Persistent atrial fibrillation without the evidence of low-voltage areas: a prospective randomized trial.

Background: An effective therapy of persistent atrial fibrillation beyond pulmonary vein isolation remains unsatisfactory. Targeting endocardial low-voltage areas represents an approach of substrate modification. This prospective, randomized study investigated the efficacy of ablation of low-voltage areas versus PVI and additional linear ablations in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation in terms of single-procedure arrhythmia-free outcome and safety.

Pulmonary vein isolation using cryoballoon ablation versus RF ablation using ablation index following the CLOSE protocol: A prospective randomized trial.

Background: The single procedure success rates of durable pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) vary between 80% and 90%. This prospective, randomized study investigated the efficacy of cryoballoon PVI (CBA) versus PVI with radio-frequency (RF)-energy following the CLOSE protocol (ablation index [AI], interlesion distance ≤6 mm, surround flow catheter) in terms of single-procedure arrhythmia-free outcome and safety.

Methods And Results: A total number of 150 patients undergoing de novo catheter ablation for paroxysmal AF were randomized to two different treatment arms.

Improved durable pulmonary vein isolation with shorter procedure times and lower energy levels using RF ablation with ablation index and a stringent lesion contiguity.

Background: The single procedure success rates of durable pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) varies between 80 and 90%. Ablation index, incorporating contact force, stability, time and power is a more profound parameter of significant lesion size and has been established. Equally important is a stringent contiguity of the lesion set.

Implantation of leadless pacing systems in patients early after tricuspid valve surgery: A feasible option.

Background: After tricuspid valve (TV) surgery due to tricuspid regurgitation (TR), patients needing a permanent pacemaker often receive an epicardial lead implantation. This may result in delayed recovery from open-chest surgery and increased postoperative risk. Leadless pacemaker (LPM) implantation may represent a valuable option.

Possible influence of free fatty acid receptors on pH regulation in the ruminal epithelium of sheep.

High amounts of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) occur in the ovine rumen and constitute the animal's main energy source. However, they lead to an acidification of the ruminal epithelium. Therefore, effective intracellular pH (pH ) regulation by transport proteins like monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) and Na /H exchangers (NHEs) is pivotal to ruminants to avoid epithelial damage.

Evaluation of the hepatocyte-derived cell line BFH12 as an in vitro model for bovine biotransformation.

The knowledge of drug metabolising enzymes (DMEs) in cattle is rather limited. The capability of the bovine foetal hepatocyte-derived cell line BFH12 to serve as model for biotransformation was evaluated. Gene expression analysis of DMEs was performed by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR).

Establishment and Characterization of an SV40 Large T Antigen-Transduced Porcine Colonic Epithelial Cell Line.

Continuous cell lines have become indispensable tools that have enabled investigations into cellular mechanisms by increasing experimental reproducibility and sample availability, and decreasing the use of experimental animals. To facilitate studies of epithelial barrier function of the porcine colon, we aimed to establish an epithelial cell line with an extended replicative capacity. Cells were isolated from the proximal colon of a 3-week-old piglet and transduced using a recombinant retroviral vector construct containing the simian virus 40 large T antigen (SV40 TAg).

Establishment and characterisation of a novel bovine SV40 large T-antigen-transduced foetal hepatocyte-derived cell line.

Due to lack of in vitro models for bovine hepatocytes apart from primary cells, there is demand for a bovine hepatocyte-derived cell line. Transduction of bovine foetal hepatocytes with SV40 large T-antigen was performed using the vector pRetro-E2 SV40. Phase contrast microscopy was carried out to evaluate morphology.