A multitask deep learning model utilizing electrocardiograms for major cardiovascular adverse events prediction.

Deep learning analysis of electrocardiography (ECG) may predict cardiovascular outcomes. We present a novel multi-task deep learning model, the ECG-MACE, which predicts the one-year first-ever major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) using 2,821,889 standard 12-lead ECGs, including training (n = 984,895), validation (n = 422,061), and test (n = 1,414,933) sets, from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital database in Taiwan. Data from another independent medical center (n = 113,224) was retrieved for external validation.

The essential role of the ERK activation in large T antigen of BK polyomavirus regulated cell migration.

Recent studies have suggested that BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) may be associated with the development of urothelial carcinoma. In Merkel cell carcinoma, TAg and tAg are the major viral proteins of Merkel cell polyomavirus with oncogenic potential. In this study, we aimed to distinguish the role of TAg and tAg in cell migration.

Prevention and management of tuberculosis in solid organ transplantation: A consensus statement of the transplantation society of Taiwan.

Solid organ transplant recipients have an increased risk of tuberculosis (TB). Due to the use of immunosuppressants, the incidence of TB among solid organ transplant recipients has been consistently reported to be higher than that among the general population. TB frequently develops within the first year after transplantation when a high level of immunosuppression is maintained.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha blockade suppresses BK polyomavirus replication.

Purpose: BK Polyomavirus (BKPyV) infection manifests as renal inflammation and can cause kidney damage. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is increased in renal inflammation and injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of TNF-α blockade on BKPyV infection.

Immunoregulatory effects of RGMb in gut inflammation.

Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a major complication after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Current strategies to prevent GvHD with immunosuppressive drugs carry significant morbidity and may affect the graft-versus-tumor (GVT) effect. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an intestinal inflammatory condition that affects more than 2 million people in the United States.

Incidence of Mortality, Acute Kidney Injury and Graft Loss in Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients with Coronavirus Disease 2019: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The adverse impact of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on kidney function has been reported since the global pandemic. The burden of COVID-19 on kidney transplant recipients, however, has not been systematically analyzed. A systematic review and meta-analysis with a random-effect model was conducted to explore the rate of mortality, intensive care unit admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, acute kidney injury, kidney replacement therapy and graft loss in the adult kidney transplant population with COVID-19.

Impact of chronic kidney disease severity on causes of death after first-ever stroke: A population-based study using nationwide data linkage.

Background: Stroke is prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is associated with high mortality, but the causes of death after stroke among different CKD stages are not well known.

Aims: We aimed to investigate whether the severity of CKD would impact on the causes of death after first-ever stroke.

Methods: This retrospective multicenter cohort study included stoke patients with CKD between 2007 and 2012.

Mixed chimerism and acceptance of kidney transplants after immunosuppressive drug withdrawal.

Preclinical studies have shown that persistent mixed chimerism is linked to acceptance of organ allografts without immunosuppressive (IS) drugs. Mixed chimerism refers to continued mixing of donor and recipient hematopoietic cells in recipient tissues after transplantation of donor cells. To determine whether persistent mixed chimerism and tolerance can be established in patients undergoing living donor kidney transplantation, we infused allograft recipients with donor T cells and hematopoietic progenitors after posttransplant lymphoid irradiation.

Identifying risk groups of infectious spondylitis in patients with end-stage renal disease under hemodialysis: a propensity score-matched case-control study.

Background: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) under hemodialysis (HD) are at greater risks of infectious spondylitis (IS), but there is no reliable predictor that facilitate early detection of this relatively rare and insidious disease.

Methods: A retrospective review of the medical records from patients with ESRD under HD over a 12-year period was performed at a tertiary teaching hospital, and those with a first-time diagnosis of IS were identified. A 1:4 propensity score-matched case-control study was carried out, and baseline characteristics, underlying diseases, and laboratory data were compared between the study group and the control group, one month before the date of diagnosis or the index date respectively.

Prophylactic Antibiotic Reduces the Risk of Peritonitis after Invasive Gynecologic Procedures.

Peritonitis is a serious complication after invasive procedures in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). Most studies that have investigated peritonitis following invasive gynecologic procedures enrolled small patient populations. This study focuses on the clinical presentation, outcomes, and effects of prophylactic antibiotic use before invasive techniques.

Polyomavirus BK, BKV microRNA, and urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin can be used as potential biomarkers of lupus nephritis.

Objective: Lupus nephritis (LN) frequently progresses to end-stage renal disease. Finding a biomarker for LN and a predictor for the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is important for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Ninety patients with SLE were divided into biopsy-proven LN (n = 54) and no kidney involvement (non-LN) (n = 36) groups and followed up for 54 months.

The value of time-averaged serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in prediction of mortality and dropout in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Purpose: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a useful biomarker for prediction of long-term outcomes in patients undergoing chronic dialysis. This observational cohort study evaluated whether the time-averaged serum high-sensitivity CRP (HS-CRP) level was a better predictor of clinical outcomes than a single HS-CRP level in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD).

Patients And Methods: We classified 335 patients into three tertiles according to the time-averaged serum HS-CRP level and followed up regularly from January 2010 to December 2014.

Family Aggregation and Heritability of ESRD in Taiwan: A Population-Based Study.

Background: Aggregation of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has been observed in families of European origin, as well as those of African origin. However, it is not well documented if this disease aggregates in Asian families. Furthermore, the contribution of genetic factors and shared environmental factors to family aggregation remains unclear.

The association between polyomavirus BK strains and BKV viruria in liver transplant recipients.

BK virus (BKV) is a polyomavirus that cause of allograft dysfunction among kidney transplant recipients. The role of BKV infection in non-renal solid organ transplant recipients is not well understood neither for the relationship between various BKV strains with occurrence of BKV viral viruria. This study aimed to understand the prevalence of BKV infection and identified of BKV various strains in the urine of liver transplant recipients.

Stimulation of transforming growth factor-beta-1 and contact with type I collagen cooperatively facilitate irreversible transdifferentiation in proximal tubular cells.

Background: By transdifferentiation, proximal tubular cells (PTC) have been considered as a source of interstitial myofibroblasts. We examined the combined effect of transforming growth factor-beta-1 (TGF-β1) stimulation and contact with type I collagen on PTC transdifferentiation.

Methods: Human kidney-2 cells were grown on type I substratum with the concurrent stimulation of TGF-β1.

Conversion to mTOR-inhibitors with calcineurin inhibitor elimination or minimization reduces urinary polyomavirus BK load in kidney transplant recipients.

Background/purpose: Polyomavirus BK (BKV) reactivation causes allograft dysfunction in some kidney transplant recipients. The use of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor-based immunotherapy is associated with a lower incidence of polyomavirus-associated nephropathy compared with other immunosuppressants. This retrospective study assessed whether conversion to mTOR inhibitor-based immunotherapy directly reduced urinary BKV load.

Polyomavirus BK-encoded microRNA suppresses autoregulation of viral replication.

Polyomavirus BK (BKV) infection is an important cause of renal allograft failure. Viral microRNAs are known to play a crucial role in viral replication. This study investigated the expression of BKV-encoded microRNAs (miR-B1) in patients with polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (PVAN) and their role in viral replication.