Is Esophageal Temperature Management Needed During Cryoballoon Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation?Bachir Lakkis MD, Marwan M. Refaat, MDDivision of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, LebanonRunning Title: Is Esophageal Temperature Management Needed During CBA for AF?Words: (excluding the title page and references): 462Keywords: Catheter Ablation, Atrial Fibrillation, Heart Diseases, Cardiovascular Diseases, Cardiac ArrhythmiasFunding: NoneDisclosures: NoneCorresponding Author:Marwan M. Refaat, MD, FACC, FAHA, FHRS, FASE, FESC, FACP, FAAMATenured Professor of MedicineDirector, Cardiovascular Fellowship ProgramDepartment of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine/Cardiac ElectrophysiologyDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular GeneticsAmerican University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine and Medical CenterPO Box 11-0236, Riad El-Solh 1107 2020- Beirut, LebanonUS Address: 3 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10017, USAOffice: +961-1-350000/+961-1-374374 Extension 5353 or Extension 5366 (Direct)Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most frequently occurring arrhythmias globally. Risk factors such as aging, hypertension, cardiac and pulmonary diseases, alcohol consumption, smoking, obesity and obstructive sleep apnea play an important role in the development of AF.(1-2) AF is a leading cause of ischemic stroke worldwide and is associated with increased mortality. (3) AF management depends on four pillars: risk factor management, anticoagulation depending on the CHA₂DS₂-VASc score, rate control and rhythm control. (4) The application of thermal energy in ablation, such as in cryoablation, can cause rare complications such as an esophageal injury, esophageal perforation and atrial-esophageal fistula. (5,6). Numerous technologies have been developed to avoid this problem and include esophageal temperature surveillance, using reduced temperatures, real time visualization of the esophagus in addition to making use of an esophageal cooling device. (7-9)In the current issue of the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, Sink et al. have conducted a single-center pilot study to assess the utilization of an esophageal warming device to avoid the development of esophageal thermal injury (ETI) while utilizing cryoballoon ablation (CBA). Alternative studies have shown that using a cooling device has been beneficial in reducing the risk of ETI formation for patients undergoing RFA. (10,11) Thus, the authors have enrolled 42 patients undergoing CBA with AF refractory to medical therapy and have randomized them into 2 groups. In the first group, 23 patients undergoing CBA used an esophageal warming device such as esophageal heat-exchange tube (WRM) while the other 19 patients undergoing CBA used traditional luminal esophageal temperature (LET) to monitor the esophageal temperatures. The authors have conducted upper endoscopy monitoring of the esophagus the next day and subsequently, classified ETI into 4 grades. They have observed in the WRM group a paradoxical increase in ETI in comparison to the other group which used LET. Moreover, the authors have perceived a direct link between ETI formation, total freeze time and colder temperature usage. However, this study has several limitations, including the small population size. Furthermore, the study results are based on a single device employment which is EnsoETM® device (Attune Medical, Chicago, IL). Therefore, the effects of using other warming devices are not known.Overall, the authors should be praised on their efforts for conducting the first pilot study to evaluate the effects of using an esophageal warming device for patients undergoing CBA and for providing cardinal insight into the safety of utilizing such a device. In addition, the results of this study have tremendous clinical implications. Certainly, patients undergoing CBA might benefit from using higher temperature (above -51 °) and lower freezing time (<300 seconds) to avert developing ETI. Further studies incorporating more patients should be conducted to elucidate whether using an esophageal warming device is associated with a beneficial or a detrimental effect.References1. Kornej J, Börschel CS, Benjamin EJ, Schnabel RB. Epidemiology of Atrial Fibrillation in the 21st Century. Circulation Research. 2020;127(1):4-20. doi: doi:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.120.316340.2. Maan A, Mansour M, Anter E, Patel VV, Cheng A, Refaat MM, Ruskin JN, Heist EK. Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Atrial Fibrillation: Pathophysiology and Implications for Treatment. Crit Pathw Cardiol Jun 2015; 14 (2): 81-5.3. Migdady I, Russman A, Buletko AB. Atrial Fibrillation and Ischemic Stroke: A Clinical Review. Semin Neurol. 2021;41(04):348-64.4. Chung MK, Refaat M, Shen WK, Kutyifa V, Cha YM, Di Biase L, Baranchuk A, Lampert R, Natale A, Fisher J, Lakkireddy DR. Atrial Fibrillation: JACC Council Perspectives. J Am Coll Cardiol. Apr 2020; 75 (14): 1689-1713.5. Kapur S, Barbhaiya C, Deneke T, Michaud GF. Esophageal Injury and Atrioesophageal Fistula Caused by Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation. Circulation. 2017;136(13):1247-55. doi: doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.025827.6. D’Avila A, Ptaszek LM, Yu PB, Walker JD, Wright C, Noseworthy PA, Myers A, Refaat M, Ruskin JN: Left Atrial-Esophageal Fistula After Pulmonary Vein Isolation. Circulation May 2007; 115(17): e432-3.7. Dagres N, Anastasiou-Nana M. Prevention of atrial-esophageal fistula after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation. Curr Opin Cardiol. 2011 Jan;26(1):1-5. doi: 10.1097/HCO.0b013e328341387d. PMID: 21099683.8. Leung LW, Gallagher MM, Santangeli P, Tschabrunn C, Guerra JM, Campos B, Hayat J, Atem F, Mickelsen S, Kulstad E. Esophageal cooling for protection during left atrial ablation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Interv Card Electrophysiol. 2020 Nov;59(2):347-355. doi: 10.1007/s10840-019-00661-5. Epub 2019 Nov 22. PMID: 31758504; PMCID: PMC7591442.9. Arruda, M.S., Armaganijian, L., Base, L.D., Rashidi, R. and Natale, A. (2009), Feasibility and Safety of Using an Esophageal Protective System to Eliminate Esophageal Thermal Injury: Implications on Atrial-Esophageal Fistula Following AF Ablation. Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 20: 1272-1278. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-8167.2009.01536.x10. Leung LW, Gallagher MM, Santangeli P, Tschabrunn C, Guerra JM, Campos B, Hayat J, Atem F, Mickelsen S, Kulstad E. Esophageal cooling for protection during left atrial ablation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Interv Card Electrophysiol. 2020 Nov;59(2):347-355. doi: 10.1007/s10840-019-00661-5. Epub 2019 Nov 22. PMID: 31758504; PMCID: PMC7591442.11. Tschabrunn CM, Attalla S, Salas J, Frankel DS, Hyman MC, Simon E, Sharkoski T, Callans DJ, Supple GE, Nazarian S, Lin D, Schaller RD, Dixit S, Marchlinski FE, Santangeli P. Active esophageal cooling for the prevention of thermal injury during atrial fibrillation ablation: a randomized controlled pilot study. J Interv Card Electrophysiol. 2022 Jan;63(1):197-205. doi: 10.1007/s10840-021-00960-w. Epub 2021 Feb 23. PMID: 33620619.

An individual’s fitness cost associated with environmental change likely depends on the rate of adaptive phenotypic plasticity, and yet our understanding of plasticity rates in an ecological and evolutionary context remains limited. We provide the first quantitative synthesis of existing plasticity rate data, focusing on acclimation of temperature tolerance in ectothermic animals, where we demonstrate applicability of a recently proposed analytical approach. The analyses reveal considerable variation in plasticity rates of this trait among species, with half-times (how long it takes for the initial deviation from the acclimated phenotype to be reduced by 50% when individuals are shifted to a new environment) ranging from 3.7 to 770.2 h. Furthermore, rates differ among higher taxa, being higher for amphibians and reptiles than for crustaceans and fishes, and with insects being intermediate. We argue that a more comprehensive understanding of phenotypic plasticity will be attained through increased focus on the rate parameter.

Catheter ablation has become the standard of care for the management of antiarrhythmic drug-refractory atrial fibrillation (AF) in many patients. The cornerstone of AF ablation includes pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) and energy delivery can sometimes extend beyond the atrial myocardium and result in collateral damage to adjacent structures, include the esophagus.[1] While atrial esophageal fistula (AEF) is a generally a rare complication, there have been continued efforts aimed to reduce esophageal thermal injury during AF ablation. While emerging energy sources such as irreversible electroporation show exciting promise for selective, non-thermal targeting of myocardial tissue, safety and efficacy clinical trial evaluation is on-going.[2] Therefore, strategies that can prevent esophageal thermal injury without adversely impacting lesion formation using conventional ablation technologies are still needed.

Carbon dots (CDs) possess outstanding luminescence properties, leading to their use in a wide range of applications including optical displays, anti-counterfeiting systems, bioimaging and sensors. Presently, there is much debate about the classification of CDs, as well as their formation process, structure and fluorescence mechanisms. Aggregation plays an important role in both the formation of CDs and their fluorescence (e.g. aggregation-induced emission), yet is seldom studied in detail. This review aims fill this knowledge gap, by firstly exploring how aggregation leads to the formation of different types of CDs (e.g. graphene quantum dots, carbon quantum dots, and carbonized polymer dots), followed by a detailed examination of the effect of aggregation-induced morphology on the luminescence properties and application of CDs. Finally, opportunities and challenges for the application of CDs in various applications are discussed, with the need for better mechanistic understanding of aggregation-induced luminescence being an imperative.

Introduction Post ablation of the accessory pathway (AP), the patient is observed in the catheterization laboratory for a variable period for resumption of pathway conduction. Aim of the study was to determine whether the administration of intravenous adenosine at 10 minutes after ablation of accessory pathway (AP) would have the same diagnostic accuracy as waiting for 30 minutes in predicting the resumption of AP conduction. Methods: This was a prospective interventional study conducted in two centers. Post ablation of the AP, intravenous adenosine was administered at 10 minutes to look for dormant pathway conduction. The response was recorded as positive (presence of pathway conduction), negative (absence), or indeterminate (not able to demonstrate AV and VA block and inability to ascertain AP conduction). Results: The study included 110 procedures performed in 109 patients. Adenosine administration at 10 minutes showed positive result in 3 cases (2.7%), negative result in 99 cases (90%) and indeterminate result in 8 cases (7.3%). Reconnection of accessory pathway at 30 minutes post ablation was seen in 8 cases (7.3%). Of these 8 cases, 10minutes adenosine administration showed positive test in 3 patients and negative test in 5 patients. Adenosine test at 10 minutes has a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 37.5%, 100%, 100% and 94.9% in identifying the recurrence of accessory pathway conduction at 30 minutes, respectively. Conclusion: Absence of pathway conduction on administration of adenosine 10 minutes post ablation does not help predict the absence of resumption of conduction thereafter.

There is a pseudo-embryology existing today, well nourished by popular science, religious ideologies, and the public media. Just as eugenics was a pseudoscience that influenced (and still influences) American popular culture and which was responsible for racist anti-immigration laws (such as the Immigration Restriction Act of 1924), pseudo-embryology is also influencing popular culture and legislation. This new pseudoscience promotes the belief that science supports current zygotic and fetal personhood movements and anti-abortion legislation. However, what often passes for science are actually ideological myths, often grounded in and supporting male superiority. Indeed, the first myth of pseudo-embryology is that fertilization is a masculine act that can be viewed as a classical hero narrative. The second myth is that fertilization is ensoulment, allowing it to displace the feminine act of birth as to when life begins. Here, DNA is seen to play the secular analogue of soul. The third myth is that the fetus in the womb is an independent autonomous entity and that birth merely moves the fetus from the womb to the outside world. This expresses the “seed-in-the-soil” myth that was also prevalent in ancient cultures. In this manner, masculine stories of fertilization are valorized while feminine narratives of birth are suppressed. So when public narratives discuss what “science” says about when human life begins, we are not really discussing science. Rather, we are allowing our discussions to fall back into tenacious ancient misogynist myths that have nothing to do with the conclusions of modern developmental biology.

we report two cases of parapharyngeal space tumors that were removed with a mandibular lateral segment-osteotomy technique without median lower lip incision to avoid esthetic problems.

Left atrial field isolation with pulsed field ablation:

A general misconception that unicuspid aortic valves (UAV) are just a subtype of bicuspid aortic valves (BAV) has now been perpetuated in the medical and surgical community for nearly two decades[1](#ref-0001), and there is no end in sight.

Background: Infections are common complications after stroke and associated with unfavorable outcomes. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of prophylactic antibiotics for post-acute stroke infection. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, SinoMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and WanFangData from inception to February 15th, 2022. We calculated the pooled risk ratio (RR) and mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence interval (CI), evaluated the risk of bias and conducted sensitivity analysis with RevMan version 5.4.1 and Stata version 14.0 software. The overall quality of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach. Results: Twelve studies (4809 participants) were included in this meta-analysis. There was no significant difference in the mortality rate [RR 1.03 (95% Cl: 0.91-1.16)], pneumonia [RR 0.94 (95% CI: 0.79-1.11)], and the incidence of adverse events between the prophylactic antibiotics and control groups. Prophylactic antibiotics significantly reduced the incidence of infections [RR 0.72 (95% Cl: 0.58-0.89)], and urinary tract infections [RR 0.39 (95% Cl: 0.3-0.49)] in patients with acute stroke. We performed a subgroup analysis and found a decreasing trend in pneumonia in patients with early prophylactic use of antibiotics within 24 hours after admission [RR 0.81 (95%CI: 0.62-1.07)] as compared with those using prophylactic use of antibiotics within 48 hours after admission [RR 0.94 (95%CI: 0.79-1.11)]. Conclusions: Prophylactic antibiotics did not significantly reduce the mortality rate and pneumonia in patients with acute stroke but reduced the incidence of infections and urinary tract infections.

β-Glucosidase is validated as an elicitor for early immune responses in plants and it was detected in the salivary glands of Frankliniella occidentalis in previous research. Seven differentially expressed genes encoding β-Glucosidase were obtained by comparing the transcriptomes of F. occidentalis adults grown under two different CO 2 concentrations (800 ppm vs. 400 ppm), which might be associated with the differences in the interaction between F. occidentalis adults and its host plant, Phaseolus vulgaris under different CO 2 levels. To verify this speculation, changes in defense responses based on the production and elimination of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in P. vulgaris leaves treated with three levels of β-Glucosidase activity under ambient CO 2 (aCO 2) and elevated CO 2 (eCO 2) were measured in this study. The results showed that both leaves infested with thrips and those sprayed with the pure β-Glucosidase solution showed significant increases in ROS levels under aCO 2 and eCO 2, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) were increased correspondingly, while in leaves infested with FoβGlu-1-silenced thrips, the ROS levels and activities of these enzymes did not change significantly during the first 12 hours of injury regardless of CO 2 level. Besides, significantly higher levels of ROS and lower activities of SOD, POD and CAT in injured leaves under eCO 2 compared to aCO 2 were noticed, which would negatively affect P. vulgaris leaves and facilitate thrips damage.

Gram-negative bacteria of the genus Pantoea are emerging bacterial causes of diverse sporadic and outbreak-linked infections. Chronic Pantoea abscesses are unusual and may give rise to a differential diagnosis of malignancy. Foreign body retention and host immune defects may be risk factors for such chronic infections.

A 72-year-old female with frequent palpitation was referred for radiofrequency ablation. The baseline 12-lead electrocardiogram and echocardiography results were normal. At baseline, the atrio-His (AH) and His-ventricular (HV) intervals were 90 and 41 ms, respectively. Dual atrioventricular (AV) nodal physiology or ventriculoatrial (VA) conduction was not observed during programmed atrial and ventricular stimulation. After isoproterenol infusion, VA conduction became decremental and concentric, with the earliest atrial activation seen at the His bundle (HB) region during ventricular pacing. A supraventricular tachycardia with a long RP interval (SVT) was induced by atrial extra-stimulation, without any jump-up in the AH interval. During the SVT, the AH and HV intervals were 180 and 180 ms, respectively, and the earliest atrial activation was recorded in the HB region (Figure 1A). During the SVT, transient 2:1AV conduction was observed (Figure 1B). Ventricular overdrive pacing at a pacing cycle length (CL) of 360 ms was performed during the SVT with a CL of 390ms (Figures 2A and B). Based on these observations, what is the mechanism of this tachycardia?

Terrestrial resource pulses can significantly affect the community dynamics of freshwater ecosystems. Previously, its effect on the river community is considered to be stronger in summer, while weaker in winter when terrestrial invertebrates are less abundant. The movement of the terrestrial earthworms are triggered in winter, so they may be supplied to winter rivers as terrestrial resource pulse, but little is known about it. Here, we report that the massive numbers of the terrestrial earthworms were supplied intensively to an upstream of the small river in early winter. In particular, we found large numbers of Megascolecidae earthworms were supplied in an upstream of the small river in Northern Japan. Furthermore, we observed that supplied earthworms were consumed by salmonid fish species (masu salmon, white spotted char and rainbow trout) and aquatic invertebrates (gammarid amphipod, planarian flatworm and stonefly larvae). These findings suggests that the terrestrial earthworms may play a key role in ecosystem functioning in winter when severe and other resources are scarce.

A 63-year-old male, with a history of coronary artery bypass grafting using bilateral internal thoracic artery grafts, underwent surgical aortic valve replacement. Avoiding the graft injury, we selected the right anterior mini-thoracotomy approach under cardiac arrest with systemic hyperkalemia with remaining bilateral internal thoracic artery grafts open. Deep hypothermia was induced to obtain more reliable myocardial protection. We believe this strategy can be considered as a therapeutic option in patients requiring aortic valve replacement but unsuitable for transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Thoracic SMARCA4-deficient undifferentiated tumors are rare, with poor prognosis. A 73-year-old man presented to our hospital with dyspnea. Computed tomography-guided biopsy revealed a SMARCA4-deficient undifferentiated tumor. The patient was treated with combination ipilimumab-nivolumab. The tumor reduced in size after two courses.

A 57-year-old man suffered chest pain during the COVID-19 pandemic, but he delayed medical treatment due to fear of infection. Four months later, symptoms chest tightness and shortness of breath appeared. Electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed old myocardial infarction; color sonography and myocardial CT revealed apical myocardial defect. He refused surgery and percutaneous transcatheter closure, and follow-up observation. After 22 months, the symptoms of chest tightness and shortness of breath aggravated. He recovered after percutaneous transcatheter closure, and was discharged. This case shows delayed closure is one of the possible options for the patients without severe organ dysfunction or hemodynamic disturbance.

Delayed but Successful T Cell Immune Reconstitution Following Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation Conditioned with Thymoglobulin alone in IL-7Rα-mutated SCID Eman T. Al-Antary, MD1,5, Mary Caverly, CPNP2, Steve Buck3, Sharat Chandra, MD4, Süreyya Savaşan, MD1-3, 5