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Background: We previously reported that stable rotors are observed in in-silico human atrial fibrillation (AF) models, and are well represented by a dominant frequency (DF). In the current study, we hypothesized that the outcome of DF ablation is affected by conduction velocity (CV) conditions and examined this hypothesis using in-silico 3D-AF modeling. Methods: We integrated 3D CT images of left atrium obtained from 10 patients with persistent AF (80% male, 61.8±13.5 years old) into in-silico AF model. We compared AF maintenance durations (max 300s), spatiotemporal stabilities of DF, phase singularity (PS) number, life-span of PS, and AF termination or defragmentation rates after virtual DF ablation with 5 different CV conditions (0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6m/s). Results: 1. AF maintenance duration (p<0.001), spatiotemporal mean variance of DF (p<0.001), and the number of PS (p = 0.023) showed CV dependent bimodal patterns (highest at CV0.4m/s and lowest at CV0.6m/s) consistently. 2. After 10% highest DF ablation, AF defragmentation rates were the lowest at CV0.4m/s (37.8%), but highest at CV0.5 and 0.6m/s (all 100%, p<0.001). 3. In the episodes with AF termination or defragmentation followed by 10% highest DF ablation, baseline AF maintenance duration was shorter (p<0.001), spatiotemporal mean variance of DF was lower (p = 0.014), and the number of PS was lower (p = 0.004) than those with failed AF defragmentation after DF ablation. Conclusion: Virtual ablation of DF, which may indicate AF driver, was more likely to terminate or defragment AF with spatiotemporally stable DF, but not likely to do so in long-lasting and sustained AF conditions, depending on CV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effects of four strains, generally used in clinic, including Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus thermophilus and Enterococcus faecalis, and their related products on human colonic smooth muscle in vitro. Methods: Human colonic circular muscle strips obtained from disease-free margins of resected segments from 25 patients with colorectal cancer were isometrically examined in a constant-temperature organ bath and exposed to different concentrations of living bacteria, sonicated cell fractions and cell-free supernatant (CFS). The area under the curve (AUC) representing the contractility of smooth muscle strips was calculated. Results: (1) The four living probiotics inhibited the contractility of human colonic muscle strips only at high concentration (1010 CFUs/mL, all P<0.05). (2) The sonicated cell fractions from the four probiotics obviously inhibited human colonic smooth muscle strips in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.01). (3) The CFS from the four probiotics also inhibited colonic smooth muscle strips in a dose-dependent manner (all P<0.05). (4) The inhibition effect of CFS from Streptococcus thermophilus and Enterococcus faecalis decreased obviously when pretreated with NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA, 10−5 mol/L) (P<0.05), but not the Bifidobacterium longum and Lactobacillus acidophilus (P>0.05). Conclusion: Four common probiotics related products, including the sonicated cell fractions and the CFS, obviously inhibited human colonic smooth muscles strips contraction in a dose-dependent manner. Only high concentration living probiotics (1010 CFUs/mL) can inhibit the colonic smooth muscles strips contraction. The NO pathway may be partly involved in the inhibitory effect of CFS from Streptococcus thermophilus and Enterococcus faecalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Atrial anatomy and thickness may affect the electrical wave-dynamics of atrial fibrillation (AF). We explored the relationship between left atrial (LA) wall thickness (LAWT) or LA geometry and AF wave-dynamics. Methods: We included 15 patients with persistent AF (age, 62.3 ± 11.9 years) who underwent AF catheter ablation. We measured the LAWT, LA endocardial curvature, and SD-curvature (surface bumpiness) from preprocedural computed tomography images. We compared those anatomical characteristics with electrophysiologic parameters such as dominant frequency (DF), Shannon entropy (ShEn), or complex fractionated atrial electrogram (CFAE)-cycle length (CL), calculated from intracardiac bipolar electrograms (300–500 points, 5 s), acquired during ablation procedures. Results: 1. LAWT (excluding fat) varied widely among patients, locations, and types of AF. LAWT was inversely correlated with LA volume (r = -0.565, p = 0.028) and positively correlated with SD-curvature (r = 0.272, p < 0.001). 2. LAWT was positively correlated with ShEn (r = 0.233, p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with CFAE-CL (r = -0.107, p = 0.038). 3. In the multivariate linear regression analyses for AF wave-dynamics parameters, DF (β = -0.29 [95% CI -0.44–-0.14], p < 0.001), ShEn (β = 0.19 [95% CI 0.12–0.25], p < 0.001), and CFAE-CL (β = 7.49 [95% CI 0.65–14.34], p = 0.032) were independently associated with LAWT. Conclusion: Regional LAWT is associated with LA structural features, and has significant correlations with the wave-dynamics parameters associated with electrical wavebreaks or rotors in patients with persistent AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) on atrial fibrillation (AF) is difficult to demonstrate in the intact human left atrium (LA) due to technical limitations of the current electrophysiological mapping technique. We examined the effects of the ANS on the initiation and maintenance of AF by employing a realistic in silico human left atrium (LA) model integrated with a model of ganglionated plexi (GPs). Methods: We incorporated the morphology of the GP and parasympathetic nerves in a three-dimensional (3D) realistic LA model. For the model of ionic currents, we used a human atrial model. GPs were stimulated by increasing the IK[ACh], and sympathetic nerve stimulation was conducted through a homogeneous increase in the ICa-L. ANS-induced wave-dynamics changes were evaluated in a model that integrated a patient’s LA geometry, and we repeated simulation studies using LA geometries from 10 different patients. Results: The two-dimensional model of pulmonary vein (PV) cells exhibited late phase 3 early afterdepolarization-like activity under 0.05μM acetylcholine (ACh) stimulation. In the 3D simulation model, PV tachycardia was induced, which degenerated to AF via GP (0.05μM ACh) and sympathetic (7.0×ICa-L) stimulations. Under sustained AF, local reentries were observed at the LA-PV junction. We also observed that GP stimulation reduced the complex fractionated atrial electrogram (CFAE)-cycle length (CL, p<0.01) and the life span of phase singularities (p<0.01). GP stimulation also increased the overlap area of the GP and CFAE areas (CFAE-CL≤120ms, p<0.01). When 3 patterns of virtual ablations were applied to the 3D AF models, circumferential PV isolation including the GP was the most effective in terminating AF. Conclusion: Cardiac ANS stimulations demonstrated triggered activity, automaticity, and local reentries at the LA-PV junction, as well as co-localized GP and CFAE areas in the 3D in silico GP model of the LA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The point of phase singularity (PS) is considered to represent a spiral wave core or a rotor in cardiac fibrillation. Computational efficiency is important for detection of PS in clinical electrophysiology. We developed a novel algorithm for highly efficient and robust detection of PS. Methods: In contrast to the conventional method, which calculates PS based on the line integral of the phase around a PS point equal to ±2π (the Iyer-Gray method), the proposed algorithm (the location-centric method) looks for the phase discontinuity point at which PS actually occurs. We tested the efficiency and robustness of these two methods in a two-dimensional mathematical model of atrial fibrillation (AF), with and without remodeling of ionic currents. Results: 1. There was a significant association, in terms of the Hausdorff distance (3.30 ± 0.0 mm), between the PS points measured using the Iyer-Gray and location-centric methods, with almost identical PS trajectories generated by the two methods. 2. For the condition of electrical remodeling of AF (0.3 × ICaL), the PS points calculated by the two methods were satisfactorily co-localized (with the Hausdorff distance of 1.64 ± 0.09 mm). 3. The proposed location-centric method was substantially more efficient than the Iyer-Gray method, with a 28.6-fold and 28.2-fold shorter run times for the control and remodeling scenarios, respectively. Conclusion: We propose a new location-centric method for calculating PS, which is robust and more efficient compared with the conventionally used method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We previously reported that stable rotors were observed in in-silico human atrial fibrillation (AF) models, and were well represented by dominant frequency (DF). We explored the spatiotemporal stability of DF sites in 3D-AF models imported from patient CT images of the left atrium (LA). Methods: We integrated 3-D CT images of the LA obtained from ten patients with persistent AF (male 80%, 61.8 ± 13.5 years old) into an in-silico AF model. After induction, we obtained 6 seconds of AF simulation data for DF analyses in 30 second intervals (T1–T9). The LA was divided into ten sections. Spatiotemporal changes and variations in the temporal consistency of DF were evaluated at each section of the LA. The high DF area was defined as the area with the highest 10% DF. Results: 1. There was no spatial consistency in the high DF distribution at each LA section during T1–T9 except in one patient (p = 0.027). 2. Coefficients of variation for the high DF area were highly different among the ten LA sections (p < 0.001), and they were significantly higher in the four pulmonary vein (PV) areas, the LA appendage, and the peri-mitral area than in the other LA sections (p < 0.001). 3. When we conducted virtual ablation of 10%, 15%, and 20% of the highest DF areas (n = 270 cases), AF was changed to atrial tachycardia (AT) or terminated at a rate of 40%, 57%, and 76%, respectively. Conclusions: Spatiotemporal consistency of the DF area was observed in 10% of AF patients, and high DF areas were temporally variable. Virtual ablation of DF is moderately effective in AF termination and AF changing into AT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]