Facilitation of rotablator-stenting by measuring angiographic lesion length with the navicath (type-MUTO), a new measuring microcatheter

In the present study, the usefulness and feasibility of a new measuring microcatheter, the Navicath (Type-MUTO) microcatheter, for facilitating the stenting procedure subsequent to ablation using a rotablator (rota-stenting) is described. A method for measuring the length of the targeted lesion (lesion length) angiographically with the Navicath when exchanging the guide wires is presented using 2 representative cases of rota-stenting. In addition, the validity of the selected stent according to the measurement of lesion length with the Navicath was evaluated by comparing the length of the selected stent with lesion length before PCI measured by quantitative coronary angiography. Based on the results obtained, we believe the Navicath is useful for facilitating rota-stenting, and may even be applicable to PCI in general.     

Steady state respiratory responses to tasks used in Federal testing of self-contained breathing apparatus.

A portion of Title 30, Part II, CFR calls for a Man Test, which is a series of regimens performed with a breathing apparatus. The respiratory responses to the tasks in the Man Test were established on coal miners and students. Based on these responses, the minimal metabolic requirements were derived for the use of breathing apparatuses with a service life of 30 minutes or more.     

Responses of menstrual women,amenorrheal women,and men to exercise in a hot,dry environment

Summary Rectal (T_re) and mean skin temperatures, heart rate (fc) and sweat rate (M_sw) during exercise in a hot, dry environment were compared among four menstrual women (both before and after ovulation), four amenorrheal women and four men, all with similar aerobic capacities. Progesterone and estrogen were compared in a pair of monozygotic twins (one menstrual and one amenorrheal) who participated in the study. Before acclimation, subjects were given a heat-stress test (HST) consisting of treadmill walking at 25%–30% max in a hot, dry environment (T_db/T_wb=48/25 C) until T_re reached 39 C or fc reached 160 beat·min^–1. Subjects were then acclimated to the dry heat with conventional acclimation procedures. After acclimation, subjects were given a HST which continued for 3 h. Before acclimation T_re and fc increased more rapidly in the women, which resulted in significantly shorter HST times for the women as compared with the men. Following acclimation all subjects maintained similar T_re, fc, and sweat rates. There were no differences between the exercise/heat-stress responses of the preovulatory menstrual women, postovulatory menstrual women, and amenorrheal women. Although the estrogen concentrations were normal in the menstrual twin, her progesterone concentrations were significantly depressed. Both hormones were depressed in the amenorrheal twin. Following acclimation thermoregulatory function in dry heat did not differ between the sexes when fitness level was similar. Neither were there any differences in thermoregulation between the pre- and postovulatory phases of the menstrual cycle or between the menstrual and amenorrheal women.     

Single breath cardiac output--enhanced sampling and analysis techniques

The single breath method for measuring cardiac output (Q) was enhanced using new computer sampling and analysis techniques. The carbon dioxide (CO2) elimination rate was measured breath by breath using computer integration of expired flow rate and CO2 concentration. The concentration of CO2 in the arterial blood was determined from the CO2 partial pressure at the end of a normal breath. The concentration of CO2 in mixed venous blood was determined with a modification of the single breath method. The variability and relative accuracy of measurement of cardiac output were evaluated using four healthy men who exercised at three work rates from 0.5 L X min-1 (rest) to 2 L X min-1 oxygen consumption (VO2). Repeatability of measurements was assessed by making repeated measurements on one subject at a steady state exercise work rate. The coefficients of variation for repeated measurements made at 0.5 L X min-1 (rest), 1.0 L X min-1 VO2, and 2.0 L X min VO2 were 18.2, 10.5% and 8.8%, respectively. Regression lines relating cardiac output and oxygen consumption from three separate studies, employing the direct Fick method, and the described method were all similar. The probability of a successful breathing maneuver was increased to nearly 100%. Success was defined as a linear regression correlation coefficient (r2), relating instantaneous exchange ratio and CO2 during the breathing maneuver, of greater than 0.9.     

Toxicity of the dialyzable fraction of the venom of the yellow scorpion, Leiurus quinquestriatus, to the migratory locust

Dialysis was carried out on redissolved freeze-dried venom of the scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus H. and E. The mortality rate of Locusta migratoria migratorioides R. & F. injected with the dialyzable portion was used for calculating the regression equation and the LD₅₀. It was found that the LD₅₀ per female locust (mean weight 1·8 g) was that amount which was dialyzed out of 161 μg of whole venom, which means that the dialyzable portion has 2·67 per cent of the lethality of the whole venom. The toxic dose of the dialyzed venom was found not to differ from that of the whole venom.     

Effectiveness of a sirolimus-eluting stent (Cypher) for diffuse in-stent restenosis inside a bare metal stent

We estimated the benefit of a sirolimus-eluting stent (SES, Cypher) for diffuse (> 10 mm) in-stent restenosis (ISR) inside bare metal stents (BMS) because the feasibility of the SES was not confirmed after its recent approval in Japan. Clinical and angiographic outcomes after SES implantation to 93 diffuse ISR were compared with those of 3 groups treated by plain old balloon angioplasty (POBA, (n = 54)), cutting balloon angioplasty (CB, (n = 24)), and BMS (n = 41) in a series of 153 patients whose follow-up quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) evaluated 3-9 months after the treatments was obtained from January 2003 through December 2005. For 33 lesions in the SES group, 12-month follow-up QCA results were obtained and compared with those at 6 months. Ticlopidine (200 mg/day) was prescribed for at least 12 weeks after SES implantation and for 2 weeks after BMS in addition to aspirin (81-100 mg/day). Patient characteristics and the characteristics of previous implanted BMS in the SES group were not significantly different from those in the other groups. Death from cardiac causes and nonfatal myocardial infarction did not occur in any group. Stent thrombosis was not observed in the BMS and SES groups. The incidence of repeat target lesion revascularization (re-TLR) in the SES group (3.23%) was significantly lower compared with that of the POBA (37.0%), CB (25.0%), and BMS (29.3%) groups (P < 0.001, respectively). Late loss in the SES group (0.44 +/- 0.41 mm) was significantly smaller than that in the BMS group (1.34 +/- 0.74 mm) (P < 0.05). The rate of recurrent ISR (re-ISR) in SES (5.38%) was significantly lower than that in POBA (46.3%), CB (41.7%), and BMS (46.3%) (P < 0.001, respectively). The QCA variables at 6 months in the SES group were not significantly different from those at 12 months. Thus, SES implantation for diffuse ISR was far superior since it markedly reduced the incidence of re-TLR with re-ISR at up to 6-months follow-up. In addition, this angiographic patency after SES implantation continued until 12 months.