Self-helped detection of obstructive sleep apnea based on automated facial recognition and machine learning.

Purpose: The diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) relies on time-consuming and complicated procedures which are not always readily available and may delay diagnosis. With the widespread use of artificial intelligence, we presumed that the combination of simple clinical information and imaging recognition based on facial photos may be a useful tool to screen for OSA.

Methods: We recruited consecutive subjects suspected of OSA who had received sleep examination and photographing.

Fast assessment of left ventricular systolic function in obstructive sleep apnea patients with automated function imaging: Comparison with mitral annular plane systolic excursion.

Background: Early detection of left ventricular (LV) subclinical dysfunction is clinically relevant before developing irreversible impairment in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. Mitral annulus plane systolic excursion (MAPSE) is a fast tool for OSA due to high prevalent obesity; another quick but more comprehensive tool is LV global longitudinal stain (GLS) based on automated function imaging (AFI). We therefore aimed to compare the feasibility and reproducibility of AFI to MAPSE in OSA patients, as a good model in whom obesity is common.

Cost-Effectiveness of Alirocumab for the Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Events after Myocardial Infarction in the Chinese Setting.

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor alirocumab reduce ischemic events; however, the cost-effectiveness remains uncertain. This study sought to evaluate its economic value in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) from the Chinese healthcare perspective. A state-transition Markov model was developed to determine the cost-effectiveness of alirocumab for preventing recurrent MI, ischemic stroke and death.

Quantification of myocardial deformation in patients with Fabry disease by cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature tracking imaging.

Background: Cardiac involvement is a major contributor of morbidity and mortality in Fabry disease (FD). Early detection and accurate evaluation of the disease progression is important in management. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) derived feature fracking (FT) is a validated quantitative method of assessing myocardial deformation which may reflect early changes of myocardial function and track disease severity.

Subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction detected in obstructive sleep apnea with automated function imaging and its association with nocturnal hypoxia.

Background: Early detection of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is crucial in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to its close relationship with cardiovascular diseases. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) derived from automated function imaging (AFI) can precisely assess global longitudinal function. The aim of this study was to determine if LV GLS was reduced in patients with OSA and a normal LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and to assess any associated determinants.

Validation of a portable monitoring device for the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea: electrocardiogram-based cardiopulmonary coupling.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the validity of the cardiopulmonary coupling (CPC) device, a limited-channel portable monitoring device for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) screening in one single-center cohort, in particular in those with some cardiovascular diseases since the cardiopulmonary coupling might be different from those without.

Methods: Consecutive patients referred to the sleep medical center for assessment of possible OSA were enrolled in this study. Patients were examined with standard polysomnography (PSG) and CPC evaluation simultaneously.

Cytotoxic Neo-Clerodane Diterpenoids from Scutellaria barbata D.Don.

A new neo-clerodane diterpenoid, barbatin H (1), together with fifteen known analogues (2-16) were isolated from Scutellaria barbata D.Don. Their structures were determined on the basis of NMR and HR-MS spectral analysis and comparison with the reported data.

Structure-activity relationships of diverse xanthones against multidrug resistant human tumor cells.

Thirteen xanthones were isolated naturally from the stem of Securidaca inappendiculata Hassk, and structure-activity relationships (SARs) of these compounds were comparatively predicted for their cytotoxic activity against three human multidrug resistant (MDR) cell lines MCF-7/ADR, SMMC-7721/Taxol, and A549/Taxol cells. The results showed that the selected xanthones exhibited different potent cytotoxic activity against the growth of different human tumor cell lines, and most of the xanthones exhibited selective cytotoxicity against SMMC-7721/Taxol cells. Furthermore, some tested xanthones showed stronger cytotoxicity than Cisplatin, which has been used in clinical application extensively.

[Structure activity relationship of annonaceous acetogenins against multidrug resistant human lung cancer cell line A549/Taxol in vitro].

10 kinds of annonaceous acetogenins were selected for antitumor activity testing against human lung cancer cell line A549/Taxol and the structure activity relationship was analyzed.MTT assay was used to detect the inhibitory activities of 10 kinds of annonaceous acetogenins and positive drugs against A549/Taxol cells, respectively uvariamicin-Ⅲ(1), uvariamicin-Ⅱ(2), annosquacin D(3), desacetyluvaricin(4), annosquatin A(5), squamostatin D(6), bullatacin(7), squamocin(8), motrilin(9), annosquatin B(10), verapamil and cisplatin. Annonaceous acetogenins showed significant inhibitory activities against A549/Taxol cells, and were more potent than the positive drug verapamil and cisplatin.