Differences in RAD51 transcriptional response and cell cycle dynamics reveal varying sensitivity to DNA damage among Arabidopsis thaliana root cell types.

Throughout their lifecycle, plants are subjected to DNA damage from various sources, both environmental and endogenous. Investigating the mechanisms of the DNA damage response (DDR) is essential to unravel how plants adapt to the changing environment, which can induce varying amounts of DNA damage. Using a combination of whole-mount single-molecule RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (WM-smFISH) and plant cell cycle reporter lines, we investigated the transcriptional activation of a key homologous recombination (HR) gene, RAD51, in response to increasing amounts of DNA damage in Arabidopsis thaliana roots. The results uncover consistent variations in RAD51 transcriptional response and cell cycle arrest among distinct cell types and developmental zones. Furthermore, we demonstrate that DNA damage induced by genotoxic stress results in RAD51 transcription throughout the whole cell cycle, dissociating its traditional link with S/G2 phases. This work advances the current comprehension of DNA damage response in plants by demonstrating quantitative differences in DDR activation. In addition, it reveals new associations with the cell cycle and cell types, providing crucial insights for further studies of the broader response mechanisms in plants.

Transcutaneous bilirubinometry for detecting jaundice in term or late preterm neonates.

BACKGROUND: The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Paediatric Society both advise that all newborns should undergo bilirubin screening before leaving the hospital, and this has become the standard practice in both countries. However, the US Preventive Task Force has found no strong evidence to suggest that this practice of universal screening for bilirubin reduces the occurrence of significant outcomes such as bilirubin-induced neurologic dysfunction or kernicterus. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of transcutaneous screening compared to visual inspection for hyperbilirubinemia to prevent the readmission of newborns (infants greater than 35 weeks' gestation) for phototherapy. SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.gov, ICTRP, and ISRCTN in June 2023. We also searched conference proceedings, and the reference lists of included studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-randomized, cluster-randomized, or prospective cohort studies with control arm that evaluated the use of transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) screening for hyperbilirubinemia in newborns before hospital discharge. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard methodologic procedures expected by Cochrane. We evaluated treatment effects using a fixed-effect model with risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for categorical data and mean, standard deviation (SD), and mean difference (MD) for continuous data. We used the GRADE approach to evaluate the certainty of evidence. MAIN RESULTS: We identified one RCT (1858 participants) that met our inclusion criteria. The study included 1858 African newborns at 35 weeks' gestation or greater who were receiving routine care at a well-baby nursery, and were randomly recruited prior to discharge to undergo TcB screening. The study had good methodologic quality. TcB screening versus visual assessment of hyperbilirubinemia in newborns: - may reduce readmission to the hospital for hyperbilirubinemia (RR 0.25, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.46; P < 0.0001; moderate-certainty evidence); - probably has little or no effect on the rate of exchange transfusion (RR 0.20, 95% CI 0.01 to 14.16; low-certainty evidence); - may increase the number of newborns who require phototherapy prior to discharge (RR 2.67, 95% CI 1.56 to 4.55; moderate-certainty evidence). - probably has little or no effect on the rate of acute bilirubin encephalopathy (RR 0.33, 95% CI 0.01 to 8.18; low-certainty evidence). The study did not evaluate or report cost of care. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Moderate-certainty evidence suggests that TcB screening may reduce readmission for hyperbilirubinemia compared to visual inspection. Low-certainty evidence also suggests that TcB screening probably has little or no effect on the rate of exchange transfusion compared to visual inspection. However, moderate-certainty evidence suggests that TcB screening may increase the number of newborns that require phototherapy before discharge compared to visual inspection. Low-certainty evidence suggests that TcB screening probably has little or no effect on the rate of acute bilirubin encephalopathy compared to visual inspection. Given that we have only identified one RCT, further studies are necessary to determine whether TcB screening can help to reduce readmission and complications related to neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. In settings with limited newborn follow-up after hospital discharge, identifying newborns at risk of severe hyperbilirubinemia before hospital discharge will be important to plan targeted follow-up of these infants.

DNA-binding site II is required for RAD51 recombinogenic activity in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Homologous recombination is a major pathway for the repair of DNA double strand breaks, essential both to maintain genomic integrity and to generate genetic diversity. Mechanistically, homologous recombination involves the use of a homologous DNA molecule as a template to repair the break. In eukaryotes, the search for and invasion of the homologous DNA molecule is carried out by two recombinases, RAD51 in somatic cells and RAD51 and DMC1 in meiotic cells. During recombination, the recombinases bind overhanging single-stranded DNA ends to form a nucleoprotein filament, which is the active species in promoting DNA invasion and strand exchange. RAD51 and DMC1 carry two major DNA-binding sites-essential for nucleofilament formation and DNA strand exchange, respectively. Here, we show that the function of RAD51 DNA-binding site II is conserved in the plant, Arabidopsis. Mutation of three key amino acids in site II does not affect RAD51 nucleofilament formation but inhibits its recombinogenic activity, analogous to results from studies of the yeast and human proteins. We further confirm that recombinogenic function of RAD51 DNA-binding site II is not required for meiotic double-strand break repair when DMC1 is present. The Arabidopsis AtRAD51-II3A separation of function mutant shows a dominant negative phenotype, pointing to distinct biochemical properties of eukaryotic RAD51 proteins.

Comparison of Self-Reported and Capacity-Based Measures of Mobility in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Nigeria: The Mediating Role of Age, Cognitive Status, and Chronic Conditions.

Background and Objectives: Although the association between self-reported and capacity-based mobility outcomes is prominently researched, the pathways through which self-reported measures affect capacity-based measures remains poorly understood. Therefore, our study examines the association between self-reported and capacity-based mobility measures and explores which mobility determinants mediate the association in Nigerian community-dwelling older adults. Research Design and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 169 older adults [mean age (SD) = 67.7 (7.0)]. Capacity-based mobility outcomes included the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), and the 10-Meter Walk Test (10mWT), whereas the self-reported mobility outcomes included the Lower Extremity Functional scale (LEFS), the Life Space Questionnaire (LSQ), and the Mänty Preclinical Mobility scale (inability to walk 2 km, 0.5 km, or climb a flight of stairs). Spearman's correlations were conducted to examine the relationship between self-reported and capacity-based mobility measures, whereas structural equation modeling was used to determine the mediators. Results: The correlation between SPPB and LEFS (rho = 0.284) and 0.5 km (rho = -0.251) were fair, whereas the correlation between SPPB and inability to walk 2 km (rho = -0.244) and inability to climb a flight of stairs (rho = -0.190) were poor. Similarly, correlations between 6MWT and the LEFS (rho = 0.286), inability to walk 2 km (rho = -0.269), and 0.5 km (rho = -0.303) were fair. The 6WMT was poorly correlated with inability to climb one flight of stairs (rho = -0.233). The LSQ was not correlated with SPPB or 10mWT. Age was the only significant mediator, whereas the number of chronic conditions and cognitive status were not. Discussion and Implications: The correlation between self-reported and capacity-based mobility outcomes in older adults in Nigeria is lower than those in developed countries. Our analysis provides a foundation to explore mobility determinants that could be predictive mediators for mobility outcomes, making meaningful contributions to explaining mobility complexities.

17α-Estradiol alleviates high-fat diet-induced inflammatory and metabolic dysfunction in skeletal muscle of male and female mice.

17α-estradiol (17α-E2) is a naturally occurring nonfeminizing diastereomer of 17ß-estradiol that has life span-extending effects in rodent models. To date, studies of the systemic and tissue-specific benefits of 17α-E2 have largely focused on the liver, brain, and white adipose tissue with far less focus on skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscle has an important role in metabolic and age-related disease. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether 17α-E2 treatment has positive, tissue-specific effects on skeletal muscle during a high-fat feeding. We hypothesized that male, but not female, mice, would benefit from 17α-E2 treatment during a high-fat diet (HFD) with changes in the mitochondrial proteome to support lipid oxidation and subsequent reductions in diacylglycerol (DAG) and ceramide content. To test this hypothesis, we used a multiomics approach to determine changes in lipotoxic lipid intermediates, metabolites, and proteins related to metabolic homeostasis. Unexpectedly, we found that 17α-E2 had marked, but different, beneficial effects within each sex. In male mice, we show that 17α-E2 alleviates HFD-induced metabolic detriments of skeletal muscle by reducing the accumulation of diacylglycerol (DAG), and inflammatory cytokine levels, and altered the abundance of most of the proteins related to lipolysis and ß-oxidation. Similar to male mice, 17α-E2 treatment reduced fat mass while protecting muscle mass in female mice but had little muscle inflammatory cytokine levels. Although female mice were resistant to HFD-induced changes in DAGs, 17α-E2 treatment induced the upregulation of six DAG species. In female mice, 17α-E2 treatment changed the relative abundance of proteins involved in lipolysis, ß-oxidation, as well as structural and contractile proteins but to a smaller extent than male mice. These data demonstrate the metabolic benefits of 17α-E2 in skeletal muscle of male and female mice and contribute to the growing literature of the use of 17α-E2 for multi tissue health span benefits.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Using a multiomics approach, we show that 17α-E2 alleviates HFD-induced metabolic detriments in skeletal muscle by altering bioactive lipid intermediates, inflammatory cytokines, and the abundance of proteins related to lipolysis and muscle contraction. The positive effects of 17α-E2 in skeletal muscle occur in both sexes but differ in their outcome.

Exploring salivary lipid profile changes in COVID-19 patients: Insights from mass spectrometry analysis.

The most common COVID-19 testing relies on the use of nasopharyngeal swabs. However, this sampling step is very uncomfortable and is one of the biggest challenges regarding population testing. In the present study, the use of saliva as an alternative sample for COVID-19 diagnosis was investigated. Therefore, high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis and chemometric approaches were applied to salivary lipid extracts. Two data organizations were used: classical MS data and pseudo-MS image datasets. The latter transformed MS data into pseudo-images, simplifying data interpretation. Classification models achieved high accuracy, with pseudo-MS image data performing exceptionally well. PLS-DA with OPSDA successfully separated COVID-19 and healthy groups, serving as a potential diagnostic tool. The most important lipids for COVID-19 classification were elucidated and include sphingolipids, ceramides, phospholipids, and glycerolipids. These lipids play a crucial role in viral replication and the inflammatory response. While pseudo-MS image data excelled in classification, it lacked the ability to annotate important variables, which was performed using classical MS data. These findings have the potential to improve clinical diagnosis using rapid, non-invasive testing methods and accurate high-volume results.

The relationship between kinaesthesia, motor performance, physical fitness and joint mobility in children living in Nigeria.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the relationship between kinaesthesia, motor performance, fitness, and joint mobility in children. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted involving children from two primary schools in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria. The Beighton criteria were used to measure joint mobility. Motor performance, fitness, and kinaesthesia were measured in all the children. Spearman's rank correlation was used to evaluate the relationship between the outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 91 children (51.6% girls) participated in the study. The mean age of the children was 8.20 ± 1.98 years. Using a Beighton score of ≥ 6, Generalized Joint Hypermobility (GJH) was identified in a total of 35 (38.46%) children and was more prevalent in females (60.0%). Joint mobility had significant correlations with most fitness and motor performance items, but not kinaesthesia. Agility & power, and motor performance seem to be reduced if mobility is larger. Kinaesthesia was correlated with most fitness and motor performance items, indicating that better fitness and better motor performance cooccur with better kinaesthesia or vice versa. CONCLUSION: Joint mobility may have a significant influence on fitness and motor performance in children. Hence, it may be useful for future studies to investigate how fitness and motor performance modulate the onset and progression of musculoskeletal symptoms in GJH.

Emerging Technologies for the Smallest Patients.

Pediatric and congenital heart disease patients may require cardiac implantable electronic device implantation, inclusive of pacemaker, ICD, and implantable cardiac monitor, for a variety of etiologies. While leads, generators, and monitors have decreased in size over the years, they remain less ideal for the smallest patients. The potential for a miniature pacemaker, fetal micropacemaker, improving leadless technology, and rechargeable devices creates hope that the development of pediatric-focused devices will increase. Further, alternative approaches that avoid the need for a transvenous or surgical approach may add more options to the toolbox for the pediatric and congenital electrophysiologist.

A case study of learning in plants: Lessons learned from pea plants.

To facilitate the study of learning in plants, we share our experiences of trying to replicate the pea plant experiment of Gagliano et al. In the course of our efforts, we identified 11 issues that must be addressed when attempting to replicate these experiments. The issues range from germination and transplantation of seedlings to experimental design and apparatus issues. We propose a number of solutions to overcome these hurdles.

Analysis of risk stratification and prevention of sudden death in pediatric patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: Dilemmas and clarity.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) has been considered the most common cause of sudden death (SD) in the young. However, introduction of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) in HCM has proved highly effective and the mainstay of preventing SD in children, adolescents, and adults by terminating malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Nevertheless, ICD decision making is generally regarded as more difficult in pediatrics, and the strategy for selecting ICD patients from this population remains without consensus. Prospective studies in HCM children and adolescents have shown the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology traditional major risk marker strategy to be reliable with >90% sensitivity in selecting patients for SD prevention. International data in >2000 young HCM patients assembled over 20 years who were stratified by major risk markers showed ICDs effectively prevented SD in 20%. Alternatively, novel quantitative risk scoring initiatives provide 5-year risk estimates that are potentially useful as adjunctive tools to facilitate discussion of prophylactic ICD risks vs benefit but are as yet unsupported by prospective outcome studies. Risk scoring strategies are characterized by reasonable discriminatory statistical power (C-statistic 0.69-0.76) for identifying patients with SD events but with relatively low sensitivity, albeit with specificity comparable with the risk marker strategy. While some reticence for obligating healthy-appearing young patients to lifelong device implants is understandable, underutilization of the ICD in high-risk children and adolescents can represent a lost opportunity for fulfilling the long-standing aspiration of SD prevention. This review provides a critical assessment of the current strengths and weaknesses of SD risk stratification strategies in young HCM patients in an effort to clarify clinical decision making in this challenging subpopulation.

17α-estradiol Alleviates High-Fat Diet-Induced Inflammatory and Metabolic Dysfunction in Skeletal Muscle of Male and Female Mice.

Skeletal muscle has a central role in maintaining metabolic homeostasis. 17α-estradiol (17α-E2), a naturally-occurring non-feminizing diastereomer of 17ß-estradiol that demonstrates efficacy for improving metabolic outcomes in male, but not female, mice. Despite several lines of evidence showing that 17α-E2 treatment improves metabolic parameters in middle-aged obese and old male mice through effects in brain, liver, and white adipose tissue little is known about how 17α-E2 alters skeletal muscle metabolism, and what role this may play in mitigating metabolic declines. Therefore, this study aimed to determine if 17α-E2 treatment improves metabolic outcomes in skeletal muscle from obese male and female mice following chronic high fat diet (HFD) administration. We hypothesized that male, but not female, mice, would benefit from 17α-E2 treatment during HFD. To test this hypothesis, we used a multi-omics approach to determine changes in lipotoxic lipid intermediates, metabolites, and proteins related to metabolic homeostasis. In male mice, we show that 17α-E2 alleviates HFD-induced metabolic detriments of skeletal muscle by reducing the accumulation of diacylglycerol (DAGs) and ceramides, inflammatory cytokine levels, and reduced the abundance of most of the proteins related to lipolysis and beta-oxidation. In contrast to males, 17α-E2 treatment in female mice had little effect on the DAGs and ceramides content, muscle inflammatory cytokine levels, or changes to the relative abundance of proteins involved in beta-oxidation. These data support to the growing evidence that 17α-E2 treatment could be beneficial for overall metabolic health in male mammals.

The Role of Comparative Psychology in the Training of Veterinarians.

This article highlights some of the advantages that comparative psychology offers the veterinary student and veterinary education generally. Comparative psychology is the oldest of the social sciences and, as such, has accumulated over three centuries of experience in such areas as research design, animal-human interactions, and animal behavior. To establish whether comparative psychology is taught in veterinary schools, we survey all course catalogs of U.S. veterinary schools. None of the schools surveyed offered a course in comparative psychology, and inconsistencies were noted among the schools in regard to courses in animal-human interaction, animal behavior, and ethics. Suggestions are provided on how to incorporate principles of comparative psychology in veterinary education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

In-vivo evaluation of catheter integrity with the use of a novel catheter torque tool.

INTRODUCTION: Electrophysiology studies and ablation procedures require strength, steadiness, and dexterity to manipulate catheters. We have previously described a novel catheter torque tool (Peritorq) that improves torqueability and stability and decreases user muscle fatigue. The objective was to evaluate measures of catheter integrity with and without the torque tool in place using multiple diagnostic and ablation catheters in an adult porcine model. METHODS: Diagnostic and ablation catheters were inserted through the femoral or jugular vein into areas of the right atrium, coronary sinus (CS), and right ventricle. Electrical measurements including impedance, sensing, and capture thresholds were obtained with and without the torque tool. Ablation lesions (30 s) were given at different locations using both irrigated and nonirrigated catheters and measurements were recorded with and without the torque tool. RESULTS: Procedures were performed in eight adult pigs. Measurements with and without the torque tool in all locations did not differ significantly using any of the catheters. With the nonirrigated ablation catheter there was a significant difference in maximum (mean 1.7 W, p = .03) and average power (mean 9.1 W, p = .04) delivery at the PS tricuspid valve, but there were no other differences with the irrigated or nonirrigated catheters. Subjective assessment by the operator revealed a substantial improvement in maneuverability, ability to transfer torque, and stability within the cardiac space. CONCLUSION: In an in-vivo environment, a novel catheter torque tool subjectively improved catheter manipulation and did not have a significant impact on the integrity of electrophysiologic catheters. Further study including additional catheters and in-vivo human testing is indicated.

Cardiac evaluation of hospitalized children with 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) infection at a single large quaternary center.

Background: Cardiac complications of serious SARS-CoV-2 infections, especially Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome of Children (MIS-C) are well described, however current studies have not considered pediatric patients hospitalized with no cardiac concerns. We established a protocol for cardiac evaluation of all admitted COVID-19 patients three weeks post-discharge, irrespective of cardiac concerns. We assessed cardiovascular outcomes and hypothesized that patients with absent cardiac concerns are at lower risk for cardiac abnormalities. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 160 patients admitted for COVID-19 (excluding MIS-C) between March 2020 and September 2021 with subsequent echocardiogram(s) performed at our center. Patients were divided into 4 subgroups: Group 1 included patients with absent cardiac concerns, admitted to acute care (1a) and intensive care unit (ICU) (1 b). Group 2 included patients with cardiac concerns, admitted to acute care (2a) and ICU (2 b). Groups were compared based on clinical endpoints and echocardiographic measurements, including tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) assessment of diastolic function (z-score of septal Mitral E/TDI E' and lateral E/TDI E'). Chi-squared, Fisher's exact, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used. Results: Traditional cardiac abnormalities varied significantly between the groups; with Group 2 b having the most (n = 8, 21%), but still found in Group 1a (n = 2, 3%) and Group 1 b (n = 1, 5%). No patients in Group 1 demonstrated abnormal systolic function, compared to Group 2a (n = 1, 3%) and Group 2 b (n = 3, 9%, p = 0.07). When including TDI assessment of diastolic function, the total incidence of abnormalities found on echocardiogram was increased in all groups. Conclusion: Cardiac abnormalities were found in pediatric patients admitted with COVID-19, even those without apparent cardiovascular concerns. The risk was greatest in ICU-admitted patients with cardiac concerns. The clinical significance of diastolic function assessment in these patients remains unknown. Further studies are needed to assess long-term cardiovascular sequelae of children with COVID-19, irrespective of cardiac concerns.

The origin of the phrase comparative psychology: an historical overview.

Comparative psychology, in its narrow meaning, refers to the study of the similarities and differences in the psychology and behavior of different species. In a broader meaning, it includes comparisons between different biological and socio-cultural groups, such as species, sexes, developmental stages, ages, and ethnicities. This broader meaning originated by extension from the former narrow meaning, which historically was the original meaning of the phrase (interspecies psychological and behavioral comparisons) and which still today is the focus of the field. Currently, comparative psychology is a subject of study in hundreds of universities all over the world. Nevertheless, a question that is often asked but seldom answered is: when did the phrase comparative psychology first appear and where did it come from? In the present work, we tracked down the origins of the phrase comparative psychology. In order to do so, at first we described the origin of the word psychology, coined in the decade 1510-1520 in the Republic of Venice by Dalmatian Renaissance humanist Marko Marulic Splicanin (1450-1524). Then, to explain where, within the phrase comparative psychology, the term comparative came from, we outlined the origin of the use of the word comparative in reference to interspecies comparisons. Finally, we reported the origin of the combination of the words comparative and psychology to form the phrase comparative psychology, the first usage of which was in 1778 by German scholar Michael Hissmann (1752-1784) from the University of Göttingen. Origins of the phrase in Latin, German, French and English languages are described.

Vigorous Exercise in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Importance: Whether vigorous intensity exercise is associated with an increase in risk of ventricular arrhythmias in individuals with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is unknown. Objective: To determine whether engagement in vigorous exercise is associated with increased risk for ventricular arrhythmias and/or mortality in individuals with HCM. The a priori hypothesis was that participants engaging in vigorous activity were not more likely to have an arrhythmic event or die than those who reported nonvigorous activity. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was an investigator-initiated, prospective cohort study. Participants were enrolled from May 18, 2015, to April 25, 2019, with completion in February 28, 2022. Participants were categorized according to self-reported levels of physical activity: sedentary, moderate, or vigorous-intensity exercise. This was a multicenter, observational registry with recruitment at 42 high-volume HCM centers in the US and internationally; patients could also self-enroll through the central site. Individuals aged 8 to 60 years diagnosed with HCM or genotype positive without left ventricular hypertrophy (phenotype negative) without conditions precluding exercise were enrolled. Exposures: Amount and intensity of physical activity. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary prespecified composite end point included death, resuscitated sudden cardiac arrest, arrhythmic syncope, and appropriate shock from an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. All outcome events were adjudicated by an events committee blinded to the patient's exercise category. Results: Among the 1660 total participants (mean [SD] age, 39 [15] years; 996 male [60%]), 252 (15%) were classified as sedentary, and 709 (43%) participated in moderate exercise. Among the 699 individuals (42%) who participated in vigorous-intensity exercise, 259 (37%) participated competitively. A total of 77 individuals (4.6%) reached the composite end point. These individuals included 44 (4.6%) of those classified as nonvigorous and 33 (4.7%) of those classified as vigorous, with corresponding rates of 15.3 and 15.9 per 1000 person-years, respectively. In multivariate Cox regression analysis of the primary composite end point, individuals engaging in vigorous exercise did not experience a higher rate of events compared with the nonvigorous group with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.01. The upper 95% 1-sided confidence level was 1.48, which was below the prespecified boundary of 1.5 for noninferiority. Conclusions and Relevance: Results of this cohort study suggest that among individuals with HCM or those who are genotype positive/phenotype negative and are treated in experienced centers, those exercising vigorously did not experience a higher rate of death or life-threatening arrhythmias than those exercising moderately or those who were sedentary. These data may inform discussion between the patient and their expert clinician around exercise participation.

Percutaneous epicardial pacing in infants using direct visualization: A feasibility animal study.

BACKGROUND: Pacemaker implantation in infants and small children is limited to epicardial lead placement via open chest surgery. We propose a minimally invasive solution using a novel percutaneous access kit. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the acute safety and feasibility of a novel percutaneous pericardial access tool kit to implant pacemaker leads on the epicardium under direct visualization. METHODS: A custom sheath with optical fiber lining the inside wall was built to provide intrathoracic illumination. A Veress needle inside the illumination sheath was inserted through a skin nick just to the left of the xiphoid process and angled toward the thorax. A needle containing a fiberscope within the lumen was inserted through the sheath and used to access the pericardium under direct visualization. A custom dilator and peel-away sheath with pre-tunneled fiberscope was passed over a guidewire into the pericardial space via modified Seldinger technique. A side-biting multipolar pacemaker lead was inserted through the sheath and affixed against the epicardium. RESULTS: Six piglets (weight 3.7-4.0 kg) had successful lead implantation. The pericardial space could be visualized and entered in all animals. Median time from skin nick to sheath access of the pericardium was 9.5 (interquartile range [IQR] 8-11) min. Median total procedure time was 16 (IQR 14-19) min. Median R wave sensing was 5.4 (IQR 4.0-7.3) mV. Median capture threshold was 2.1 (IQR 1.7-2.4) V at 0.4 ms and 1.3 (IQR 1.2-2.0) V at 1.0 ms. There were no complications. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous epicardial lead implantation under direct visualization was successful in six piglets of neonatal size and weight with clinically acceptable acute pacing parameters.

Transcutaneous bilirubinometry versus total serum bilirubin measurement for newborns.

BACKGROUND: Jaundice is a very common condition in newborns, affecting up to 60% of term newborns and 80% of preterm newborns in the first week of life. Jaundice is caused by increased bilirubin in the blood from the breakdown of red blood cells. The gold standard for measuring bilirubin levels is obtaining a blood sample and processing it in a laboratory. However, noninvasive transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) measurement devices are widely available and used in many settings to estimate total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels. OBJECTIVES: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of transcutaneous bilirubin measurement for detecting hyperbilirubinaemia in newborns. SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and trial registries up to 18 August 2022. We also checked the reference lists of all included studies and relevant systematic reviews for other potentially eligible studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included cross-sectional and prospective cohort studies that evaluated the accuracy of any TcB device compared to TSB measurement in term or preterm newborn infants (0 to 28 days postnatal age). All included studies provided sufficient data and information to create a 2 × 2 table for the calculation of measures of diagnostic accuracy, including sensitivities and specificities. We excluded studies that only reported correlation coefficients. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently applied the eligibility criteria to all citations from the search and extracted data from the included studies using a standard data extraction form. We summarised the available results narratively and, where possible, we combined study data in a meta-analysis. MAIN RESULTS: We included 23 studies, involving 5058 participants. All studies had low risk of bias as measured by the QUADAS 2 tool. The studies were conducted in different countries and settings, included newborns of different gestational and postnatal ages, compared various TcB devices (including the JM 101, JM 102, JM 103, BiliChek, Bilitest and JH20-1C) and used different cutoff values for a positive result. In most studies, the TcB measurement was taken from the forehead, sternum, or both. The sensitivity of various TcB cutoff values to detect significant hyperbilirubinaemia ranged from 74% to 100%, and specificity ranged from 18% to 89%. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The high sensitivity of TcB to detect hyperbilirubinaemia suggests that TcB devices are reliable screening tests for ruling out hyperbilirubinaemia in newborn infants. Positive test results would require confirmation through serum bilirubin measurement.