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Background Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) using second generation cryoballoon (CB) ablation has become an established treatment for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) patients. On the other hand, PVI with radiofrequency (RF) has been an established treatment for non-PAF patients, in addition to PAF patients. Purpose The data on second generation CB ablation for non-PAF patients is limited. We assessed the application of PVI with CB for non-PAF patients and compared the outcomes of success rate, radiational time, and procedural time. Methods A total of 2632 AF patients (age 64±10; 1873 males) underwent initial PVI from September 2014 to June 2018. Second-generation CB was employed to 1587 patients (CB-PAF: 80%, CB-non-PAF: 20%) and RF using irrigation-tip catheter was employed to other 1045 patients (RF-PAF: 40%, RF-non-PAF: 60%). In CB group, PV touch-up ablation with RF was needed for 113 patients (7%) (CB-PAF: 6%, CB-non-PAF: 13%; p Results AF free survival rate was almost equivalent in both non-PAF group (2-years Kaplan-Meir event rate, CB-non-PAF 66.3%, RF-non-PAF 69.8%; log-rank p=0.297). There was significantly difference in procedural time (CB-non-PAF 132±56min, RF-non-PAF: 189±52min, p Conclusions For non-PAF patients with PV triggers, PVI with CB might be non-inferior to PVI with RF. Our study showed the efficacy of CB in terms of the shortening of procedural time, and the reduction of radiational exposure. PVI with CB for non-PAF patients was inferior to that for PAF patients.

Background Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) using radiofrequency (RF) or cryoballoon (CB) has been an established treatment for atrial fibrillation. PVI using RF is the most common method with a rather complex technique of a point-by-point tissue heating and navigation of electro-anatomical-guided mapping system, and PVI with CB is also the common method with a relatively simple technique of freezing balloon occlusion. These 2 types of ablation are comparable in terms of the efficacy of the PVI procedure. Purpose The data on the clinical outcome of each AF type with PV triggers has been limited. We compared the outcome of success rate between RF and CB group with respect to each AF type, and further assessed the efficacy of pulmonary vein isolation for AF patients with the origin of only PV. Methods A total of 3402 AF patients (age 64±11; 2463 males) underwent initial PVI from May 2009 to July 2018 (PAF: 67%, non-PAF: 37%). Radiofrequency using irrigation-tip catheter was employed to 1796 patients since May 2009 (RF-PAF: 55%, RF-non-PAF: 45%). Second-generation cryoballoon was employed to other 1606 patients since September 2014 (CB-PAF: 81%, CB-non-PAF: 19%). In CB group, PV touch-up ablation with RF was needed for 113 patients (7%) (CB-PAF: 6%, CB-non-PAF: 13%; p Results In all PAF patients, AF free survival rate was significantly superior in CB group (2-years Kaplan-Meir event rate, CB 83.2%, RF 75.2%; log-rank p Conclusions Our study showed better outcome of PVI with CB for PAF patients with PV triggers, and indicated the non-inferiority of PVI with CB for non-PAF patients with PV triggers to PVI with RF.

An alternative plate and screw method of advancement of the supraorbital osteotomy bar in cranial remodelling surgery for craniosynostosis is described. The lateral orbital rim is transversely cut and using miniplates, screws are implanted into its advanced cut ends. Appropriate screws and miniplates are used to suit the size of the orbital rim in patients of different age groups. The technique was used in 12 cases and the authors have found the results extremely gratifying. It offered the advantage of providing a firm, secure and desired advancement, and height of the supraorbital bar maintaining a smooth lateral rim contour. The procedure was technically relatively straightforward. Further observation is warranted to determine whether the stabilization will last into adulthood or if there will be any problem related to the metal screws and plates.

In this paper, we propose a neural network model which incorporates neurophysiological knowledge into Jones's hypothesis, i.e., the association cortex - entorhinal cortex - hippocampal formation model (AEH model). In this model, the inhibitory action from the inferotemporal cortex to parietal cortex has a gating role for activation of the reverberatory closed circuit between the entorhinal cortex and hippocampal formation. The successive recognition performance of the AEH model was tested using human face images. In the experiments, face images were presented to the AEH model twice. Twenty human faces were tested to learn and recollect successively either in a series or in a block. In both tests, the recognition performance of the AEH model was nearly 100 percent. In the memory consolidation experiments, when face images were presented five times in series, potentiation of long-term memory occurred without any distortions.

This textbook is intended for students of engineering, material science, and/or applied physics to study the field of spintronics, otherwise known as electrogmagnetics. Provides the fundamental concepts in quantum mechanics and their applications to spintronic devices. It contains much algebra but it is not heavily theoretical. Students can follow the equations step by step. Each chapter contains problems and references to gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

The dynamics of membrane microstructure was studied as molecular motions of phospholipids for bullfrog erythrocyte ghosts by the DPH fluorescence depolarization technique with a nanosecond fluorometer. The bullfrog erythrocyte ghosts were obtained by hypotonic lysis and collagenase treatment. The constituents of membrane proteins were confirmed by the disk gel electrophoresis. The viscosity of erythrocyte membrane ghosts was estimated to be 3.3 +/- 1.0 at 10 degrees C, and 2.1 +/- 0.1 at 20 degrees C and 1.3 +/- 0.2 at 30 degrees C in the unit of poise and the wobbling angle of lipid molecule was 35 +/- 1, 41 +/- 1 and 43 +/- 1 degree at the respective temperatures on an average and +/- S.D. The viscosity is lower than that of human erythrocytes. The relatively low viscous phospholipid bilayer may be one of the factors for the deformability of bullfrog erythrocytes.

A velocimeter for measurements of blood flow velocity in microvessels was constructed with a microscope, a grating, a photomultiplier and a wave-period measuring circuit. A differential detection system seemed to be useful when the probing area was extremely small. A pulsating flow velocity contour and the velocity reduction caused by an application of noradrenaline were on-line recorded in an arteriole of foot web of frogs.