Age and parous-experience dependent changes in emotional contagion for positive infant sounds.

Introduction: Emotional contagion is achieved by inferring and emotionally resonating with other persons' feelings. It is unclear whether age-related changes in emotional contagion for infant sounds are modulated by the experience of childbirth or childcare. This study aims to evaluate changes in inference and emotional resonance for positive and negative infant sounds (laughter and crying) among women, based on age and parous experience. Methods: A total of 241 women (60 young nulliparous, 60 young parous, 60 old nulliparous, and 61 old parous) completed a web-based questionnaire. After listening to three types of infant sounds (laughter, cooing, and crying), participants responded with their valence for hearing infant sounds and estimated infant valence on an 11-point Likert scale. Results: The analysis for emotional resonance revealed that the correlation coefficient between self and estimated infant valences was greater in young parous and old nulliparous women than in young nulliparous women, in laughter and cooing sounds. However, correlation coefficients for crying did not differ among any of the four groups. Conclusion: The degree of emotional resonance for infant valence increased depending on age and parous-experience for positive infant sounds.

Thoracoscopic enucleation of esophageal gastrointestinal stromal tumor using prone positioning in a patient with severe chronic obstructive lung disease.

Abstract Chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) is a high-risk factor for pulmonary complications in esophageal surgery. We reported a case of esophageal gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) in a patient with severe COPD. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and computed tomography revealed a 3×2-cm submucosal tumor at the lower esophagus, and positron emission tomography showed a hypermetabolic mass (SUV(max)=5.6). Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) was 33.0% of predicted and FEV(1)/forced vital capacity ratio was 40.7%. Taking the patient's lung function into account, we performed a thoracoscopic enucleation for the esophageal GIST while the patient was in a prone position. The postoperative course was uneventful and no significant change was observed in the patient's respiratory condition. Performing thoracoscopic surgery on COPD patients in a prone position is a good therapeutic alternative for reducing the occurrence of pulmonary complications.

[An effective case of gemcitabine therapy with post-operative peritoneal recurrence of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma].

The patient was a 53-year-old man who had undergone left hepatectomy due to intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in August 2007. Pathologically, the tumor was diagnosed as a cholangiocellular carcinoma (T2, N0, M0, Stage II). Ascites appeared about one year after surgery and control was difficult using diuretics. Since abdominal CT revealed peritoneal recurrence with massive ascites, we conducted chemotherapy using gemcitabine (GEM) in September 2008. In the outpatient setting, GEM at a dose of 1, 000 mg/body was administered once a week with a 1-week rest as 1 course. The response was assessed as a complete response (CR) because abdominal CT after 7 courses of chemotherapy showed the disappearance of both ascites and the peritoneal nodules. An adverse effect for GEM was grade 3 anemia, but we could continue the chemotherapy until September 2009. At present, CR has been observed, and one year and three months have passed since the peritoneal reccurrence.