Prediction of incident atrial fibrillation using deep learning, clinical models, and polygenic scores.

Background And Aims: Deep learning applied to electrocardiograms (ECG-AI) is an emerging approach for predicting atrial fibrillation or flutter (AF). This study introduces an ECG-AI model developed and tested at a tertiary cardiac centre, comparing its performance with clinical models and AF polygenic score (PGS).

Methods: Electrocardiograms in sinus rhythm from the Montreal Heart Institute were analysed, excluding those from patients with pre-existing AF.

Cardiopulmonary response to exercise in adults born very preterm.

This study aims to compare cardiopulmonary response to aerobic exercise between young adults born very preterm, including a subgroup with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), and term controls.Seventy-one adults (18-29 years) born <30 weeks' gestational age (24 with BPD) and 73 term controls were recruited. Assessment included cardiopulmonary exercise testing with impedance cardiography.

Spindles are highly heritable as identified by different spindle detectors.

Study Objectives: Sleep spindles, a defining feature of stage N2 sleep, are maximal at central electrodes and are found in the frequency range of the electroencephalogram (EEG) (sigma 11-16 Hz) that is known to be heritable. However, relatively little is known about the heritability of spindles. Two recent studies investigating the heritability of spindles reported moderate heritability, but with conflicting results depending on scalp location and spindle type.

Increased Incidence but Lack of Association Between Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adults Born Preterm.

Preterm birth incurs an increased risk of early cardiovascular events and death. In the general population, cardiovascular risk factors cluster in the context of inflammation and oxidative stress. Whether this also occurs in young adults born preterm is unknown.

Doxorubicin treatments induce significant changes on the cardiac autonomic nervous system in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia long-term survivors.

Aims: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is one of the leading malignancies in children worldwide. The cardiotoxicity of anti-cancer treatments leads to a dysfunction of the cardiac autonomic nervous system. Protection strategies, with dexrazoxane treatments, were used to counter these adverse effects.

A sleep spindle detection algorithm that emulates human expert spindle scoring.

Background: Sleep spindles are a marker of stage 2 NREM sleep that are linked to learning & memory and are altered by many neurological diseases. Although visual inspection of the EEG is considered the gold standard for spindle detection, it is time-consuming, costly and can introduce inter/ra-scorer bias.

New Method: Our goal was to develop a simple and efficient sleep-spindle detector (algorithm #7, or 'A7') that emulates human scoring.

Endothelial Colony-Forming Cells in Young Adults Born Preterm: A Novel Link Between Neonatal Complications and Adult Risks for Cardiovascular Disease.

Background: Preterm birth is linked to cardiovascular risks and diseases. Endothelial progenitor cells play a critical role in vascular development and repair. Cord blood endothelial progenitor cells of preterm-born infants, especially endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFC), show enhanced susceptibility to prematurity-related pro-oxidant stress.