Statistical AnalysisAll numeric data are presented as the means ± SD. Because of differences in the variables and limited sample numbers, statistic analysis was performed using Wilcoxon nonparametric analysis or chi-square analysis when necessary. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Circ J 2007; 71: 1606 -1609 (Received May 8, 2007 revised manuscript received June 14, 2007; accepted June 22, 2007 Background This study was performed to investigate the frequency and importance of supraventricular arrhythmia and sinus node (SN) dysfunction in patients with catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT). Methods and ResultsEight patients with CPVT (mean age: 16.8±8.1 years) underwent an electrophysiological study. SN recovery time (1,389±394 ms) was slightly prolonged, and 4 of 8 patients had abnormal values. Atrial flutter (AF) was induced by low-rate atrial pacing in 2 patients and by isoproterenol infusion in 1 patient. Atrial fibrillation (Af) was induced by isoproterenol infusion in 2 patients. One patient presented with Af during the follow-up period, and 2 of 4 patients with AF/Af presented with increased SN recovery time.Conclusions Patients with CPVT frequently have associated with SN dysfunction, and inducible atrial tachyarrhythmias, which indicate that the pathogenesis of CPVT is limited not only to the ventricular myocardium, but also to broad regions of the heart, including the SN and atrial muscle. (Circ J 2007; 71: 1606 -1609)

Hot-wire anemometry has been used in the intermediate wake (x/d= 10 to 40) of a slightly heated circular cylinder in order to quantify the contribution from the coherent motion to various conventionally averaged quantities, in particular the average momentum and heat fluxes. The overall contribution to the lateral heat flux is always greater than that to the Reynolds shear stress, indicating that the turbulent Kármán vortex street transports heat more effectively than momentum. The difference in these contributions is reflected in the topologies of the velocity and temperature fields. There is significant streamwise evolution of these topologies throughout the intermediate wake. At x/d = 10, the net heat transport associated with the vortical motion occurs in the downstream region of each vortex. At other downstream stations, the net heat transport is equally distributed between the upstream and downstream regions of individual vortices.

Perception of pathogen-derived ligands by corresponding host receptors is a pivotal strategy in eukaryotic innate immunity. In plants, this is complemented by circadian anticipation of infection timing, promoting basal resistance even in the absence of pathogen threat. Here, we report that trichomes, hair-like structures on the epidermis, directly sense external mechanical forces, including raindrops, to anticipate pathogen infections in Arabidopsis thaliana. Exposure of leaf surfaces to mechanical stimuli initiates the concentric propagation of intercellular calcium waves away from trichomes to induce defence-related genes. Propagating calcium waves enable effective immunity against pathogenic microbes through the CALMODULIN-BINDING TRANSCRIPTION ACTIVATOR 3 (CAMTA3) and mitogen-activated protein kinases. We propose an early layer of plant immunity in which trichomes function as mechanosensory cells that detect potential risks.

Atorvastatin strongly induced angiogenesis with increases in angiogenic cytokines, HO-1 and EPC numbers. Statins are thus considered potertial agents for therapeutic angiogenesis.

Background: Fulminant myocarditis involves various serious arrhythmias that sometimes have lethal consequences. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the electrocardiogram findings, arrhythmogenicity and abnormalities of the cardiac conduction system in children with fulminant myocarditis. Methods and Results:Between 1999 and 2008, 7 consecutive patients (mean age: 7 years) who suffered from fulminant myocarditis were included in the study. A 12-lead electrocardiogram, Holter monitoring and signal-averaged electrocardiograms were performed and compared between the acute, convalescent, and recovery phases in the 4 surviving patients. Also, electrophysiologic assessment was carried out during the convalescent phase. Five out of 7 patients developed complete atrioventricular block, 3 developed ventricular tachycardia, 2 had cardiac arrest, 2 developed sinus tachycardia, 1 developed ventricular fibrillation, 1 had advanced atrioventricular block, and 1 developed sick sinus syndrome. Among the surviving patients, all arrhythmias resolved during the convalescent and remote phases. No atrial or ventricular arrhythmias were induced in any patients during the programmed stimulation study. In the convalescent phase, no arrhythmias could be induced and there were no signs of any conduction abnormalities on electrophysiological assessment. Conclusions:Close follow-up should be performed to observe for the occurrence of any new arrhythmias and/or a decrease in cardiac function in children with fulminant myocarditis. (Circ J 2011; 75: 932 - 938)

In this paper experimentally studied characteristics of various frequency components of incoherent velocity fluctuations in the near wake behind a thin normal plate immersed in a uniform flow are described. Measurements were made at a position 8 plate heights downstream of the plate where the wake had a marked periodicity, so that coherent vortices shed from the plate are expected to have a small dispersion in streamwise spacing, transverse location, strength and shape. Shearing stress associated with the incoherent fluctuations is mainly contributed by components with frequencies around half of the vortex-shedding frequency fs on one side of the wake. The ½fs frequency component appears to be caused by the spanwise locations of ribs, which are connected to the coherent vortices, being different from vortex to vortex. A probable spanwise arrangement of the ribs is suggested.

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