 local earthquakes, we jointly determined earthquake locations and a 3D velocity model, applying the tomography method. We were able to image the regional crustal structures from the surface to a depth of 20km with a spatial resolution of 5km. Subsequently, we used the obtained 3D velocity model to relocate the background local seismicity from 2003 to 2009. The juncture of the northern and central parts of the ISTL was well constrained by our results. The depth extension of the northern parts of the ISTL fault segments follows the bottom of the Miocene Northern Fossa Magna rift basin (NFM) and forms an east-dipping low-angle fault. In contrast, the central parts of the ISTL fault segments are estimated to lie along the eastern boundary of the Matsumoto basin forming an oblique strike slip fault (Fig. 1)

Association between Lactobacillus species and bacterial vaginosis-related bacteria, and bacterial vaginosis scores in pregnant Japanese women

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bacterial vaginosis (BV), the etiology of which is still uncertain, increases the risk of preterm birth. Recent PCR-based studies suggested that BV is associated with complex vaginal bacterial communities, including many newly recognized bacterial species in non-pregnant women.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To examine whether these bacteria are also involved in BV in pregnant Japanese women, vaginal fluid samples were taken from 132 women, classified as normal (n = 98), intermediate (n = 21), or BV (n = 13) using the Nugent gram stain criteria, and studied. DNA extracted from these samples was analyzed for bacterial sequences of any <it>Lactobacillus</it>, four <it>Lactobacillus </it>species, and four BV-related bacteria by PCR with primers for 16S ribosomal DNA including a universal <it>Lactobacillus </it>primer, <it>Lactobacillus </it>species-specific primers for <it>L. crispatus</it>, <it>L. jensenii</it>, <it>L. gasseri</it>, and <it>L. iners</it>, and BV-related bacterium-specific primers for BVAB2, <it>Megasphaera</it>, <it>Leptotrichia</it>, and <it>Eggerthella</it>-like bacterium.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The prevalences of <it>L. crispatus</it>, <it>L. jensenii</it>, and <it>L. gasseri </it>were significantly higher, while those of BVAB2, <it>Megasphaera</it>, <it>Leptotrichia</it>, and <it>Eggerthella</it>-like bacterium were significantly lower in the normal group than in the BV group. Unlike other <it>Lactobacillus </it>species, the prevalence of <it>L. iners </it>did not differ between the three groups and women with <it>L. iners </it>were significantly more likely to have BVAB2, <it>Megasphaera, Leptotrichia</it>, and <it>Eggerthella</it>-like bacterium. Linear regression analysis revealed associations of BVAB2 and <it>Megasphaera </it>with Nugent score, and multivariate regression analyses suggested a close relationship between <it>Eggerthella</it>-like bacterium and BV.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The BV-related bacteria, including BVAB2, <it>Megasphaera</it>, <it>Leptotrichia</it>, and <it>Eggerthella</it>-like bacterium, are common in the vagina of pregnant Japanese women with BV. The presence of <it>L. iners </it>may be correlated with vaginal colonization by these BV-related bacteria.</p

Daytime nap and nighttime breastfeeding are associated with toddlers\u27 nighttime sleep

The purpose of the present study is to examine the association between toddlers\u27 sleep arrangements and their nighttime sleep duration and other sleep variables. For this investigation, we performed a study in which child activity and sleep levels were recorded using actigraphy. The parents of 1.5-year-old toddlers (n = 106) were asked to attach an actigraphy unit to their child’s waist with an adjustable elastic belt and complete a sleep diary for 7 consecutive days. Questionnaires were used to assess the sleep arrangements of the toddlers. There was a significant negative correlation between nap duration and nighttime sleep duration, suggesting that longer nap sleep induces shorter nighttime sleep duration. Among the sleep arrangements, such as nighttime breastfeeding or co-sleeping, only nighttime breastfeeding predicted shorter nighttime sleep duration. Our findings indicate that shorter naps induce a longer nighttime sleep in 1.5-year-old toddlers while nighttime breastfeeding decreases their nighttime sleep duration

Sleep maturation influences cognitive development of preterm toddlers

Our recent study on full-term toddlers demonstrated that daytime nap properties affect the distribution ratio between nap and nighttime sleep duration in total sleep time but does not affect the overall total amount of daily sleep time. However, there is still no clear scientific consensus as to whether the ratio between naps and nighttime sleep or just daily total sleep duration itself is more important for healthy child development. In the current study, to gain an answer to this question, we examined the relationship between the sleep properties and the cognitive development of toddlers born prematurely using actigraphy and the Kyoto scale of psychological development (KSPD) test. 101 premature toddlers of approximately 1.5 years of age were recruited for the study. Actigraphy units were attached to their waist with an adjustable elastic belt for 7 consecutive days and a child sleep diary was completed by their parents. In the study, we found no significant correlation between either nap or nighttime sleep duration and cognitive development of the preterm toddlers. In contrast, we found that stable daily wake time was significantly associated with better cognitive development, suggesting that sleep regulation may contribute to the brain maturation of preterm toddlers

Preterm toddlers have low nighttime sleep quality and high daytime activity.

A number of studies have been made on the sleep characteristics of children born preterm in an attempt to develop methods to address the sleep problems commonly observed among such children. However, the reported sleep characteristics from these studies vary depending on the observation methods used, i.e., actigraphy, polysomnography and questionnaire. In the current study, to obtain reliable data on the sleep characteristics of preterm-born children, we investigated the difference in sleep properties between 97 preterm and 97 term toddlers of approximately 1.5 years of age using actigraphy. Actigraphy units were attached to the toddlers’ waists with an adjustable elastic belt for 7 consecutive days, and a child sleep diary was completed by their parents. In the study, we found that preterm toddlers had more nocturnal awakenings and more daytime activity, suggesting that preterm-born children may have a different process of sleep development in their early development

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

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Labor induction by transcervical balloon catheter and cerebral palsy associated with umbilical cord prolapse

Aim The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of transcervical balloon catheter (TCBC) for induction of labor (IOL) is a risk factor for cerebral palsy (CP) associated with umbilical cord prolapse (UCP-CP) in singleton pregnancies with cephalic presentation. Material and Methods Among all 102 infants with CP who were preliminarily determined as caused by antenatal and/or intrapartum hypoxemia by the Japan Council for Quality Health Care until April 2012, all 56 infants who met all of the following criteria were studied: cephalic singleton pregnancy, reassuring fetal status on electronic cardiotocogram at time of admission to obstetric facilities for labor pains, ruptured fetal membranes, and/or IOL, and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy at birth. Clinical backgrounds were compared between six infants with UCP-CP and the remaining 50 infants with CP not associated with UCP (non-UCP-CP). Results Frequencies of IOL (83% [5/6] vs 32% [16/50], P=0.0236), use of TCBC (67% [4/6] vs 10% [5/50], P=0.0044), and amniotomy (67% [4/6] vs 24% [12/50], P=0.0494) were significantly higher in the UCP-CP than the non-UCP-CP group. Only TCBC was a risk factor significantly associated with UCP-CP after logistic regression analysis, yielding an odds ratio of 18.0 (95% confidence interval, 2.6-124; P=0.003). Saline volumes of 80-150mL were used for TCBC inflation in the four UCP-CP patients. Conclusion Use of TCBC with a saline volume80mL was a significant risk factor for UCP-CP; however, the absolute risk of UCP-CP was estimated to be very low, approximately one in 7875 TCBC users

Intrapartum risk factors for neonatal encephalopathy leading to cerebral palsy in women without apparent sentinel events

Aim: To determine intrapartum factors associated with neonatal encephalopathy leading to cerebral palsy (NE-CP). Methods: A total of 70 NE-CP patients who fulfilled study criteria (cephalic singleton pregnancy with attempted vaginal delivery [AVD] at gestational week [GW] ≥36; intrapartum occurrence of non-reassuring fetal status without apparent cause following reassuring fetal status on admission; and development of NE-CP) were compared with 210 AVD controls who had 1- and 5-min Apgar score ≥8 matched for GW, maternal parity, and use of uterotonics. Suboptimal care was defined as delayed reaction due to misinterpretation of fetal heart rate (FHR) tracing, or inappropriate trial of instrumental delivery (TOID). Successful and failed TOID were defined as vaginal and cesarean delivery after TOID, respectively. The 210 controls were assumed not to have had suboptimal care. Results: The rates of successful (34% vs 12%) and failed TOID (11% vs 0.0%), cesarean section (34% vs 14%), suboptimal care (57% vs 0.0%), pregnancy-induced hypertension (11% vs 2.4%), birthweight ≥3800 g (8.6% vs 1.9%), subgaleal hemorrhage (16% vs 0.0%) were significantly higher in NE-CP patients than in controls. Selection with the stepwise method and logistic regression analysis identified four independent risk factors for NE-CP: suboptimal intrapartum care (OR, 2.21; 95%CI: 1.99-2.47), cesarean section (OR, 1.19; 95%CI: 1.08-1.31), successful TOID (OR, 1.14; 95%CI: 1.03-1.25), and hypertension (OR, 1.20; 95%CI: 1.01-1.42). Conclusions: Training programs for improved interpretation of FHR tracing and appropriate TOID are required to prevent NE-CP among healthy and mature fetuses in Japan

Clinical features and short-term outcomes of triplet pregnancies in Japan

Objective: To review clinical features and short-term outcomes of triplet pregnancies among Japanese women. Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out among 320 Japanese women with triplet pregnancies (8 monochorionic, 75 dichorionic, and 150 trichorionic triplets; 87 with unknown placental chorionicity) who delivered at 22 gestational weeks or more between January 2005 and December 2008. Results: Delivery was by cesarean for 315 (98%) women. Gestational age at delivery was 32.3 ± 2.8 weeks (mean ± SD) and 33.2 weeks (median), and 97%, 61%, and 14% of women delivered at less than 37, less than 34, and less than 30 gestational weeks, respectively. For live-born infants, mean birth weight was 1762 ± 437 g, 1608 ± 396 g, and 1406 ± 380 g for the heaviest, middle, and lightest triplet, respectively. Eighteen (5.6%) women experienced perinatal mortality (3 triplets for 1 woman, 2 triplets for 4 women, and 1 triplet for 13 women). Perinatal mortality was 25 deaths per 1000 deliveries, and decreased with increasing number of chorionic membranes (125, 44, and 20 per 1000 mono-, di-, and trichorionic triplet deliveries, respectively). Conclusion: Short-term outcomes were good among triplet pregnancies in Japan. The data may be useful for counseling Japanese women with triplet pregnancies

Decreased baseline variability on fetal heart rate pattern in a fetus with heterotaxy syndrome

In a fetus with suspected heterotaxy syndrome, a decreased/absent baseline variability of fetal heart rate pattern developed at gestational week 36(+5) and continued for 5 days until birth at gestational week 37(+2), while repeat biophysical profile scorings with ultrasound were consistently unremarkable. This neonate weighing 2404 g with Apgar scores of 7 (1-min) and 8 (5-min) and umbilical arterial cord blood pH of 7.28 with base deficit of 3.9mmol/L, showed a heart rate of 120 b.p.m. for 3 h after birth, but subsequently developed sinus bradycardia (84 b.p.m.) unresponsive to crying. Isoproterenol initiated 9 h after birth was effective in the increase of heart rate to 120 b.p.m. in this neonate. Brain magnetic resonance imaging at 16 days of age was unremarkable. The decreased/absent baseline variability of fetal heart rate pattern was speculated to have been caused by sinus node dysfunction, and not by reduced fetal oxygenation in this case