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Purpose: Left atrial (LA) dimensions have been identified as anatomical predictors for atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). The value of LA function compared to pure LA anatomical risk prediction for AF recurrence after PVI is not well investigated. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is able to simultaneously assess LA anatomical, tissue and functional markers within one examination. The hypothesis of this explorative study was that CMR-derived LA strain has incremental value for the prediction of AF recurrence after PVI.Method: Fifty-two patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF were retrospectively enrolled for CMR (1.5T) prior to PVI. Strain-analysis was derived from standard cine images in 4-, 3- and 2-chamber view. LA function was divided into LA reservoir strain and strain rate (εs and SRs), LA conduit (εe and SRe) and LA booster pump function (εa and SRa). The primary endpoint was recurrence of AF within one year after PVI.Results: Twelve patients (23 %) presented with AF recurrence. There was no difference in age, LA size as well as LA sphericity index between the groups. Patients with AF recurrence (68.3 ± 5.5 years, 66 % male) showed significantly reduced LA booster pump function compared to the patients without AF recurrence (66.3 ± 10.5 years, 50 % male) (εa: p = 0.015; SRa: p = 0.036). In binomial logistic regression analyses, the only predictor for AF recurrence after PVI was εa (p = 0.033).Conclusions: In this descriptive study, impaired LA booster pump function predicted AF recurrence one year after PVI. Compared to further LA strain and anatomical parameters, LA booster pump might serve as additional predictor of AF recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starch characteristics influence the gelatinization process, which is an important prerequisite for the saccharification required in many industrial processes. In order to determine these characteristics in barley malt, an adapted purification procedure allowing to preserve the native starch composition and simultaneously segregating the amylolytic enzymes which were formed during the germination is indispensable. Therefore, this research aimed to develop a method based on a combination of dry milling, micro-sieving and density gradient centrifugation. The impact on the starch characteristics was evaluated for three germinated barley varieties. The purified starches showed starch contents greater than 90% and proteins contents less than 0.4%. Yields ranged from 40.3 to 48.6%, depending on the variety. Considering the starch properties, the amylose/amylopectin ratio was not modified during the purification. The circularity of the granules as well as the ratio of A- and B-type granules remained constant. The particle size distribution of A-granules was not shifted, B-granules with a specific diameter of 5–10 μm were slightly reduced in dependency of the native granule composition. The highest impact could be observed on the amylolytic enzymes, which were completely segregated regardless of their initial value. The standard deviation of repeatability was less than 5%, except for the determination of B-type particle size distribution (7%). The newly developed procedure supplements existing isolation methods of unmalted grains by enabling the purification of germinated barley in a reproducible manner, without altering the native starch properties and by providing pure starch free of amylolytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]