ChroMOS: a "microwire-like" CMOS neural probe for chronic neural recordings in mice.

Achieving stable and continuous monitoring of signals of numerous single neurons in the brain faces the conflicting challenge of increasing the microelectrode count while minimizing cross-sectional shank dimensions to reduce tissue damage, foreign-body-reaction and maintain signal quality. Passive probes need to route each microelectrode individually to external electronics, thus increasing shank size and tissue-damage as the number of electrodes grows. Active complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) probes overcome the limitation in electrode count and density with on-probe frontend, addressing and multiplexing circuits, but current probes have relatively large shank widths of 70 - 100 μm.

Pulsed field ablation for ventricular arrhythmias with pentaspline catheter.

Background: Catheter ablation using pulsed-field energy may penetrate deeper into scarred tissue than thermal energies; however, evidence regarding its role in treating ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) is limited. In this prospective study, we report our current experience on pulsed field ablation (PFA) with pentaspline catheter for the treatment of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) originating from the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) and scar-related ventricular tachycardias (VTs).

Methods: Consecutive VA patients who underwent PFA with Farapulse system were enrolled.

Impact of response to electrical cardioversion before catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation: a propensity score-matched analysis.

Aims: We hypothesize that sinus rhythm (SR) maintenance in persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) patients taking anti-arrhythmic drugs (AADs) after pre-procedural electrical cardioversion (ECV) could predict outcomes after catheter ablation procedures.

Methods And Results: 219 persistent AF patients on AADs underwent ECV 1-6 months before ablation. Patients were categorized into two groups according to their response to ECV: patients in whom SR was restored and maintained until the ablation procedure (ECV-SR group), and patients with AF recurrence before the procedure (ECV-AF group).

Simultaneous high-density 512-channel SiNAPS electrical recordings and optogenetics.

The experimental use of CMOS high-density neural probes enables the wide field observation of the electrical activity of neural circuits at the resolution of single neurons. Optogenetic light stimulation allows to control and modulate the activity of neural cells, in a genetically selective manner. The combination of these techniques can be a powerful approach for investigating mechanisms of brain diseases and of information processing in the brain.

Force Measurements to Advance the Design and Implantation of CMOS-Based Neural Probes.

Objective: Tissue penetrating active neural probes provide large and densely packed microelectrode arrays for the fine-grained investigation of brain circuits and for advancing brain-machine interfaces (BMIs). To improve the electrical interfacing performances of such stiff silicon devices, which typically elicit a vigorous foreign body reaction (FBR), here we perform insertion force measurements and derive probe layout and implantation procedure optimizations.

Methods: We performed in-vivo insertion force measurements to evaluate the impact of probe design and implantation speed on mechanically induced trauma and iatrogenic injury.

Multi-Shank 1024 Channels Active SiNAPS Probe for Large Multi-Regional Topographical Electrophysiological Mapping of Neural Dynamics.

Implantable active dense CMOS neural probes unlock the possibility of spatiotemporally resolving the activity of hundreds of single neurons in multiple brain circuits to investigate brain dynamics. Mapping neural dynamics in brain circuits with anatomical structures spanning several millimeters, however, remains challenging. Here, a CMOS neural probe advancing lateral sampling for mapping intracortical neural dynamics (both LFPs and spikes) in awake, behaving mice from an area >4 mm is demonstrated.

Factors predicting mortality in the cardiac ICU during the early phase of targeted temperature management in the treatment of post-cardiac arrest syndrome - The RAPID score.

Introduction: Survival rates after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remain low, and early prognostication is challenging. While numerous intensive care unit scoring systems exist, their utility in the early hours following hospital admission, specifically in the targeted temperature management (TTM) population, is questionable. Our aim was to create a score system that may accurately estimate outcome within the first 12 h after admission in patients receiving TTM.

Multi-shank 1024 channels active SiNAPS probe for large multi-regional topographical electrophysiological mapping of neural dynamics.

Implantable active dense CMOS neural probes unlock the possibility of spatiotemporally resolving the activity of hundreds of single neurons in multiple brain circuits to investigate brain dynamics. Mapping neural dynamics in brain circuits with anatomical structures spanning several millimeters, however, remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate the first CMOS neural probe for mapping intracortical neural dynamics (both LFPs and spikes) in awake, behaving mice from an area >4 mm.

Adherence to the CLOSE Protocol and Low Baseline Generator Impedance Are Independent Predictors of Durable Pulmonary Vein Isolation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is predominantly attributed to pulmonary vein reconnection (PVR). Predictors of AF recurrence have been widely studied; however, data are scarce on procedural parameters that predict chronic PVR. We aimed to study PVR rates and predictors of PVR.

Long-Term Durability of High- and Very High-Power Short-Duration PVI by Invasive Remapping: The HPSD Remap Study.

Background: High-power short-duration ablation has shown impressive efficacy and safety for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI); however, initial efficacy results with very high power short-duration ablation were discouraging. This study compared the long-term durability of PVI performed with a 90- versus 50-W power setting.

Methods: Patients were randomized 1:1 to undergo PVI with the QDOT catheter using a power setting of 90 or 50 W.

Incidence and predictors of stroke and silent cerebral embolism following very high-power short-duration atrial fibrillation ablation.

Aims: Cerebral thrombo-embolism is a dreaded complication of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for atrial fibrillation; its surrogate, silent cerebral embolism (SCE) can be detected by diffusion-weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging (bMRI). Initial investigations have raised a concern that very high-power, short-duration (vHPSD; 90 W/4 s) temperature-controlled PVI with the QDOT Micro catheter may be associated with a higher incidence of SCE compared with low-power long-duration ablation. We aimed to assess the incidence of procedural complications of vHPSD PVI with an emphasis on cerebral safety.

Feasibility and image quality of bright-blood and black-blood phase-sensitive inversion recovery (BOOST) sequence in clinical practice using for left atrial visualization in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Objectives: Visualizing left atrial anatomy including the pulmonary veins (PVs) is important for planning the procedure of pulmonary vein isolation with ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The aims of our study are to investigate the feasibility of the 3D whole-heart bright-blood and black-blood phase-sensitive (BOOST) inversion recovery sequence in patients with AF scheduled for ablation or electro-cardioversion, and to analyze the correlation between image quality and heart rate and rhythm of patients.

Methods: BOOST was performed for assessing PVs both with T2 preparation pre-pulse (T2prep) and magnetization transfer preparation (MTC) in 45 patients with paroxysmal or permanent AF scheduled for ablation or electro-cardioversion.

Use of a new non-contrast-enhanced BOOST cardiac MR sequence before electrical cardioversion or ablation of atrial fibrillation-a pilot study.

Introduction: Left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus is the most common source of embolization in atrial fibrillation (AF). Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is the gold standard method for LAA thrombus exclusion. Our pilot study aimed to compare the efficacy of a new non-contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) sequence (BOOST) with TEE for the detection of LAA thrombus and to evaluate the usefulness of BOOST images for planning radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) compared with left atrial (LA) contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT).

Remote Management of Patients with Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Remote monitoring (RM) is the newest function of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs). In our observational retrospective analysis, we aimed to assess whether telecardiology could be a safe alternative to routine outpatient examinations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The in- and outpatient visits, the number of acute cardiac decompensation episodes, the RM data from CIEDs, and general condition were examined via questionnaires (KCCQ, EQ-5D-5L).

Characteristics of Very High-Power, Short-Duration Radiofrequency Applications.

Introduction: Pulmonary vein isolation is the cornerstone of rhythm-control therapy for atrial fibrillation (AF). The very high-power, short-duration (vHPSD) radiofrequency (RF) ablation is a novel technology that favors resistive heating while decreasing the role of conductive heating. Our study aimed to evaluate the correlations between contact force (CF), power, impedance drop (ID), and temperature; and to assess their role in lesion formation with the vHPSD technique.

Impact of High-Power and Very High-Power Short-Duration Radiofrequency Ablation on Procedure Characteristics and First-Pass Isolation During Pulmonary Vein Isolation.

Introduction: High-power short-duration (HPSD) radiofrequency ablation has been proposed to produce rapid and effective lesions for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). We aimed to evaluate the procedural characteristics and the first-pass isolation (FPI) rate of HPSD and very high-power short-duration (vHPSD) ablation compared to the low-power long-duration (LPLD) ablation technique.

Methods: One hundred fifty-six patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) were enrolled and assigned to LPLD, HPSD, or vHPSD PVI.

Abutting Left Atrial Appendage and Left Superior Pulmonary Vein Predicts Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation After Point-by-Point Pulmonary Vein Isolation.

Introduction: The role of the spatial relationship between the left superior pulmonary vein (LSPV) and left atrial appendage (LAA) is unknown. We sought to evaluate whether an abutting LAA and LSPV play a role in AF recurrence after catheter ablation for paroxysmal AF.

Methods: Consecutive patients, who underwent initial point-by-point radiofrequency catheter ablation for paroxysmal AF at the Heart and Vascular Center of Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary, between January of 2014 and December of 2017, were enrolled in the study.

The effect of left atrial wall thickness and pulmonary vein sizes on the acute procedural success of atrial fibrillation ablation.

Nowadays, a novel contact-force guided ablation technique is used for enclosing pulmonary veins in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We sought to determine whether left atrial (LA) wall thickness (LAWT) and pulmonary vein (PV) dimensions, as assessed by cardiac CT, could influence the success rate of first-pass pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). In a single-center, prospective study, we enrolled consecutive patients with symptomatic, drug-refractory AF who underwent initial radiofrequency catheter ablation using a modified CLOSE protocol.

The neural tissue around SU-8 implants: A quantitative in vivo biocompatibility study.

The use of SU-8 material in the production of neural sensors has grown recently. Despite its widespread application, a detailed systematic quantitative analysis concerning its biocompatibility in the central nervous system is lacking. In this immunohistochemical study, we quantified the neuronal preservation and the severity of astrogliosis around SU-8 devices implanted in the neocortex of rats, after a 2 months survival.

Correction: Method for spike detection from microelectrode array recordings contaminated by artifacts of simultaneous two-photon imaging.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Method for spike detection from microelectrode array recordings contaminated by artifacts of simultaneous two-photon imaging.

The simultaneous utilization of electrophysiological recordings and two-photon imaging allows the observation of neural activity in a high temporal and spatial resolution at the same time. The three dimensional monitoring of morphological features near the microelectrode array makes the observation more precise and complex. In vitro experiments were performed on mice neocortical slices expressing the GCaMP6 genetically encoded calcium indicator for monitoring the neural activity with two-photon microscopy around the implanted microelectrodes.

A Multimodal, SU-8 - Platinum - Polyimide Microelectrode Array for Chronic In Vivo Neurophysiology.

Utilization of polymers as insulator and bulk materials of microelectrode arrays (MEAs) makes the realization of flexible, biocompatible sensors possible, which are suitable for various neurophysiological experiments such as in vivo detection of local field potential changes on the surface of the neocortex or unit activities within the brain tissue. In this paper the microfabrication of a novel, all-flexible, polymer-based MEA is presented. The device consists of a three dimensional sensor configuration with an implantable depth electrode array and brain surface electrodes, allowing the recording of electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals with laminar ones, simultaneously.