Synergetic analysis of springtime air pollution episodes over Gwangju, Korea.

The characteristics of springtime aerosols, including their optical and microphysical properties, were analyzed for the months of March to May of 2009 in Gwangju (35.23°N, 126.84°E), Korea.

Vertically-resolved profiles of mass concentrations and particle backscatter coefficients of Asian dust plumes derived from lidar observations of silicon dioxide.

This study presents a method to retrieve vertically-resolved profiles of dust mass concentrations by analyzing Raman lidar signals of silicon dioxide (quartz) at 546nm. The observed particle plumes consisted of mixtures of East Asian dust with anthropogenic pollution. Our method for the first time allows for extracting the contribution of the aerosol component "pure dust" contained in the aerosol type "polluted dust".

Prevalence and patterns of left ventricular dysfunction in patients with pheochromocytoma.

Background: Excessive catecholamine release in pheochromocytoma is known to cause transient reversible left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, such as in the case of pheochromocytoma-associated catecholamine cardiomyopathy. We investigated patterns of clinical presentation and incidence of LV dysfunction in patients with pheochromocytoma.

Methods: From January 2004 to April 2011, consecutive patients with pheochromocytoma were retrospectively studied with clinical symptoms, serum catecholamine profiles, and radiologic findings.

Iatrogenic left internal mammary artery to great cardiac vein anastomosis treated with coil embolization.

Inadvertent left internal mammary artery (LIMA)-great cardiac vein (GCV) anastomosis is a rare complication of coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Patients with iatrogenic aortocoronary fistula (ACF) were usually treated surgical repair, percutaneous embolic occlusion with coil or balloon. We report a case of iatrogenic LIMA to GCV anastomosis successfully treated with coil embolization and protected left main coronary intervention through the percutaneous transfemoral approach.

Lidar measurements of Raman scattering at ultraviolet wavelength from mineral dust over East Asia.

We developed a novel measurement channel that utilizes Raman scattering from silicon dioxide (SiO2) quartz at an ultraviolet wavelength (361 nm). The excitation of the Raman signals is done at the primary wavelength of 355 nm emitted from a lidar instrument. In combination with Raman signals from scattering from nitrogen molecules, we may infer the mineral-quartz-related backscatter coefficient.

A Case of Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Mimicking Stress Induced Cardiomyopathy; Demonstration of Typical Echocardiographic Finding Correlated with Unusual Distribution of Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery.

Stress-induced cardiomyopathy (SCMP) is diagnosed in 1-2% of patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome. Because of sharing many common clinical features with SCMP, acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) can be misdiagnosed as SCMP. However, it can be associated with fatal outcome of the patient.

A Case with Upper Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis after in vitro Fertilization.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a predisposing condition of pulmonary embolism which can be fatal. Usually, DVT is found in the lower extremities. However, DVT can be occurred in the upper extremities.