Biphasic defibrillation waveforms are now accepted as being more effective at terminating ventricular fibrillation (VF) than monophasic waveforms. If two phases are better than one, this naturally leads to the hypothesis that additional phases improve efficacy. This study tests the hypothesis by adding one additional phase. We examined the efficacy of 18 different triphasic waveforms simultaneo...

The cellular events during the initiation and maintenance of ventricular fibrillation (VF) are poorly understood. We developed a nonischemic, isolated, perfused rabbit Langendorff preparation in which sustained VF could be induced by alternating current (AC) and which allowed changes in perfusate composition. We also used Na(+)-K+ pump inhibition (10 microM ouabain or K(+)-free perfusate) to in...

BACKGROUND Catheter ablation is an effective therapy for ventricular fibrillation (VF) arising from the Purkinje system in ischemic heart disease. However, some patients experience newly emergent monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) after the ablation of VF. We evaluated the prevalence and mechanism of monomorphic VT after VF ablation. METHODS AND RESULTS Twenty-one consecutive patients w...

Recently, we demonstrated that humans can learn to make accurate movements in an unstable environment by controlling magnitude, shape, and orientation of the endpoint impedance. Although previous studies of human motor learning suggest that the brain acquires an inverse dynamics model of the novel environment, it is not known whether this control mechanism is operative in unstable environments....

Congestive heart failure (CHF) predisposes to ventricular fibrillation (VF) in association with electrical remodeling of the ventricle. However, much remains unknown about the rate-dependent electrophysiological properties in a failing heart. Action potential properties in the left ventricular subepicardial muscles during dynamic pacing were examined with optical mapping in pacing-induced CHF (...

BACKGROUND Primary ventricular fibrillation (VF) accounts for the majority of deaths during the acute phase of myocardial infarction. Identification of patients at risk for primary VF remains very poor. METHODS AND RESULTS We performed a case-control study in patients with a first ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) to identify independent risk factors for primary VF. A total of 330 pr...

OBJECTIVE Reduced verbal fluency (VF) has been reported in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), especially those treated by Deep Brain Stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN DBS). To delineate the nature of this dysfunction we aimed at identifying the particular VF-related operations modified by STN DBS. METHOD Eleven PD patients performed VF tasks in their STN DBS ON and OFF conditio...

AIM To estimate current clinical practice for frequency of visual field (VF) monitoring in glaucoma in England. METHODS A cross-sectional review of all patients with chronic open angle glaucoma (COAG) attending specialist glaucoma clinics at six hospitals in England was performed. The number of VF tests undertaken prior to the study date and during the first 2 years since diagnosis were recor...

The mechanisms responsible for the maintenance and termination of ventricular fibrillation (VF) are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to compare the spectral characteristics of the electrical signal during sustained and non-sustained VF in patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. The study included 51 patients who had had at least one episode of sustained VF (i.e., du...

Vitreoscilla filiformis (VF) biomass (VFB) has been widely used in cosmetic preparations and shown to modulate the major inducible free-radical scavenger mitochondrial superoxide dismutase in skin cells. By adding La Roche-Posay (LRP) thermal spring water to the VF culture medium, we obtained a biomass (LRP-VFB) with a similar mitochondrial superoxide dismutase activation capacity to VF. Also, ...