Several decades of research by Air Products and Ceramatec have recently culminated in the construction and operation of a test unit with the capacity to produce up to 100 tons per day of oxygen using planar, ceramic mixed conducting, ion transport membranes (ITM). In the first tonnage operation of this unit, over 16 tons/day of oxygen were produced. Smaller scale experiments demonstrated high purity oxygen production for over 15000 hours. A parallel development effort has produced planar ceramic mixed conducting membranes to partially oxidize methane to produce syngas.

Background The association of local electrogram features with scar morphology and distribution in nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) has not been investigated. We aimed to quantify the association of scar on late-gadolinium enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance (LGE-CMR) with local electrograms and ventricular tachycardia (VT) circuit sites in patients with NICM. Methods and Results Fifteen patients with NICM underwent LGE-CMR before VT ablation. The transmural extent and intramural types (endocardial, mid-wall, epicardial, patchy, transmural) of scar were measured in LGE-CMR short axis planes. Electro-anatomic map (EAM) points were registered to LGE-CMR images. Myocardial wall thickness, scar transmurality, and intramural scar types were independently associated with electrogram amplitude, duration, and deflections in linear mixed effects multivariable models, clustered by patient. Fractionated and isolated potentials were more likely to be observed in regions with higher scar transmurality (P<0.0001 by ANOVA) and in regions with patchy scar (versus endocardial, mid wall, epicardial scar, P<0.05 by ANOVA). Most VT circuit sites were located in scar with >25% scar transmurality. Conclusions Electrogram features are associated with scar morphology and distribution in patients with NICM. Prior knowledge of electrogram image associations may optimize procedural strategies including the decision to obtain epicardial access.

Background Myocardial fat deposition (FAT-DEP) has been frequently observed in regions of chronic myocardial infarction in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). The role of FAT-DEP within scar-related ventricular tachycardia (VT) circuits has not been investigated. Objective This pilot study aimed to assess the impact of myocardial FAT-DEP on local electrograms and VT circuits in patients with ICM. Methods Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE-CT) was performed in 22 patients with ischemic VT. Electroanatomic map (EAM) points were registered to corresponding CE-CT images. Myocardial FAT-DEP were identified and characterized using a post-processing image overlay that highlighted areas below 0 Hounsfield units (HU). The mean attenuation of local myocardial regions corresponding to sampled electrograms was measured on short axis images. The associations of mean attenuation with bipolar and unipolar amplitudes, left ventricular (LV) wall thickness and VT circuit sites were investigated. Results Of 1801 EAM points, 519 (28.8%) were located in regions with FAT-DEP. Significant differences were observed in mean intensity (23.2±35.6 vs. 81.7±21.9 HU, P<0.001), bipolar (0.75±0.83 vs 2.9±2.4 mV, P<0.001) and unipolar (3.1±1.7 vs. 7.4±4.3 mV, P<0.001) amplitudes and LV wall thickness (5.2±1.7 vs. 8.2±2.5 mm, P<0.001) between regions with and without FAT-DEP. Lower HU was strongly associated with lower bipolar and unipolar amplitude (P<0.0001, respectively). Importantly, FAT-DEP was associated with critical VT circuit sites with fractionated or isolated potentials. Conclusions FAT-DEP was associated with electrogram features and VT circuit sites. Further work will be needed to determine whether FAT-DEP plays a causal role in the generation of ischemic scar-related VT circuits.