Recovery of left ventricular function is associated with improved outcomes in LVAD recipients.

Background: The significance of recovered left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in LVAD recipients, outside of pump explantation, is unclear.

Methods: Patients undergoing first LVAD implantation at Duke University Hospital between 2006 and 2017 were evaluated for LVEF recovery up to 2 years following implant. Occurrence of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB), hospitalization for heart failure (HF), pump thrombosis and death were assessed before and after LVEF recovery.

Novel Acoustic Biomarker of Quality of Life in Left Ventricular Assist Device Recipients.

Background Although technological advances to pump design have improved survival, left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients experience variable improvements in quality of life. Methods for optimizing LVAD support to improve quality of life are needed. We investigated whether acoustic signatures obtained from digital stethoscopes can predict patient-centered outcomes in LVAD recipients.

Heart Sound Analysis in Individuals Supported With Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

Objective: LVADs are surgically implanted mechanical pumps that improve survival rates of individuals with advanced heart failure. LVAD therapy is associated with high morbidity, which can be partially attributed to challenges with detecting LVAD complications before adverse events occur. Current methods used to monitor for complications with LVAD support require frequent clinical assessments at specialized LVAD centers.

Clinical applications of machine learning in the diagnosis, classification, and prediction of heart failure.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are generating significant attention in the scientific community and media. Such algorithms have great potential in medicine for personalizing and improving patient care, including in the diagnosis and management of heart failure. Many physicians are familiar with these terms and the excitement surrounding them, but many are unfamiliar with the basics of these algorithms and how they are applied to medicine.

Tuning Ferritin's band gap through mixed metal oxide nanoparticle formation.

This study uses the formation of a mixed metal oxide inside ferritin to tune the band gap energy of the ferritin mineral. The mixed metal oxide is composed of both Co and Mn, and is formed by reacting aqueous Co with [Formula: see text] in the presence of apoferritin. Altering the ratio between the two reactants allowed for controlled tuning of the band gap energies.

Permanganate-based synthesis of manganese oxide nanoparticles in ferritin.

This paper investigates the comproportionation reaction of Mn with [Formula: see text] as a route for manganese oxide nanoparticle synthesis in the protein ferritin. We report that [Formula: see text] serves as the electron acceptor and reacts with Mn in the presence of apoferritin to form manganese oxide cores inside the protein shell. Manganese loading into ferritin was studied under acidic, neutral, and basic conditions and the ratios of Mn and permanganate were varied at each pH.