Assessment of pericardial adhesions by means of the EpiCO technique: Brighton Adhesion Classification.

Background: Epicardial ablation complications are more frequent in patients with preexisting pericardial adhesions. As opposed to the dry puncture technique, the coronary vein exit and carbon dioxide (CO) insufflation (EpiCO) technique allows diagnosing pericardial adhesions before subxiphoid puncture.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the EpiCO technique in diagnosing pericardial adhesions prior to subxiphoid puncture.

Assessing the Taxonomic Status of the Gray Brocket Lönnberg, 1919 (Artiodactyla: Cervidae).

argentina is the name that was given to describe a gray brocket collected by Lönberg in 1919 in the central Chaco region of Argentina. Subsequent authors, based on morphological similarities, considered this name to be a synonym for the species Fischer, 1814 from Paraguay. In the absence of genetic analyses to compare the Argentinian and Paraguayan gray brockets, we aimed to clarify the taxonomy of through an integrative assessment using morphological, cytogenetical, and molecular data from its holotype and a current topotype.

Impact of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) pathology on neonatal respiratory outcomes in cesarean hysterectomies.

Objective: Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is a continuum of disorders characterized by the pathologically adherent placenta to the uterine myometrium. Delivery by cesarean hysterectomy at 34-36 weeks is recommended to mitigate the risks of maternal morbidity. Iatrogenic preterm delivery, has potential neonatal implications; late preterm infants are at risk for significant respiratory morbidity.

COVID-19 among workers of a comprehensive cancer centre between first and second epidemic waves (2020): a seroprevalence study in Catalonia, Spain.

Objectives: Patients with cancer are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 infection. COVID-19 surveillance of workers in oncological centres is crucial to assess infection burden and prevent transmission. We estimate the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among healthcare workers (HCWs) of a comprehensive cancer centre in Catalonia, Spain, and analyse its association with sociodemographic characteristics, exposure factors and behaviours.

Putting Our Shoulder to the Wheel: Current Understanding and Gaps in Nerve Ablation for Chronic Shoulder Pain.

Shoulder pain is prevalent, burdensome, and functionally limiting, with diverse pathology and associated treatments. This narrative review provides a summary of relevant neuroanatomy, proposed ablation targets, safety and efficacy concerns for ablation targets, and current research gaps. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of peripheral sensory nerves is a well-established treatment for chronic joint and spine pain, but it is relatively nascent for shoulder pain.

French multicentre observational study on SARS-CoV-2 infections intensive care initial management: the FRENCH CORONA study.

Aim: Describing acute respiratory distress syndrome patterns, therapeutics management, and outcomes of ICU COVID-19 patients and indentifying risk factors of 28-day mortality.

Methods: Prospective multicentre, cohort study conducted in 29 French ICUs. Baseline characteristics, comorbidities, adjunctive therapies, ventilatory support at ICU admission and survival data were collected.

Epicardial fat pad within the transverse sinus mimicking a left atrial appendage thrombus.

The presence of left atrial thrombus is a contraindication to cardioversion or catheter ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation, due to the increased risk of systemic thromboembolism. Management of this situation includes changes in the anticoagulation regimen and repeat imaging tests. Accurate diagnosis of left atrial appendage thrombus is therefore essential but can sometimes be challenging.

A New Era in Epicardial Access for the Ablation of Ventricular Arrhythmias: The Epi-Co Registry.

Objectives: This multicenter registry aimed to assess the reproducibility and safety of intentional coronary vein exit and carbon dioxide insufflation to facilitate subxiphoid epicardial access in the setting of ventricular tachycardia ablation.

Background: Epicardial ablation for ventricular tachycardia is not a widespread technique due to the significant potential complications associated with subxiphoid puncture. The first experience in 12 patients showed that intentional coronary vein exit and carbon dioxide insufflation was technically feasible.

Haplaxius crudus (Hemiptera: Cixiidae) Transmits the Lethal Yellowing Phytoplasmas, 16SrIV, to Pritchardia pacifica Seem. & H.Wendl (Arecaceae) in Yucatan, Mexico.

Lethal yellowing (LY) affects several palm species in the Americas. It is caused by 16SrIV group phytoplasmas. In Florida (USA), LY was shown to be transmitted by the planthopper Haplaxius crudus ( Van Duzee ) (Hemiptera, Cixiidae) to different palm species, including Pritchardia pacifica Seem .

Trends in steroid agent and diluent choices for epidural steroid injections: a survey of Spine Intervention Society physicians.

Background: Epidural steroid injections (ESIs) are a frequently used treatment for refractory radicular spinal pain. ESIs, particularly transforaminal epidural steroid injections (TFESI), may provide pain relief and delay the need for surgery. Corticosteroid agent and diluent choices are known to impact the safety of ESIs.

Current Trends in Steroid Dose Choice and Frequency of Administration of Epidural Steroid Injections: A Survey Study.

Background: Epidural steroid injections (ESI) are commonly used to treat refractory radicular spinal pain. Although evidence suggests that an increasing cumulative dose of exogenous corticosteroid may be harmful, knowledge of current practice patterns is limited regarding the choice of dose and frequency of epidural steroid injections (ESIs).

Objective: Describe current practice trends in the dose selection and frequency of administration of transforaminal ESIs (TFESIs) and interlaminar ESIs (ILESIs).

Left atrial effective conducting size predicts atrial fibrillation vulnerability in persistent but not paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Background: The multiple wavelets and functional re-entry hypotheses are mechanistic theories to explain atrial fibrillation (AF). If valid, a chamber's ability to support AF should depend upon the left atrial size, conduction velocity (CV), and refractoriness. Measurement of these parameters could provide a new therapeutic target for AF.

Microvillus inclusion disease, a diagnosis to consider when abnormal stools and neurological impairments run together due to a rare syntaxin 3 gene mutation.

Background: Microvillus Inclusion Disease (MVID) was first described in the literature in 1978 with presentation of severe watery diarrhea, failure to thrive, and metabolic acidosis. Mutations in the myosin Vb (MYO5B) gene have been identified as causative for MVID, but other clinical manifestations and associations with novel mutations are lacking.

Methods: We report a full-term infant admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with abdominal distension and inability to sustain full enteral feeds.

Flat plate solar collector performance using alumina nanofluids: Experimental characterization and efficiency tests.

Solar energy has become an important renewable energy source for reducing the use of fossil fuels and to mitigate global warming, for which solar collectors constitute a technology that is to be promoted. The use of nanofluids can increase the efficiency of solar into thermal energy conversion in solar collectors. Experimental values for the specific heat, thermal conductivity and viscosity of alumina/water nanofluids are needed to evaluate the influence of the solid content (from 0.

On the relationship between the specific heat enhancement of salt-based nanofluids and the ionic exchange capacity of nanoparticles.

Nanoparticles have been used in thermal applications to increase the specific heat of the molten salts used in Concentrated Solar Power plants for thermal energy storage. Although several mechanisms for abnormal enhancement have been proposed, they are still being investigated and more research is necessary. However, this nanoparticle-salt interaction can also be found in chemical applications in which nanoparticles have proved suitable to be used as an adsorbent for nitrate removal given their high specific surface, reactivity and ionic exchange capacity.

Presence of 16SrIV phytoplasmas of subgroups A, D and E in planthopper Van Duzee insects in Yucatán, Mexico.

The present study was carried out to determine if group 16SrIV phytoplasmas, causing lethal yellowing (LY) disease, are present in Van Duzee (Hemiptera: Cixiidae) insects associated with palms in Yucatán, Mexico. feral insects were captured from palm foliage at two locations (Chicxulub Puerto and CICY, Mérida, where LY-type diseases are active) and evaluated individually for the presence of phytoplasma DNA by a group 16SrIV-specific nested PCR assay. The results showed positive detection in insects in a proportion of 2.

Nanofluid based on self-nanoencapsulated metal/metal alloys phase change materials with tuneable crystallisation temperature.

Nanofluids using nanoencapsulated Phase Change Materials (nePCM) allow increments in both the thermal conductivity and heat capacity of the base fluid. Incremented heat capacity is produced by the melting enthalpy of the nanoparticles core. In this work two important advances in this nanofluid type are proposed and experimentally tested.

Super-response to cardiac resynchronization therapy may predict late phrenic nerve stimulation.

Aims: Changes in the anatomical relationship between left phrenic nerve and coronary veins may occur due to the reverse remodelling observed in super-responders to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and might be the underlying mechanism in patients developing late-onset phrenic nerve stimulation (PNS) without evidence of lead dislodgement (LD). In this study, we sought to evaluate the role of super-response (SR) to CRT as a potential predictor of late-onset PNS.

Methods And Results: Consecutive patients implanted with a left ventricular (LV) lead in a single centre were retrospectively analysed.

Effect of Individualized vs Standard Blood Pressure Management Strategies on Postoperative Organ Dysfunction Among High-Risk Patients Undergoing Major Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Perioperative hypotension is associated with an increase in postoperative morbidity and mortality, but the appropriate management strategy remains uncertain.

Objective: To evaluate whether an individualized blood pressure management strategy tailored to individual patient physiology could reduce postoperative organ dysfunction.

Design, Setting, And Participants: The Intraoperative Norepinephrine to Control Arterial Pressure (INPRESS) study was a multicenter, randomized, parallel-group clinical trial conducted in 9 French university and nonuniversity hospitals.

Long-term prognosis of drug-induced Brugada syndrome.

Background: Patients with drug-induced Brugada syndrome (BS) are considered at a lower risk than those with a spontaneous type I pattern. Nevertheless, they can present arrhythmic events.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate their clinical characteristics, long-term prognosis and risk factors.