First measurement of the transverse spin asymmetries of the deuteron in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering.

First measurements of the Collins and Sivers asymmetries of charged hadrons produced in deep-inelastic scattering of muons on a transversely polarized 6LiD target are presented. The data were taken in 2002 with the COMPASS spectrometer using the muon beam of the CERN SPS at 160 GeV/c. The Collins asymmetry turns out to be compatible with zero, as does the measured Sivers asymmetry within the present statistical errors.

A case of sinus pause due to the proarrhythmia of pilsicainide.

A 74-year-old man received oral administration of pilsicainide, a pure sodium channel blocker with slow recovery kinetics, to convert paroxysmal atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm and developed loss of consciousness two days later. The ECG monitoring revealed sinus pause with markedly prolonged PQ interval and QRS width. Two days after the drug was discontinued, the duration of the QRS complex was normalized.

Exercise induced atrioventricular block with gap phenomenon in atrioventricular conduction.

A 54-year-old man with normal atrioventricular (AV) conduction at rest gave a 4-year history of presyncope during exercise. Treadmill testing showed exercise induced AV block. Electrophysiological study demonstrated rate dependent infranodal AV block and abnormal refractory period of the His-Purkinje system.

In vitro examination of the safety of rotational atherectomy of side branches jailed by stents.

In vitro experimental models of branch orifices jailed by various stents were created to estimate the safety and the efficacy of rotational atherectomy when rotational burrs were advanced through the struts of stents. The scaffolding structures of the stents were destroyed due to loss and deflection of the struts, and the size of ablated stent-particles differed: the maximal size was 1.7 mm in slotted stents, and 17.

An autopsied case of acute myocarditis with myocardial calcification.

A 47-year-old woman was admitted with fever, hypotension, an elevated serum creatinine kinase level, and electrocardiographic abnormalities, which led to the diagnosis of acute myocarditis. She was placed on percutaneous cardiopulmonary support because of hemodynamic collapse on the third hospital day. Serial echocardiography showed gradual recovery of profound hypokinesis and edematous thickening of the left ventricle, but she died of sepsis on the 17th day without overt renal insufficiency or electrolytic abnormalities.

Efficacy of marker wire for intracoronary stenting.

The Marker Wire was used for Palmaz-Schatz coronary stent implantation. The Marker Wire is useful in estimating lesion length and in determining the number of stents required, in addition to facilitating stent positioning.

A case of unprotected left main coronary stenosis rescued by directional coronary atherectomy as a last resort.

The prognosis of left main coronary stenosis complicating cardiogenic shock is very poor. Unprotected left main coronary stenosis usually preclude percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty because of the appearance of elastic recoil and the risk of hemodynamic collapse after acute closure of the artery. An 85-year-old woman with no history of heart disease developed cardiogenic shock.

Acute occlusion due to coronary dissection as a PTCA complication resolved by reentry achieved by pulling an inflated balloon in the true lumen.

We experienced 2 patients in whom conventional percutaneous methods were not useful for acute occlusions sequel to coronary angioplasty. Acute occlusions seemed to be caused by large dissections. Pulling an inflated balloon at the dissected lesions achieved reentry from the false lumen to the true lumen, thus resolving collapse of the true lumen and recanalizing the occluded coronary artery.

Additional ST-segment elevation immediately after reperfusion and its effect on myocardial salvage in anterior wall acute myocardial infarction.

Rapid resolution of ST-segment elevation is a reperfusion-associated electrocardiographic change in acute myocardial infarction. However, some patients have additional ST-segment elevation immediately after reperfusion before such resolution. The clinical significance and the effect on myocardial salvage of this electrocardiographic change are unknown.

High-output heart failure in mitochondrial myopathy: a fulminant form with severe lactic acidosis and rhabdomyolysis.

A 17-year-old male with mitochondrial myopathy was transferred to our hospital because of respiratory distress and a rapidly deteriorating level of consciousness. He had a markedly increased cardiac output with low systemic vascular resistance and decreased arteriovenous oxygen difference. Severe lactic acidosis, rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure were also present.

Coronary perforation to the left ventricular cavity by a guide wire during coronary angioplasty.

We describe a case in which the guide wire penetrated through the left anterior descending artery into the left ventricular cavity during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. This complication of coronary angioplasty which had not been previously reported was suspected because of the characteristic motion of the guide wire on the X-ray image and was confirmed by echocardiography.

Precordial ST segment elevation in acute ischemia caused by right coronary artery occlusion.

The purpose of this study is to determine why precordial ST elevation (V1 lead) occurs during acute occlusion of the right coronary artery (RCA). Nineteen patients with vasospastic angina, in whom ergonovine administration into RCA provoked spasms, were divided into 2 groups by precordial ST change during spasms. Group I (n = 6) had precordial ST elevation; group II (n = 13) had no precordial ST elevation.

Evaluation of left ventricular residual function using postextrasystolic potentiation. Relation between systolic time intervals and angiographic study.

The effects of postextrasystolic potentiation (PESP) on systolic time intervals and left ventricular wall motion were studied during diagnostic cardiac catheterization in 20 patients (4 normal individuals, 11 patients with coronary artery disease and 5 patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy). Postextrasystolic changes in the aortic pressure and systolic time intervals were measured from the electrocardiogram and aortic pressure tracing. After a micromanometer-tipped catheter was positioned in the ascending aorta just above the aortic valve, a single ventricular premature beat was introduced using an R-wave coupled stimulator.

Atrial contribution to ventricular filling in patients with coronary artery disease as assessed by cardiac pacing.

Analysis of beat to beat changes in left ventricular (LV) ejection time during cardiac pacing was utilized to assess the atrial contribution to ventricular filling in coronary artery disease. The recordings of aortic pressure were made during atrial and ventricular pacing at a rate of 5 to 10 beats/min above sinus rhythm. During ventricular pacing, LV ejection time became maximum when an atrial contraction preceded a ventricular contraction by a physiologic interval and was similar to that obtained during atrial pacing (max ET).

Assessment of the contribution of atrial systole to ventricular filling by cardiac pacing.

Analysis of beat to beat changes in left ventricular (LV) ejection time during cardiac pacing was utilized to assess the atrial contribution to ventricular filling in 30 consecutive patients undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterization. The group consisted of 9 normal subjects, 18 with coronary artery disease and 3 with congestive cardiomyopathy. The recordings of aortic pressure were made during atrial pacing and ventricular pacing at a rate 5 to 10 beats/min above each individual's sinus rhythm.

Optimal pacemaker sensing with respect to amplitude and slew rate of intracardiac electrograms: theoretical analysis by computer simulation.

The optimal amplitude and slew rate of intracardiac electrograms for pacemaker sensing were examined on a theoretical basis by computer simulation. The simulation was based on the concept that it is the voltage at the position of the pacing electrode in an electrical field of a moving electrical dipole. By changing the distance between the electrode and the myocardium and the moving velocity of the electrical dipole, simulated ECGs with arbitrary amplitudes and slew rates were generated by the computer and fed to a bandpass filter.