Tunicates, small invertebrates within the phylum Chordata, possess a robust tubular heart which pumps blood through their open circulatory systems without the use of valves. This heart consists of two major components: the tubular myocardium, a flexible layer of myocardial cells that actively contracts to drive fluid down the length of the tube; and the pericardium, a stiff, outer layer of cell...

Methods Between Feb.2012, June.2012, 15 patients with acute MI underwent cardiac MRI after percutaneous primary coronary intervention (PPCI). Acute MI was diagnosed, based on EKG, coronary angiography and cardiac biomarker. In short axis view, every analyzed myocardium was subdivided into 30 sectors evenly using commercially available software (Argus; Siemens Medical Solutions, Erlangen, German...

Background Tracking of the myocardium points in tagged MRI images using the Harmonic Phase (HARP) method is widely used to estimate the myocardium regional function. Nevertheless, mistracking might occur in HARP due to errors in selecting the phase extraction filter or due to violation of phase-constancy near the myocardium edges [1]. In this work, we add a constraint that within any small neig...

Introduction Dysfunctional myocardium that remains viable has the potential for contractile recovery after reperfusion. Dysfunctional but viable myocardium has been broadly divided into two closely linked pathophysiological states, myocardial hibernation and stunning. Stunned myocardium is the result of an ischemic insult leading to contractile dysfunction despite adequate reperfusion. Hibernat...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate possible mechanism for delayed hyperenhancement of scarred myocardium by investigating the relationship of contrast agent (CA) first pass and delayed enhancement patterns with histopathological changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eighteen pigs underwent 4 weeks ligation of 1 or 2 diagonal coronary arteries to induce chronic infarction. The hearts were then removed and perfus...

BACKGROUND Topical negative pressure (TNP), widely used in wound therapy, is known to stimulate wound edge blood flow, granulation tissue formation, angiogenesis, and revascularization. We have previously shown that application of a TNP of -50 mmHg to the myocardium significantly increases microvascular blood flow in the underlying tissue. We have also shown that a myocardial TNP levels between...