Right Atrial Volume Calculated by Multi-detector Computed Tomography: Useful Predictor of Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence after Pulmonary Vein Catheter Ablation

We investigated whether right atrial (RA) volume could be used to predict the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after pulmonary vein catheter ablation (CA). We evaluated 65 patients with paroxysmal AF (mean age, 60+10 years, 81.5% male) and normal volunteers (57 ± 14 years, 41.7% male). Sixty-four-slice multi-detector computed tomography was performed for left atrial (LA) and RA volume estimations before CA. The recurrence of AF was assessed for 6 months after the ablation. Both left and right atrial volumes were larger in the AF patients than the normal volunteers (LA: 99.7+33.2ml vs. 59.7+17.4ml; RA: 82.9+35.7ml vs. 43.9+12ml; P100ml) for predicting the recurrence of AF was 81.3% in 13 of 16 patients with AF recurrence, and the specificity was 69.4% in 34 of 49 patients without recurrence. The sensitivity with large RA volumes (>87ml) was 81.3% in 13 of 16 patients with AF recurrence, and the specificity was 75.5% in 37 of 49 patients without recurrence. RA volume is a useful predictor of the recurrence of AF, similar to LA volume

るいそうに関する実態調査と今後の対策 : プロジェクトチームの結成(予報)

平成10年ごろから国民栄養調査において20歳代女性のやせ傾向が問題になっている。そこで、やせ体型の学生が自分自身が持つ健康上の問題点を理解し、現在および将来の健康な女性を目指して和洋女子大学を卒業するまでに正常体格になるように支援するためのプロジェクトチームが平成17年に結成されたので紹介する。まず、このプロジェクトを遂行するにあたって予備的な問題点を検討するために、予備研究を行った。その結果、やせ体型を示す若年女性に、月経異常、骨密度の低下が認められた。一般に、やせ体型は生活習慣病ハイリスクの低体重児を産む傾向、平均余命の低下などの問題点を抱えている。これらの問題を検討するには体組成の違いを考慮する必要があると考えられる。今後、やせ体型改善対策プロジェクトを通して、食事や運動などの指導による本格的な介入を続け、対象者が健康的なライフスタイルを身につけることによりQOLを高めると同時に、先に述べた各種の健康障害や将来の低体重児の出産率を低下させることが期待される。また、この研究成果は学生に対する健康教育と健康管理に活用できると考える

市川市の働き盛り世代の生活習慣に関する研究 : 市川市受託研究活動報告

市川市の働き盛り世代(40～50歳代)の市民の健康診査と生活習慣アンケートを約4,000名を対象に実施した。アンケートは約2,000名の結果を回収し、健診とアンケートの結果について解析した。さらに、この結果に基づいて生活習慣病予防ための健康教育講座を計画し、アンケート回答者を対象に実施した。健診結果より生活習慣病のリスクを持っている者は男性に多かった。体調を表す不定愁訴スコアとBMI、家事負担感、食事満足度に関連性がみられた。栄養バランスを表す食品摂取頻度スコアは男性より女性で高く、BMIの高い肥満者では、スコアが低かった。運動習慣スコアは食品摂取スコア、食事満足度スコア、家事頻度スコアと関連性がみられ、運動習慣スコアが低い者では、BMIが高い者や高中性脂肪血症の者が多かった。健康教育講座について、食事、栄養、調理、運動に関する演習や実習を取り入れた少人数の講座は、参加した人は少なかったが有意義で効果的であった。以上の結果から、健診結果、体調、生活習慣(食事、運動)には多くの関連性があることについての根拠となる基礎資料が得られた。特に、今回用いた手法である体調や生活習慣に関するアンケート結果をスコア化して解析することが、これらの関連性を検討する方法として有効であることが示された

Development of a Freeware for Analysis of Neuromagnetic Epileptic Discharges

We developed a freeware for the analysis of neuromagnetic epileptic discharges and named it "hns_meg." It works as an executable standalone application, compatible with 32/64 bit Microsoft Windows Vista or Mac OSX 10.6. The program is designed for recordings from planar gradiometers and includes the following functions: listing of topographies of maximum gradient magnetic field (∂B) every 1 s throughout the measured time, two or three-dimensional topographical representations of ∂B, and time-frequency representations based on a maximum entropy method. Coupling the first function with an appropriate frequency filter is useful in efficiently finding spikes. The last two functions are attractive for users who want to try new analytical methods different from those in commercially available software packages

Development of needle insertion manipulator for central venous catheterization

Central venous catheterization is a procedure, which a doctor insert a catheter into the patient's vein for transfusion. Since there are risks of bleeding from arterial puncture or pneumothorax from pleural puncture. Physicians are strictly required to make needle reach up into the vein and to stop the needle in the middle of vein. We proposed a robot system for assisting the venous puncture, which can relieve the difficulties in conventional procedure, and the risks of complication. This paper reports the design structuring and experimental results of needle insertion manipulator. First, we investigated the relationship between insertion force and angle into the vein. The results indicated that the judgment of perforation using the reaction force is possible in case where the needling angle is from 10 to 20 degree. The experiment to evaluate accuracy of the robot also revealed that it has beyond 0.5 mm accuracy. We also evaluated the positioning accuracy in the ultrasound images. The results displays that the accuracy is beyond 1.0 mm and it has enough for venous puncture. We also carried out the venous puncture experiment to the phantom and confirm our manipulator realized to make needle reach up into the vein. © 2011 The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan.

Development of a needle insertion manipulator for central venous catheterization

Background: Central venous catheterization is a procedure in which a doctor inserts a catheter into a patient's vein for transfusions. Risks of this procedure include bleeding from the puncture of blood vessels and pneumothorax caused by pleural puncture. To avoid these and other risks, physicians are required to ensure that the needle is inserted securely and that it stops within the vein. Methods: We propose a robotic system for assisting venous puncture that is capable of alleviating the difficulties encountered during the conventional procedure, as well as minimizing the risks of complications. This paper describes the design and results of experiments conducted using a needle insertion manipulator. First, we investigated the relation between insertion force and angle into the vein to determine the appropriate insertion angle in relation to the blood vessel under physical conditions. The results indicated that the reaction force can be used to gauge whether the needle has been inserted into the vein in cases where the insertion angle is in the range 10-20°. Based on this result, we determined the mechanisms of the puncture device, which comprises a small, compact configuration. Experiments for accuracy validation were performed on a phantom. Results: We evaluated the positioning accuracy using ultrasound images, and the results indicated an accuracy of 1.0mm or better, which is considered feasible for venous puncture. In the phantom experiments, we confirmed that our manipulator was capable of placing the needle within the vein. Conclusions: The feasibility of this system was demonstrated in our experiments. Further studies, such as in vivo experiments, are required. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.1