Search

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2004.11.012 Byline: Yoshiharu Nishimura, Yoshitaka Okamura, Takeshi Hiramatsu, Hideaki Mori, Hiroki Hayashi, Shigeru Komori Author Affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama City, Wakayama, Japan. Article History: Received 18 October 2004; Revised 28 October 2004; Accepted 4 November 2004

Species native to oceanic islands are highly sensitive to the ecological impacts of invasive alien species, especially ants. The Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands are located approximately 1000 km south of mainland Japan and have a characteristic insular ecosystem. The risk of ecological harm via human and cargo transportation has increased as the number of tourists visiting the islands has grown since their designation as a World Natural Heritage Site. To evaluate the risk of biological invasion, we surveyed the ant faunas at ports of Tokyo Bay on the Japanese mainland and the Ogasawara Islands using sticky traps baited with honey and tuna. Our findings indicated that ant species composition was remarkably different between the ports of Tokyo and Ogasawara, and potential alien species were detected in both areas. The baited traps were likely to be more attractive than the non-baited traps, but need to be improved in future research. In particular, this is the first study to detect the invasive big-headed ant Pheidole megacephala(Fabricius) in mainland Japan, which likely arrived from Ogasawara via an ocean liner. Our study demonstrates the importance of periodically monitoring around ports to detect alien ants during the early invasion stage, when control and eradication methods are more effective.

Percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty is a relatively simple, convenient, and minimally invasive procedure in which polymethylmethacrylate bone cement is used to manage back pain and spinal instability associated with osteoporotic compression fractures and other osteolytic spinal lesions. However, cement leakage into the venous system is a serious complication following percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty. A 74-year-old woman presented with cardiac perforation and pulmonary embolism caused by cement leakage into her venous system. She subsequently underwent surgery to effectively remove a needle-shaped cement piece from the right ventricular wall, without cardiopulmonary bypass and cardiac arrest.

Purpose: Perfluorocarbons have an excellent oxygen- and carbon dioxide-carrying capacity. This prompted us to investigate the feasibility of transintestinal systemic oxygenation using perfluorocarbon. Methods: A rat hypoventilation model (room air, 20 breaths/min and a tidal volume of 10 ml/kg) was thus established, and FC-77 (Sumitomo-3M, Osaka, Japan) was used as a perfusate. Oxygenated FC-77 was perfused through the small intestine for 4 h. The rats were allocated into three groups as follows. Group 1 (n= 6): hypoventilation only; Group 2 (n= 6): saline was perfused instead of FC-77; Group 3 (n= 6): FC-77 was perfused. Arterial blood samples were drawn from the common iliac artery every 30 min until the end of perfusion. A standard blood gas analysis was performed. Results: The PaO2level in Group 3 was significantly higher than in Groups 1 or 2 (P= 0.006: at the end of perfusion, Group 1 = 58.6 ± 14.5 mmHg, Group 2 = 65.2 ± 29.4 mmHg, Group 3 = 84.0 ± 35.5 mmHg). The PaCO2level in Group 3 was significantly lower than that in Groups 1 or 2 (P= 0.014: at the end of perfusion, Group 1 = 56.8 ± 8.5 mmHg, Group 2 = 52.6 ± 5.7 mmHg, Group 3 = 44.4 ± 11.1 mmHg). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that transintestinal systemic oxygenation is indeed possible and could therefore become a useful new modality for respiratory assist.

Experimental studies have demonstrated that adrenomedullin (AM) has a positive inotropic action and exerts inhibitory effects against ventricular remodelling as an autocrine and paracrine factor. However, there is no clinical evidence for AM acting as a local regulator in the human heart. We measured the levels of various molecular forms of AM, i.e. an active form of mature AM (AM-m), an intermediate inactive form of glycine-extended AM (AM-Gly) and total AM (AM-T = AM-m+AM-Gly), in plasma and pericardial fluid using our newly developed immunoradiometric assay in consecutive 67 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Pericardial fluid and plasma cAMP, atrial natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide levels were also measured. The relationships between pericardial fluid AM levels and ventricular functions and other hormone levels were analysed. The level of each molecular form of AM in pericardial fluid was closely correlated with that of the other molecular forms of AM in the fluid. However, levels were not correlated with those in plasma. AM-T levels were slightly higher in pericardial fluid than in plasma (+72%; P<0.05), whereas AM-m levels and AM-m/AM-T ratios were markedly higher in pericardial fluid than in plasma (AM-m, +994%; AM-m/AM-T ratio, +443%; both P<0.01). AM-m, AM-Gly and AM-T levels in pericardial fluid were correlated with indices of left ventricular function, and with atrial natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide levels. Interestingly, AM and cAMP levels were positively correlated in plasma, but negatively correlated in pericardial fluid. In addition, AM-m, AM-Gly and AM-T levels in pericardial fluid were higher in patients with acute coronary syndrome than in those with stable ischaemic heart disease (AM-m, +80%; AM-Gly, +96%; AM-T, +83%; all P<0.01). These results suggest that AM in pericardial fluid reflects cardiac synthesis, and that enhanced cardiac secretion of AM is associated with left ventricular dysfunction, ventricular overload and myocardial ischaemia. Considering that AM has positive inotropic, coronary vasodilatory and anti-remodelling actions, increased cardiac AM may play a compensatory role in the ischaemic and failing myocardium.

The cooling characteristics of an impinging spray jet which forms an ellipsoidal liquid film were experimentally investigated in order to estimate the cooling performance of a rotating roll in a hot mill system. The following four conclusions were reached in the study. (1) In the case of a single spray jet, the local heat transfer coefficient at the center position depends on the forced convective heat transfer by the impinging jet. However, the average heat transfer coefficient is proportional to the flow rate density of the cooling water, and it does not depend on the distance between the nozzle and heated surface. (2) In the case of a double spray jet, liquid film interference occurs. The local heat transfer coefficient at the center position is greater, and the cooling performance increases with the increasing flow rate density of the cooling water. (3) The cooling performance of a multispray jet is proportional to the flow rate density of the cooling water. It does not depend on the nozzle construction, distance, or specifications. Also, there is no relation to the liquid film interference. (4) When the optimum specifications of the spray nozzle are used, thermal analysis of a rotating roll shows that the temperature at a depth of 1.3 mm from the surface is below 130 °C. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Heat Trans Asian Res, 29(4): 280–299, 2000

To examine the reliability of quantitative positron emission tomography studies in the rat (Rat–PET), we assessed the influence of radioactivity accumulated in the Harderian glands on PET CMRglcdetermination. We measured CMRglcby PET and ex vivo dissection methods by using 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose in rats with and without focal brain ischemia. The CMRglcvalues obtained by PET, after correcting with recovery coefficients, were higher than those measured by the ex vivo method at rostral slices, and reduction of the CMRglcin the ischemic brain was not demonstrated by PET in the frontal cortex. The radioactivity accumulated in the Harderian glands prevents the quantitative determination of CMRglcusing Rat–PET.

A 67-year-old man who underwent total aortic arch graft replacement with coronary artery bypass grafting developed postoperative Serratiamediastinitis. Re-operative debridement and irrigation were carried out. An infected aortic arch prosthesis was successfully treated by in situ disinfection followed by complete omental wrapping.

In the original publication of the article, the Table 1 was incorrectly published.Tapinoma melanocephalum (TM) and Camponotus nipponicus (CN) were labeled incorrectly as “absence” and “presence” at Takeshiba, respectively. The correct version of the table is given below where TM is labelled as “presence” and CN is labelled as “absence”.