heart

PURPOSE: A dosimetry evaluation model for treatment planning of esophageal radiation therapy is developed using a deep learning model. The model predicts dose volume histogram (DVH) from distance to target volume (DTH) based on stacked de-noise auto-encoder (SDAE) and one-dimensional convolutional network (1D-CN). METHOD: First, SDAE is used to extract the features from the curves of DTH and DVH. Then 1D-CN model is employed to learn the relationship between the features of DTH and DVH, and later used to predict the features of DVH from the features of DTH...

BACKGROUND: In children the preoperative hydration status is an important part of the overall clinical assessment. The assumed preoperative fluid deficit is often routinely replaced during induction without knowing the child's actual fluid status. AIM: We investigated the predictive value of the Pleth Variability Index as a measure of fluid responsiveness in spontaneously breathing anesthetized children. METHODS: Pleth Variability Index, stroke volume and cardiac index, measured by electrovelocimetry, mean blood pressure and heart rate were recorded during anesthesia induction in 50 pediatric patients < 6 years...

The high incidence of injury during swim-training as well as the increasing demands of the sports make monitoring of the swimmer's training load a key concept requiring further investigation. Research has previously introduced numerous methods for the purposes of monitoring the swimmer's training load, but a narrative review discussing the strengths and limitations of each method is lacking. Consequently, this narrative review aims to summarize the monitoring strategies that have been applied in sports medicine research on competitive swimmers...

The modulation of acetylcholine (ACh) release by botulinum toxin injection into epicardial fat diminishes atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence. These results suggest an interaction between autonomic imbalance and epicardial fat as risk factors of AF. Our aim was to study the inflammatory, lipidic and fibroblastic profile of epicardial stroma from patients who underwent open-heart surgery, their regulation by cholinergic activity and its association with AF. We performed in vitro and ex vivo assays from paired subcutaneous and epicardial stromal cells or explants from 33 patients...

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) as a consequence of left atrial (LA) dilatation, and it affects survival and quality of life. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the usefulness of echocardiography in predicting the first occurrence of AF in dogs with MMVD. ANIMALS: Forty-four client-owned dogs with MMVD, 22 dogs that developed AF, and 22 dogs that maintained sinus rhythm. METHODS: Retrospective observational study...

AIMS: Data on socioeconomic-related differences in heart failure (HF) care are sparse. Inequality in care may potentially contribute to a poor clinical outcome. We examined socioeconomic-related differences in quality of HF care among patients with incident HF with reduced ejection fraction (EF) (HFrEF). METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a nationwide population-based cohort study among patients with HFrEF (EF ≤40%) registered from January 2008 to October 2015 in the Danish Heart Failure Registry, a nationwide registry of patients with a first-time primary HF diagnosis...

BACKGROUND: Torasemide is a potent loop diuretic with potential to treat congestive heart failure (CHF) in dogs. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the efficacy and safety of torasemide compared to furosemide in dogs with first occurrence of CHF caused by degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD). ANIMALS: Three hundred and nineteen dogs with new onset CHF attributable to DMVD. METHODS: Double-blinded randomized noninferiority study of PO torasemide vs furosemide in addition to standard CHF treatment...

Type D personality has been consistently associated with adverse cardiovascular health with atypical cardiovascular reactions to psychological stress one potential underlying mechanism. As Type D individuals have been noted to report lower social support and greater perceptions of negativity in social interactions, this study examined if the association between Type D personality and cardiovascular reactivity was mediated by these social relationships. A sample of 195 undergraduate students (138 female) participated in this observational study, where they completed measures assessing Type D personality (DS14), social support, and perceptions of negative social relationships (National Institute of Health social relationship scales), before undergoing a traditional cardiovascular reactivity protocol...

BACKGROUND: Neonates and infants with congenital heart disease undergoing general anesthesia have an increased risk for critical cardiovascular events. Etomidate produces very minimal changes in hemodynamic parameters in older children with congenital heart disease. There is a lack of studies evaluating the effect of etomidate on systemic and regional cerebral perfusion in neonates and infants with congenital heart disease. AIM: The aim of this prospective observational study was to evaluate the effect of etomidate on systemic and regional cerebral perfusion in neonates and infants with congenital heart disease...

BACKGROUND: Skeletal muscle wasting is an extremely common feature in patients with heart failure, affecting approximately 20% of ambulatory patients with even higher values during acute decompensation. Its occurrence is associated with reduced exercise capacity, muscle strength, and quality of life. We sought to investigate if the presence of muscle wasting carries prognostic information. METHODS: Two hundred sixty-eight ambulatory patients with heart failure (age 67...

OBJECTIVE: Infiltration of the inflammatory cells, such as macrophages and myocardial necrosis, are involved in myocarditis. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) exerts a variety of biological effects. However, the role of IGF-1 in myocarditis remains unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: LDL-R knockout mice were randomly divided into the control group, myocarditis group, and IGF-1 siRNA group. Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Western blot were used to measure IGF-1 expression in myocardial tissue...

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) in infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) combined with chronic heart failure and its relationship with cardiac function. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 100 cases of infants diagnosed with CHD combined with chronic heart failure in our hospital from July 2015 to July 2018 were selected as the experimental group, and 80 cases of healthy subjects underwent health examination in our hospital during the same period were selected as the control group...

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. However, the prognostic value of pulmonary hypertension in Chinese predialytic CKD patients is rarely reported. We evaluated the relevant factors and prognostic value of pulmonary hypertension in CKD patients. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study enrolled 1092 predialytic patients from The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University from May 1st, 2011, to December 31st, 2016...

PURPOSE: To assess the effects of electro-acupuncture (EA) on glycemic control, myocardial inflammation, and the progression of diabetic cardiomyopathy in mice with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Db/Db mice received EA at PC6+ST36 (DM-Acu), non-acupoint simulation (DM-Sham), or no treatment (DM). EA was applied for 30 min per day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Heart function was assessed by echocardiography. Myocardium was assessed by RT-PCR, immunoblotting, and histology...

Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-BF) has been confirmed to increase heart rate variability (HRV) and cardiac outflows by baroreflex in healthy populations and clinical patients. Autogenic training (AT) is common used in the psychological intervention. This study integrates a single-session of HRV-BF and AT into a high-technology mobile application (app), and examines the effects on HRV indices, breathing rates, and subjective relaxation scores. Healthy college students were recruited and assigned to the single-session HRV-BF group or AT group...

Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) are a cornerstone of arrhythmia and heart failure detection as well as management. In recent years new kinds of devices have emerged which can be used subcutaneously or worn on the skin. In particular for large-scale arrhythmia monitoring, small, unobtrusive gadgets seem positioned to upend paradigms and care delivery. However, the performance of CIEDs and wearables is only as good as their sensing and detection capacities. Whether for pacing, defibrillation or diagnostic monitoring, the device must be able to process and filter the sensed signal to reduce noise and to exclude irrelevant physiological signals...

BACKGROUND: The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) was established in part to improve chronic disease management, yet evidence is limited for effects on patients with multimorbidity. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of Patient-Aligned Care Team (PACT) implementation, the Veterans Health Administration (VA) PCMH model, and care quality for multimorbid patients enrolled in VA primary care from 2012 to 2014. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort...

BACKGROUND: The cardiomyocyte apoptosis is considered as one of major contributions to cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI). Numerous studies find that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play pivotal roles in a variety of biological functions. However, the role of circ_0068655 in MI and human induced pluripotent stem-derived cardiomyocytes (HCMs) remains unknown. METHODS: The expression of circ_0068655, miR-498, and PRKC apoptosis WT1 regulator (PAWR) in human MI heart tissues and hypoxia subjected HCMs was evaluated with qRT-PCR and Western blot...

Use of echocardiography to evaluate the characteristics of right heart and pulmonary artery of Tibetans with hepatic hydatidosis living in a high plateau area. We recruited 222 Tibetan adults diagnosed with hydatidosis from June 2016 to June 2017 in Shiqu and Seda areas of Tibet; 40 healthy control from the same area, denoted as the high plateau group. We also include 755 Healthy adults of Han nationality living in the plain from the EMINCA study as the low altitude group. Compared to high plateau group, hydatidosis individuals showed decreased RVADed, RVTDed, increased E(T)/A(T) and reduced RVFAC and TAPSE (p < 0...

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