Four new species of Crinopseudoa (Araneae: Corinnidae) from West Africa.

Four new species of Crinopseudoa are described from West Africa. Crinopseudoa kru sp. nov.

The socioecological benefits and consequences of oil palm cultivation in its native range: The Sustainable Oil Palm in West Africa (SOPWA) Project.

Agriculture is expanding rapidly across the tropics. While cultivation can boost socioeconomic conditions and food security, it also threatens native ecosystems. Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis), which is grown pantropically, is the most productive vegetable oil crop worldwide.

Contralateral transvenous left ventricular lead placement of implantable devices with pre-sternal tunnelling in chronically obstructed subclavian veins.

Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) is a recognised therapy for the management of severe left ventricular dysfunction, advanced congestive cardiac failure (NYHA III or IV), ventricular dyssynchrony (either broad LBBB or mechanical dyssynchrony on echocardiography) and failure of optimal medical therapy to achieve improvement in clinical status. Upgrading right ventricular pacemakers or defibrillators to biventricular devices is common and we describe here, 2 such cases of biventricular upgrade with blocked venous access on the ipsilateral side and successful placement of left ventricular leads following pre-sternal tunnelling from the contralateral side.

Bradycardia in anorexia nervosa.

We present a case of a 24-year-old woman initially referred for a permanent pacemaker for symptomatic sinus bradycardia. Further consultations revealed significant weight loss and subsequent psychiatric review confirmed a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa.

p.Y1449C SCN5A mutation associated with overlap disorder comprising conduction disease, Brugada syndrome, and atrial flutter.

Mutations in the SCN5A gene, which encodes the cardiac sodium channel, have been associated with cardiac arrhythmia syndromes and conduction disease. Specific SCN5A mutations had initially been considered to cause specific phenotypes. More recently, some SCN5A mutations have been associated with overlap syndromes, characterized by phenotypic heterogeneity within and between mutation carriers.

An unusual case of Butcher's Broom precipitating diabetic ketoacidosis.

Background: Herbal medicines are readily available and commonly perceived to be relatively harmless. Butcher's Broom is used in various medicinal preparations and contains substances having α-adrenergic-stimulating properties.

Objective: Our aim was to report a case of toxicity associated with Butcher's Broom in a diabetic patient.

Objective quantification of global and regional left ventricular systolic function by endocardial tracking of contrast echocardiographic sequences.

Background: Echocardiographic assessment of LV wall motion is still most frequently done visually. This study was designed to validate a new system for semi-automatic quantification of global and regional LV systolic function from contrast-enhanced cross-sectional echocardiograms.

Methods: Measurements of LV volumes were validated in 50 patients using magnetic resonance (MR) as reference.

Atrial septal endocarditis.

Atrial septal endocarditis can occur as an isolated event or in association with valvular endocarditis. It is also reported following percutaneous device closure of atrial septal defects. We present the echocardiography findings from a young man presenting with endocarditis of an abnormal mitral valve in whom endocarditis was demonstrated associated with an atrial septal defect.

Ventricular septal rupture following abciximab infusion.

Ventricular septal rupture is a rare complication of myocardial infarction. Despite a significant reduction in its incidence with reperfusion therapy, thrombolysis has been implicated in the pathogenesis of septal rupture. There is little information regarding the impact of glycoprotein IIb-IIIa receptor blockers on ventricular septal rupture.

Intracardiac echocardiography to guide myocardial biopsy of a primary cardiac tumour.

A 61-year-old man presented with recurrent ventricular tachycardia (left bundle branch block morphology, superior axis). Magnetic resonance imaging (Fig. 1) and contrast-enhanced transthoracic echocardiography (Fig.

Percutaneous closure of an atrial septal defect in a patient with congenitally corrected transposition.

Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries can be associated with other congenital cardiac abnormalities. The development of percutaneous closure devices potentially offers the opportunity to close related cardiac defects without exposing patients to the increased risks of cardiac surgery. This case report describes the successful closure of an atrial septal defect in a patient with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries using an Amplatzer septal occluder.

Quantitative analysis of myocardial perfusion in rats by contrast echocardiography.

Background: The ability to assess myocardial perfusion in small animals is important, especially to investigate models of myocardial ischemia. Myocardial perfusion is usually assessed by postmortem techniques, eliminating the possibility of follow-up. We sought to evaluate whether contrast echocardiography was able to quantify myocardial perfusion in rats.

Flecainide overdose--support using an intra-aortic balloon pump.

Background: Flecainide is an antiarrhythmic agent which is being used increasingly for the management of super-ventricular arrhythmias. Overdose with flecainide is frequently fatal with mortality reported as high as 22% due to arrhythmias, myocardial depression and conduction defects leading to electro-mechanical dissociation and asytole. Supportive measures are often required during the case and previously have included inotropes, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and cardiopulmonary bypass.

Can contrast dobutamine stress echocardiography be performed with standardized imaging settings for everybody?

Objective: The objective was to assess a standardized imaging and contrast injection protocol for contrast-enhanced dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE).

Methods: A total of 102 patients underwent DSE with tissue harmonic imaging and a standardized protocol with contrast power modulation. Contrast intensities in the left ventricular cavity and the myocardium were evaluated by a visual score and quantitative analysis.

Changes in intrathoracic impedance from a pneumothorax: insights from an implanted monitoring system.

The measurement of transthoracic impedance is now possible using new implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. This can be used to monitor fall in impedance associated with increasing pulmonary oedema. We describe a case of a large rapid increase of impedance and dyspnoea related to a pneumothorax.

Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm and rupture after limited myocardial infarction.

A 50-year-old man had a large lateral left ventricular wall pseudoaneurysm with rupture after a limited myocardial infarction. This was diagnosed by the combination of flow in and out of the aneurysm and pulsatile flow in the pericardial cavity using color flow and continuous wave Doppler ultrasound. This report describes the case management, the use of echocardiography in this setting, and the implications of pseudoaneurysm formation.

Safety of contrast dobutamine stress echocardiography: a single center experience.

Background: Contrast is increasingly being used during dobutamine stress echocardiography. However, there are few data regarding the safety of this combination.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 751 consecutive stress echocardiograms, 332 without contrast and 419 with contrast (299 with Sonouve, 120 with Optison).

Echocardiographic assessment and percutaneous closure of multiple atrial septal defects.

Atrial septal defect closure is now routinely performed using a percutaneous approach under echocardiographic guidance. Centrally located, secundum defects are ideal for device closure but there is considerable morphological variation in size and location of the defects. A small proportion of atrial septal defects may have multiple fenestrations and these are often considered unsuitable for device closure.

Optimal use of contrast echo in daily practice: what do we need?

With new low power imaging and contrast application technology, it seems possible for the first time to develop a protocol that combines acquisition of both function and perfusion data using a simple modality. For this purpose a European network has been created and this group is currently developing a protocol using a commercially available ultrasound scanner and the infusion of the echocontrast agent SonoVue (Bracco). This study describes the technical developments that will promote a comprehensive clinical contrast protocol for assessment of patients with ischemic heart disease.