Development and Evaluation of a Deep Learning-Based Pulmonary Hypertension Screening Algorithm Using a Digital Stethoscope.

Background: Despite the poor outcomes related to the presence of pulmonary hypertension, it often goes undiagnosed in part because of low suspicion and screening tools not being easily accessible such as echocardiography. A new readily available screening tool to identify elevated pulmonary artery systolic pressures is needed to help with the prognosis and timely treatment of underlying causes such as heart failure or pulmonary vascular remodeling. We developed a deep learning-based method that uses phonocardiograms (PCGs) for the detection of elevated pulmonary artery systolic pressure, an indicator of pulmonary hypertension.

Temporal Trends in Sepsis Incidence and Mortality in Patients With Cancer in the US Population.

Background: Few population-based studies assess the impact of cancer on sepsis incidence and mortality.

Objectives: To evaluate epidemiological trends of sepsis in patients with cancer.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included adults (≥20 years old) identified using sepsis-indicator International Classification of Diseases codes from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database (2006-2014).

The Ciona myogenic regulatory factor functions as a typical MRF but possesses a novel N-terminus that is essential for activity.

Electroporation-based assays were used to test whether the myogenic regulatory factor (MRF) of Ciona intestinalis (CiMRF) interferes with endogenous developmental programs, and to evaluate the importance of its unusual N-terminus for muscle development. We found that CiMRF suppresses both notochord and endoderm development when it is expressed in these tissues by a mechanism that may involve activation of muscle-specific microRNAs. Because these results add to a large body of evidence demonstrating the exceptionally high degree of functional conservation among MRFs, we were surprised to discover that non-ascidian MRFs were not myogenic in Ciona unless they formed part of a chimeric protein containing the CiMRF N-terminus.