Atrial fibrillation driver identification through regional mutual information networks: a modeling perspective.

Purpose: Effective identification of electrical drivers within remodeled tissue is a key for improving ablation treatment for atrial fibrillation. We have developed a mutual information, graph-based approach to identify and propose fault tolerance metric of local efficiency as a distinguishing feature of rotational activation and remodeled atrial tissue.

Methods: Voltage data were extracted from atrial tissue simulations (2D Karma, 3D physiological, and the Multiscale Cardiac Simulation Framework (MSCSF)) using multi-spline open and parallel regional mapping catheter geometries.

Catheter ablation and healthcare utilization and cost among patients with paroxysmal versus persistent atrial fibrillation.

Background: Ablation reduces atrial fibrillation (AF) burden and improves health-related quality of life. The relationship between ablation, healthcare utilization, and AF type (paroxysmal AF [PAF] vs persistent AF [PsAF]) remains unclear.

Objective: To compare changes in AF-related healthcare utilization and costs from preablation to postablation among patients with PAF and PsAF.

Catheter Ablation of Ischemic Ventricular Tachycardia With Remote Magnetic Navigation: STOP-VT Multicenter Trial.

Introduction: Catheter ablation is an effective treatment of scar-related ventricular tachycardia (VT), but the overall complexity of the procedure has precluded its widespread use. Remote magnetic navigation (RMN) has been shown to facilitate cardiac mapping and ablation of VT in a retrospective series. STOP-VT is the first multicenter, prospective, single-arm and single-procedure study evaluating RMN-based mapping and ablation of post-infarction VT.

Vdrive Evaluation of Remote Steering and Testing in Lasso Electrophysiology Procedures Study: The VERSATILE Study in Atrial Fibrillation Ablation.

Introduction: Circular mapping catheters (CMC) are an essential tool in most atrial fibrillation ablation procedures. The Vdrive™ with V-Loop™ system enables a physician to remotely manipulate a CMC during electrophysiology studies. Our aim was to compare the clinical performance of the system to conventional CMC navigation according to efficiency and safety endpoints.

Low-energy multistage atrial defibrillation therapy terminates atrial fibrillation with less energy than a single shock.

Background: Implantable device therapy of atrial fibrillation (AF) is limited by pain from high-energy shocks. We developed a low-energy multistage defibrillation therapy and tested it in a canine model of AF.

Methods And Results: AF was induced by burst pacing during vagus nerve stimulation.

Human FXYD2 G41R mutation responsible for renal hypomagnesemia behaves as an inward-rectifying cation channel.

A mutation in the human FXYD2 polypeptide (Na-K-ATPase gamma subunit) that changes a conserved transmembrane glycine to arginine is linked to dominant renal hypomagnesemia. Xenopus laevis oocytes injected with wild-type FXYD2 or the mutant G41R cRNAs expressed large nonselective ion currents. However, in contrast to the wild-type FXYD2 currents, inward rectifying cation currents were induced by hyperpolarization pulses in oocytes expressing the G41R mutant.

Kv4.3 is not required for the generation of functional Ito,f channels in adult mouse ventricles.

Accumulated evidence suggests that the heteromeric assembly of Kv4.2 and Kv4.3 alpha-subunits underlies the fast transient Kv current (I(to,f)) in rodent ventricles.

[Using PCR method to study the EB virus DNA in NPC].

Objective: To study the EB virus DNA distribution in paraffin-embedded tissue, peripheral blood leukocyte and serum in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients (NPC).

Method: PCR method, in paraffin-embedded tissue of 39 patients with NPC (NPC group-1) and 20 patients with chronic nasopharyngitis (control group-1), in peripheral blood leukocyte and serum of 24 patients with NPC (NPC group-2) and 10 patients with other head and neck carcinoma (control group-2) and 10 patients with chronic nasopharyngitis (control group-3) were used to test the presence of Epstein-Barr virus DNA. At the same time, we also measured serum EB virus VCA-IgA antibodies with enzyme-immunoassay in NPC group-2, control group-2 and control group-3.

[The surgical treatment of cancer in the base of tongue].

Objective: To seek for a better approach for the resection of carcinoma of the base of tongue.

Method: From 1991 to 2000, all 21 cases of tongue base carcinoma had been removed by transhyoid pharyngotomy(11 cases), mandibulectomy(7 cases) and step-liked mandibulotomy (3 cases).

Result: Three patients with step-liked mandibulotomy had speech disorder and dysphagy.

[Pearson technique in the treatment of advanced laryngeal cancer].

Objective: To seek for a better method of treating the advanced laryngeal cancer.

Method: Twenty-eight cases of advanced laryngeal cancer were treated with near-total laryngectomy(Pearson technique), including 11 glottic cancers(III stage, 8 cases: IV stage, 3 cases), 17 supraglottic cancers (III stage, 13 cases; IV stage, 4 cases). In the same time 26 patients had neck node dissections.

[A clinical study on improving phonation function of larynx after partial laryngectomy].

Objective: To analyse the clinical results of reconstruction of vocal cord using sternohyoid muscle flap after partial laryngectomy and research a new repairing method to improve laryngeal function and living quality of patient.

Method: The pronunciation of larynx is on the basic of the vibration of the vocal cord by air current. The laryngeal appearance and the function of opposite side vocal cord is very important for improving the quality of pronunciation.

An antisense oligonucleotide against H1 inhibits the classical sodium current but not ICa(TTX) in rat ventricular cells.

ICa(TTX) is a sodium current component, functionally distinct from the main body of sodium current, seen in cardiac and other cells. To determine if ICa(TTX) channels are a separate isoform from the classical cardiac sodium channels, we exposed rat ventricular cells in primary culture to an antisense oligonucleotide (AON) directed against rH1 (rNav1.5): 5'-CTCCTCATACCCTCT-3'.