Twenty-six-year-old Ebstein's anomaly patient, who had failed both biventricular and one-and-a-half repair, underwent right ventricle exclusion and Fontan operation. She completed pregnancy and delivery owing to the excellent long-term clinical course. Although the caesarean section was performed due to symptoms of heart failure on the gestational age of 32+6 weeks, preterm delivery was agreeable with neonatology support. In Korea, there has not yet been a case of pregnancy and delivery of functional single ventricle patient because most patients have been discouraged from getting pregnant. However, functional single ventricle patient can endure pregnancy and delivery, if valve function and ventricular contractility, status of Fontan pathway and absence of arrhythmia predict favorable outcome as presented in this case. Although the patient maintained her pregnancy without anticoagulation owing to laminar flow in the Fontan pathway and absence of thromboembolic event, anticoagulation should be considered, weighing the benefits and risks during the pregnancy.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cesarean Section ; Delivery, Obstetric ; Ebstein Anomaly ; Female ; Fontan Procedure* ; Gestational Age ; Heart Failure ; Heart Ventricles* ; Humans ; Korea ; Neonatology ; Pregnancy* ; Risk Assessment

Twenty-six-year-old Ebstein's anomaly patient, who had failed both biventricular and one-and-a-half repair, underwent right ventricle exclusion and Fontan operation. She completed pregnancy and delivery owing to the excellent long-term clinical course. Although the caesarean section was performed due to symptoms of heart failure on the gestational age of 32+6 weeks, preterm delivery was agreeable with neonatology support. In Korea, there has not yet been a case of pregnancy and delivery of functional single ventricle patient because most patients have been discouraged from getting pregnant. However, functional single ventricle patient can endure pregnancy and delivery, if valve function and ventricular contractility, status of Fontan pathway and absence of arrhythmia predict favorable outcome as presented in this case. Although the patient maintained her pregnancy without anticoagulation owing to laminar flow in the Fontan pathway and absence of thromboembolic event, anticoagulation should be considered, weighing the benefits and risks during the pregnancy.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cesarean Section ; Delivery, Obstetric ; Ebstein Anomaly ; Female ; Fontan Procedure* ; Gestational Age ; Heart Failure ; Heart Ventricles* ; Humans ; Korea ; Neonatology ; Pregnancy* ; Risk Assessment

This study was conducted to assess time-sensitive magnetic resonance (MR) changes in canine blood using low-field MR. Arterial and venous blood samples were collected from eight healthy beagle dogs. Samples were placed in 5-mL tubes and imaged within 3 hours of collection at 1 day intervals from day 1 to day 30. The following sequences were used: T1-weighted (T1W), T2-weighted (T2W), fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), short tau inversion recovery (STIR), and T2-star gradient-echo (T2*-GRE). Visual comparison of the images revealed that four relatively homogenous blood clots and twelve heterogeneous blood clots developed. The margination of the clot and plasma changed significantly on day 2 and day 13. On day 2, heterogeneous blood clots were differentiated into 2 to 3 signal layers in the T2W, T1W, and especially the STIR images. Hypointense signal layers were also detected in the blood clots in STIR images, which have T2 hypo, FLAIR hypo, and T1 hyper intense signals. In all images, these signal layers remained relatively unchanged until day 13. Overall, the results suggest that hematomas are complex on low-field MRI. Accordingly, it may not be feasible to accurately characterize hemorrhages and predict clot age based on low-field MRI.
Animals ; Blood/*diagnostic imaging ; Blood Coagulation ; Blood Physiological Phenomena ; Dogs ; Female ; Hematoma/diagnostic imaging ; Hemorrhage/diagnostic imaging ; *Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Thrombosis/diagnostic imaging ; Time

Background: Lawsonia intracellularis is the causative agent of proliferative enteropathy and is associated with several outbreaks, causing substantial economic loss to the porcine industry. Objectives: In this study, we focused on demonstrating the protective effect in the mouse model through the immunological bases of two vaccine strains against porcine proliferative enteritis. Methods: We used live-attenuated Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) secreting two selected immunogenic LI antigens (Lawsonia autotransporter A epitopes and flagellin [FliC]-peptidoglycan-associated lipoprotein-FliC) as the vaccine carrier. The constructs were cloned into a Salmonella expression vector (pJHL65) and transformed into the ST strain (JOL912). The expression of immunogenic proteins within Salmonella was evaluated via immunoblotting. Results: Immunizing BALB/c mice orally and subcutaneously induced high levels of LI-specific systemic immunoglobulin G and mucosal secretory immunoglobulin A. In immunized mice, there was significant upregulation of interferon-γ and interleukin-4 cytokine mRNA and an increase in the subpopulations of cluster of differentiation (CD) 4+ and CD 8+ T lymphocytes upon splenocytes re-stimulation with LI antigens. We observed significant protection in C57BL/6 mice against challenge with 106.9 times the median tissue culture infectious dose of LI or 2 × 109 colony-forming units of the virulent ST strain. Immunizing mice with either individual vaccine strains or co-mixture inhibited bacterial proliferation, with a marked reduction in the percentage of mice shedding Lawsonia in their feces. Conclusions Salmonella-mediated LI gene delivery induces robust humoral and cellular immune reactions, leading to significant protection against LI and salmonellosis.