A highly stable DC power supply for precision magnetic field measurements and other purposes.

A homogeneous magnetic field is essential for the (3)He neutron spin filter used to polarize neutron beams and analyze neutron spins in neutron scattering. The required spatial uniformity of the magnetic field is on the order of 10(-4)/cm or less. To measure such uniformity, one needs a DC current source with a current stability much better than 10(-4).

A successful surgical case of an 80-year-old patient with type A acute aortic dissection complicated by preoperative multiple organ failure.

An 80-year-old woman was hospitalized in a state of shock accompanied by blood acidosis due to type A acute aortic dissection complicated by respiratory, liver, and kidney failure. A warning was given to her family that lack of intervention may possibly lead to an early death, and permission for the intervention was obtained. After undergoing a "less invasive quick replacement (LIQR)," a newly modified procedure that we had developed, the patient improved gradually, went home without any complications, and continues to be well.

Early- and long-term outcomes after surgery for acute type a aortic dissection in patients aged 45 years and younger.

Background: Acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD) is rare in young people. The early- and long-term outcomes after surgery for AAAD in patients aged ≤ 45 years was investigated.

Methods And Results: Subjects were 355 patients who had undergone emergency surgery for AAAD.

The efficacy of intravenous milrinone in left ventricular restoration.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to clarify the efficacy of intravenous milrinone in postoperative care for patients following left ventricular (LV) restoration (LVR).

Methods: Fourteen patients who had ischemic cardiomyopathy with an LV ejection fraction (LVEF) of less than 0.30 and an LV end-systolic volume index of more than 100 ml/m2 underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and concomitant LVR.

Efficacy of intraoperative epiaortic ultrasound scanning for preventing stroke after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to clarify the efficacy of intraoperative epiaortic ultrasound scanning (EAS) for preventing cerebral emboli following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Patients And Methods: The intraoperative EAS was used to evaluate the ascending aorta in 909 consecutive CABG patients. When the scanning documented more than 3 mm of atheromatous thickness or plaque in the ascending aorta, we never manipulated it.

Early postoperative aortic rupture following surgery for acute type A aortic dissection.

We report our experience with patients who died of early aortic rupture following surgical treatment for acute type A aortic dissection in a consecutive series of 324 patients who underwent surgery for this condition between 1991 and 2007. In-hospital mortality rate was 9.9% (32/324), and seven patients (two men, mean age, 67 years) died of postoperative aortic rupture.

The 17-mm St. Jude Medical Regent valve is a valid option for patients with a small aortic annulus.

Background: When aortic valve replacement is performed in patients with a small aortic annulus, prosthesis-patient mismatch is of concern. Such prosthesis-patient mismatch may affect postoperative clinical status and survival. We investigated the outcomes of isolated aortic valve replacement performed with a 17-mm mechanical prosthesis in patients with aortic stenosis.

Influence of patent false lumen on long-term outcome after surgery for acute type A aortic dissection.

Objective: The fate of the dissected distal aorta after surgery for acute type A aortic dissection has not been fully understood. We assessed the influence of a residual patent false lumen on long-term outcomes.

Methods: Two hundred eighteen patients underwent emergency surgery for DeBakey type I or IIIb retrograde acute type A aortic dissection (1997-2006).

Risk factors for prolonged mechanical ventilation following surgery for acute type a aortic dissection.

Background: The aim of this study was to identify predictors of prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) following surgery for acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD) and to assess the influence of this complication on clinical outcomes.

Methods And Results: A total of 243 patients underwent emergency surgery for AAAD in the period of 1997-2006. Ten patients died within 48 h after surgery.

Postinfarction heart rupture of posterior wall repaired by covering patch.

A 46-year-old man underwent emergency surgery for heart rupture after acute infarction of the posterior wall. Echocardiography revealed limited myocardial thinning, so rather than sutureless repair, a covering patch was used in view of the risk of recurrent rupture. Postoperative echocardiography showed the myocardial thinning had progressed to a wide defect, and computed tomography demonstrated that the covering patch had prevented a repeat rupture.

Extracardiac aneurysm of the interleaflet triangle above the aortic-mitral curtain due to infective endocarditis of the bicuspid aortic valve.

A previously healthy 33-year-old man presented to our hospital with fever, left hemiparalysis, motor aphasia, and clouding of consciousness. Echocardiography revealed vegetation attached to the bicuspid aortic valve as well as an aneurysm originating below the annulus. Head computed tomography showed multiple infarctions.

Chronic type A aortic dissection associated with Listeria monocytogenes infection.

A previously healthy 77-year-old woman with a 4-week history of back pain and fever was admitted to our hospital for chronic type A aortic dissection. The aortic arch was enlarged to 7.5 cm in diameter, and the large dissecting aortic aneurysm involved all three branches of the aortic arch and compressed the trachea.

Omental transfer for deep sternal wound infection after coronary artery bypass grafting with the right gastroepiploic artery.

We have applied omental transfer in cases of deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) that occurred after the right gastroepiploic artery was used as a coronary artery bypass graft. Study subjects were 7 patients (mean age was 66 years) who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting with the right gastroepiploic artery during the period January 1990-March 2004, then suffered DSWI and underwent single-stage treatment consisting of debridement and omental transfer 33 days on average (range 12-93 days) after the primary surgery. Patients were followed-up, and the following data were collected in retrospect: clinical presentation and in-hospital and long-term results.

Type B aortic dissection associated with Salmonella infection.

A 59-year-old man with a long history of hypertension and diabetes was admitted to our hospital with acute type B aortic dissection 14 days after the sudden onset of back pain. The dissecting descending thoracic aorta was enlarged to 5.2 cm in diameter, and laboratory tests showed an elevated white blood cell count (15530/mm3) and an increased C-reactive protein level (19.

Impact of concomitant cardiac procedure on coronary artery surgery in hemodialysis-dependent patients.

Objective: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in hemodialysis-dependent patients is associated with high mortality and morbidity rates. This retrospective study was undertaken to identify the risk factors for in-hospital mortality for hemodialysis-dependent patients.

Methods: Subjects included 87 consecutive hemodialysis-dependent patients (81 men and 6 women), aged 47-82 years (mean age, 65 years), who underwent CABG.

Aortobronchial fistula resulting from a mycotic pseudoaneurysm after treatment of an aortoesophageal fistula due to a thoracic aortic aneurysm.

A 58-year-old man was admitted for an aortoesophageal fistula (AEF) resulting from a thoracic aortic aneurysm. He underwent immediate in-situ prosthetic graft replacement, primary esophageal repair and wrapping of the aneurysm. Postoperative upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and computerized tomography (CT) findings were unremarkable.

Anterolateral thoracotomy for distal aortic arch disease.

Purpose: Optimal exposure and antegrade arterial perfusion are keys to avoiding complications in the repair of distal aortic arch disease. To achieve these ends, we performed distal aortic arch repair through a left anterolateral thoracotomy while also using axillary artery perfusion.

Methods: From Mach 1998 to December 2004, 28 patients (23 men and 5 women, age 65.

Perfusion through the dorsalis pedis artery for acute limb ischemia secondary to an occlusive arterial cannula during percutaneous cardiopulmonary support.

Percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS) is a powerful resuscitation tool for patients in cardiogenic shock. The femoral artery is generally used for arterial access; however, vascular complications, particularly in atherosclerotic arteries, can occur. Although such complications occur infrequently, they can be fatal.

Pitfalls of sutureless repair of a blow-out type left ventricular free wall rupture.

A 55-year-old man was admitted for acute myocardial infarction. Cardiac catheterization revealed total occlusion of the left circumflex artery. During catheterization, he suffered cardiogenic shock.

Successfully treated triple valve infective endocarditis: a case report.

A 45-year-old woman presented with triple valve infective endocarditis and ventricular septal defect. There were vegetations on the tricuspid valve, pulmonary valve, and aortic valve. She had multiple complications such as nephrotic syndrome, severe anemia, congestive heart failure, and convulsion.

Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting attenuates proinflammatory markers.

Objective: Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) has been considered the main causative factors of postoperative inflammatory reactions. The aim of this study was to compare surrogate markers of the proinflammatory response in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with or without CPB.

Methods And Results: Twenty patients undergoing first-time CABG were enrolled in the study, 10 with and 10 without CPB.

Left ventricular reconstruction benefits patients with dilated ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Since the preoperative left ventricular end-systolic volume index (LVESVI) of greater than 100 mL/m2 was demonstrated to be an independent predictor of long-term mortality following isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), LV reconstruction (LVR) has been concomitantly performed in patients with a dilated LV due to ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Methods: We retrospectively assessed the ability of preoperative and intraoperative variables to affect the actuarial survival in 48 patients with a preoperative LV ejection fraction (EF) of less than 0.30 and a preoperative LVESVI of greater than 100 mL/m2.

On the Way to Experimental Test of the Time Reversal Invariance in the Nuclear Reactions.

Time (T) violation can be related with charge-parity (CP) violation through the CPT theorem. The CP violation was discovered experimentally in the K0-meson decays about 35 years ago. The T violating interaction related with the CP violation violates parity as well.

A case of graft infection 10 years after ascending aorta replacement.

A 52-year-old man was admitted with anemia and slight fever, which he had for the last 2 months. He had undergone replacement of the ascending aorta for acute aortic dissection 10 years previously. Echocardiography demonstrated a flailing thin structure in the anterior wall of the ascending aorta corresponding to the proximal portion of the prosthetic graft.

Evaluation of recurrent nerve paralysis due to thoracic aortic aneurysm and aneurysm repair.

Objectives: We sought to clarify the relationship between the outcome of recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis with the characteristics of the thoracic aortic aneurysm and the surgical procedure used in each patient.

Methods: Nine patients who developed recurrent nerve paralysis (nonsurgical paralysis) due to a thoracic aortic aneurysm alone and 14 patients who underwent artificial vessel replacement for thoracic aortic aneurysm and developed recurrent nerve paralysis postoperatively (surgical paralysis) were evaluated.

Results: In the patients with nonsurgical paralysis, the aneurysms were similar in size to those of other patients who underwent surgery of the thoracic aorta and were invariably located near the aortic arch.