Specific organized substrates of ventricular fibrillation: comparison of 320-slice CT heart images in non-ischemic ventricular fibrillation subjects with non-ischemic sustained and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia subjects.

Purpose: If specific organized substrates of ventricular-fibrillation (VF) are identified, they may provide important-information for prevention of sudden-cardiac-death. To identify specific organized substrates of VF, we compared 320-slice CT heart images in non-ischemic VF subjects with non-ischemic sustained and non-sustained ventricular-tachycardia (VT) subjects.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective analysis of a total of 103 subjects who had VF (17 subjects; age, 59 ± 16 years), sustained VT (20 subjects; 62 ± 19 years), or non-sustained VT (66 subjects; 60 ± 15 years) underwent 320-slice CT (Aquilion one).

Infective larvae of Cercopithifilaria spp. (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) from hard ticks (Ixodidae) recovered from the Japanese serow (Bovidae).

Hard ticks taken from the Japanese serow, Capricornis crispus, in Yamagata Prefecture, Honshu, harboured infective larvae of onchocercid filariae after incubation from the 22nd to the 158th day. Haemaphysalis flava and H. japonica contained one to eight filarial larvae; females, males and a nymph of the ticks were infected.

Simulium (Nevermannia) khunklangense, a new species of black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Simulium (Nevermannia) khunklangense sp. nov. is described from females, males, pupae and larvae collected in Doi Inthanon National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

A new species of Simulium (Simulium) (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Langkawi Island, Peninsular Malaysia.

Simulium (Simulium) kisapense sp. nov. is described on the basis of reared adult, pupal, and larval specimens collected from Langkawi Island, Peninsular Malaysia, and placed in the multi-striatum species-group in the subgenus Simulium.

Clinical significance of fat infiltration in the moderator band and right ventricular myocardium in multislice CT, and its association with abnormal conduction seen in electrocardiogram.

Purpose: We evaluated the clinical significance of fat infiltration in the moderator-band (MB) of the right ventricle (RV) and in the RV myocardium (RVM) and its association with conduction abnormalities in the electrocardiogram.

Materials And Methods: 132 subjects (58 male; age 59 ± 27 years) with no findings of organic-disease (all right and left side hearts were normal) undergoing electrocardiogram-gated non-contrast multislice-CT (Light-Speed-Ultra-16) were retrospectively analyzed for the presence of fat infiltrating the MB or RVM.

Results: MB fat infiltration was detected in 42 subjects, but these individuals showed no significant differences in the incidence of right bundle branch-block, mean QRS-width or standard-deviation of the QRS-axis, which would have suggested the presence of hemi left bundle branch-block.

Acanthocheilonema delicata n. sp. (Nematoda: Filarioidea) from Japanese badgers (Meles anakuma): description, molecular identification, and Wolbachia screening.

Acanthocheilonema delicata n. sp. (Filarioidea: Onchocercidae: Onchocercinae) is described based on adult filarioids and microfilariae obtained from subcutaneous connective tissues and skin, respectively, of Japanese badgers (Meles anakuma) in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.

Two new species of Simulium (Gomphostilbia) (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Peninsular Malaysia.

Two new species of black flies, Simulium (Comphostilbia) terengganuense sp. nov. and Simulium (Gomphostilbia) aziruni sp.

Notes on black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) from North-East India: new records of five species from Arunachal Pradesh and taxonomic reviews of two species from Assam.

In recent surveys of black flies in Arunachal Pradesh, North-East India, five species are newly recorded from Arunachal Pradesh: Simulium (Montisimulium) nemorivagum Datta, 1973, Simulium (Gomphostilbia) darjeelingense Datta, 1973, Simulium (Gomphostilbia) decuplum Takaoka & Davies, 1995, Simulium (Simulium) barnesi Takaoka & Suzuki, 1984 and Simulium (Simulium) pradyai Takaoka & Somboon, 2008, of which the latter three species also represent new records from India. Taxonomic reviews of two species of black flies reported from Assam show that Simulium (Gomphostilbia) unum Datta, 1975 is a junior synonym of Simulium (Gomphostilbia) darjeelingense, and the larva of Simulium (Gomphostilbia) sp. nr.

Simulium (Gomphostilbia) taitungense, a new species of black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Taiwan, with description of the male of Simulium (Gomphostilbia) tuenense Takaoka.

Simulium (Gomphostilbia) taitungense sp. nov. is described on the basis of reared adult, pupal and mature larval specimens collected from Taitung, Taiwan.

Diagnostic accuracy of 320-slice computed-tomography for detection of significant coronary artery stenosis in patients with various heart rates and heart rhythms compared with conventional coronary-angiography.

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 320-slice CT for detection of significant coronary artery stenosis in patients with various heart rates (HR) and heart rhythms, including tachycardia and chronic atrial-fibrillation (CAF) compared with conventional-coronary-angiography (CAG).

Materials And Methods: One-hundred-six consecutive patients underwent both 320-slice CT and CAG within 3 months (normal-sinus-rhythm [NSR] 91.5%, CAF 8.

Impact of quantitatively determined native thoracic aortic tortuosity on endoleak development after thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

Objective: The objective of our study was to assess whether there is an association between native thoracic aortic curvature and the development of endoleaks after thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

Materials And Methods: Quantitative analysis of the native aortic lumen was performed on preprocedural CT angiograms of 40 patients with thoracic aortic aneurysm treated by thoracic endovascular aortic repair. The curvature of the median centerline was measured.

A new species of Simulium (Nevermannia) (Diptera, Simuliidae) from Thailand, with keys to members of the Simulium feuerborni species-group in Thailand.

Simulium (Nevermannia) maeaiensesp. n. is described on the basis of female, male, pupal and larval specimens collected from Chiang Mai Province, Thailand.

Comparison of image characteristics of plaques in culprit coronary arteries by 64 slice CT and intravascular ultrasound in acute coronary syndromes.

Purpose: To evaluate plaque image characteristics in coronary artery culprit-lesions in subjects with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), we retrospectively compared coronary arterial images by 64-slice CT before conventional-coronary-angiogram with those by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS).

Materials-and-methods: Retrospective analysis of coronary arterial images from thirty-one subjects (26-males, mean age 59.3 ± 12.

Quantitative evaluation of left atrial volumes and ejection fraction by 320-slice computed-tomography in comparison with three- and two-dimensional echocardiography: a single-center retrospective-study in 22 subjects.

Purpose: To evaluate efficacy and reproducibility of 320-slice computed tomography (CT) for measuring left atrial (LA) maximum (LAVmax) and minimum volume (LAVmin) during the cardiac cycle, we compared CT with three- and two-dimensional (3D and 2D) transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE).

Materials And Methods: LAVmax and LAVmin (ml), and LA ejection fraction (LAEF) (%) were assessed in 22 consecutive subjects (15 males, 59.5 ± 15.

Zoonotic filariasis caused by Onchocerca dewittei japonica in a resident of Hiroshima Prefecture, Honshu, Japan.

A female of Onchocerca sp. was found to be the probable causative agent of a subcutaneous nodule in the left knee of a 70-year-old man in a rural area of Hiroshima Prefecture, Honshu, the main island of Japan. We compared the characteristics of the agent with the features of the four previously suspected species found in cattle and horses in various parts of the world, as well as O.

Quality of coronary arterial 320-slice computed tomography images in subjects with chronic atrial fibrillation compared with normal sinus rhythm.

Purpose: To evaluate coronary arterial image quality on 320-slice CT in subjects with chronic atrial fibrillation (CAf) vs. normal sinus rhythm (NSR).

Materials And Methods: In 92 consecutive subjects, 46 each with CAf (male:female ratio 2.

Left atrial wall thickness in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation by multislice-CT is initial marker of structural remodeling and predictor of transition from paroxysmal to chronic form.

Purpose: We used ECG-gated MSCT to evaluate alterations in the LA wall in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) (PAF) and compared with chronic AF (CAF) and normal sinus rhythm (NSR).

Materials And Methods: We enrolled 3 groups, each consisting of 62 patients with either recurrent PAF (48 males, 65 ± 11 years), CAF (43 males, 69 ± 9 years), or NSR without any history of AF (40 males, 64 ± 11 years) for a total of 186 study patients. In CT, the absolute LA wall thickness (LAT) and LA volumes were calculated.

Comparison of three techniques for evaluation of de novo asymptomatic pulmonary arterial thrombosis following deep vein thrombosis in total knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) frequently results in pulmonary arterial thrombosis (PAT). Using multislice-CT (MSCT), we evaluated the incidence of de novo asymptomatic PAT following DVT in subjects undergoing TKA and compared these results by ventilation-perfusion (VP) lung scintigram and ultrasonography of the lower extremities.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-five asymptomatic subjects (5 males, 53-82 years old, receiving anticoagulant therapy) underwent enhanced MSCT, VP lung scintigram, and ultrasonography of the lower extremities before and 7 days after TKA.

Differentiation of diagnosis and prognoses of non-coronary arterial primary myocardial diseases with left ventricular focal myocardial thinning evaluated by multislice computed tomography.

Purpose: This study sought to differentiate diagnosis and prognoses of non-coronary arterial primary myocardial diseases with focal left ventricular myocardial (LVM) thinning evaluated by multislice-CT. Based on the presence of fibro-fatty change and asynergy in LVM, we sought to understand the clinical significance of detection of non-coronary arterial focal LVM thinning.

Materials-and-methods: 766 consecutive subjects (419--male, 59±18 years) underwent enhanced ECG-gated multislice-CT.

Detailed distribution of acute pulmonary thromboemboli: direct evidence for reduction of acquisition length and radiation dose for triple rule-out CT angiography.

Purpose: To reduce the redundant acquisition range and total radiation dose for planning appropriate "triple rule-out" CT angiography (CTA) for acute chest pain, we evaluated the detailed distribution of pulmonary thromboemboli (PTE) in subjects with acute PTE.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective review of CTA n 75-subjects (48-females; 57 ± 16 years) with proven acute PTE was performed to determine whether PTE was present solely above the aortic arch or below the heart.

Results: 77% had PTE in the right upper lobe but none had PTE that were solely located higher than the aortic arch; 73% had PTE in the right middle lobe; 80% had PTE in the right lower lobe, but none had PTE that were solely located lower than the heart.

Karyotypic variation and geographic distribution of Anopheles campestris-like (Diptera: Culicidae) in Thailand.

Seventy-one isolines of Anopheles campestris-like were established from wild-caught females collected from human-biting and animal-biting traps at 12 locations in Thailand. All isolines had an average branch summation of seta 2-VI pupal skins ranging from 20.3-30.

Comprehensive evaluation of characteristics of left ventricular myocardium in a subject with non-coronary arterial cardiac dysfunction through segment by segment analysis using various diagnostic modalities.

We performed segment by segment analysis for comprehensive evaluation of the characteristics of the left ventricular (LV) myocardium by multislice CT (MSCT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) in a patient with non-coronary arterial cardiac dysfunction. If diagnosis had been performed only by transthoracic echocardiogram and conventional coronary angiography, this subject might have been diagnosed as having dilated cardiomyopathy. However, we succeeded in the detailed evaluation of characteristics of LV myocardium non-invasively.

Cardiac sarcoidosis complicated with atrioventricular block and wall thinning, edema and fibrosis in left ventricle: confirmed recovery to normal sinus rhythm and visualization of edema improvement by administration of predonisolone.

A 65 year-old female had a node of some kind in her right leg five years ago and was diagnosed with sarcoidosis by gallium scintigraphy. Serum angiotension-converting enzyme levels had gradually increased, and three months ago she felt palpitations and dizziness when standing. On electrocardiogram, 2:1 atrioventricular (AV) block was observed.