Real-time coronary artery stenosis detection based on modern neural networks

Invasive coronary angiography remains the gold standard for diagnosing coronary artery disease, which may be complicated by both, patient-specific anatomy and image quality. Deep learning techniques aimed at detecting coronary artery stenoses may facilitate the diagnosis. However, previous studies have failed to achieve superior accuracy and performance for real-time labeling. Our study is aimed at confirming the feasibility of real-time coronary artery stenosis detection using deep learning methods. To reach this goal we trained and tested eight promising detectors based on different neural network architectures (MobileNet, ResNet-50, ResNet-101, Inception ResNet, NASNet) using clinical angiography data of 100 patients. Three neural networks have demonstrated superior results. The network based on Faster-RCNN Inception ResNet V2 is the most accurate and it achieved the mean Average Precision of 0.95, F1-score 0.96 and the slowest prediction rate of 3 fps on the validation subset. The relatively lightweight SSD MobileNet V2 network proved itself as the fastest one with a low mAP of 0.83, F1-score of 0.80 and a mean prediction rate of 38 fps. The model based on RFCN ResNet-101 V2 has demonstrated an optimal accuracy-to-speed ratio. Its mAP makes up 0.94, F1-score 0.96 while the prediction speed is 10 fps. The resultant performance-accuracy balance of the modern neural networks has confirmed the feasibility of real-time coronary artery stenosis detection supporting the decision-making process of the Heart Team interpreting coronary angiography findings

Are Toll-like receptor gene polymorphisms associated with prostate cancer?

Anton G Kutikhin, Arseniy E YuzhalinDepartment of Epidemiology, Kemerovo State Medical Academy, Kemerovo, Russian FederationAbstract: The suggestion that there is a connection between chronic intraprostatic inflammation and prostate cancer was declared some years ago. As Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are the key players in the processes of chronic intraprostatic inflammation, there is a hypothesis that TLR gene polymorphisms may be associated with prostate cancer risk. Although a number of comprehensive studies have been conducted on large samples in various countries, reliable connections between these single nucleotide polymorphisms and prostate cancer risk, stage, grade, aggressiveness, ability to metastasize, and mortality have not been detected. Results have also varied slightly in different populations. The data obtained regarding the absence of connection between the polymorphisms of the genes encoding interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinases (IRAK1 and IRAK4) and prostate cancer risk might indicate a lack of association between inherited variation in the TLR signaling pathway and prostate cancer risk. It is possible to consider that polymorphisms of genes encoding TLRs and proteins of the TLR pathway also do not play a major role in the etiology and pathogenesis of prostate cancer. Feasibly, it would be better to focus research on associations between TLR single nucleotide polymorphisms and cancer risk in other infection-related cancer types.Keywords: TLRs, single nucleotide polymorphisms, genetic variation, inflammation, innate immunit

Mimiviridae, Marseilleviridae und Virophagen als Erreger von Healthcare-assoziierten Infektionen mit wachsender Bedeutung

Aim: During the last decade it became obvious that viruses belonging to Mimiviridae and Marseilleviridae families (order Megavirales), may be potential causative agents of pneumonia. Thus, we have performed a review of the association of Mimiviridae , Marseilleviridae , and virophages with pneumonia, particularly healthcare-associated pneumonia, and other infections of the respiratory tract. Results and discussion: According to the analysis of the published articles, viruses belonging to Mimiviridae family can be potential agents of both community-acquired and healthcare-associated pneumonia. In particular, these viruses may be associated with poor outcome in patients of intensive care units. The exact mechanism of their pathogenicity, however, still remains unclear. The discrepancies between the results obtained by serological and genomic methods could be explained by the high polymorphism of nucleotide sequences of Mimiviridae family representatives. Further investigations on the Mimiviridae pathogenicity and on the determination of Mimiviridae -caused pneumonia risk groups are required. However, the pathogenicity of the viruses belonging to Marseilleviridae family and virophages is unclear up to now.Zielsetzung: Im letzten Jahrzehnt wurde vermutet, dass Viren der Familie der Mimiviridae und der Marseilleviridae (sog. Megavirales) Pneumonien verursachen können. Deshalb wurde eine Literaturrecherche zu den möglichen Zusammenhängen von Mimiviridae , Marseilleviridae , Virophagen und Pneumonien mit den Schwerpunkten HA-Infektionen und andere Infektionen der Atemwege durchgeführt. Ergebnisse und Diskussion: Die Analyse ergab, dass Viren aus der Familie der Mimiviridae potentielle Verursacher sowohl der CA- als auch der HA-Pneumonie sein können. Diese Viren können zu einem verschlechterten Outcome bei Intensivtherapiepatienten führen. Der genaue Mechanismus ihrer Pathogenität ist jedoch noch immer nicht geklärt. Die unterschiedlichen Ergebnisse zwischen serologischen und Genommethoden sind wahrscheinlich durch den hohen Polymorphismus der Nucleotidsequenzen der Vertreter der Mimiviridae zu erklären. Daher sind weitere Untersuchungen zur Pathogenität der Mimiviridae und ihrer Rolle bei der Pneumonieentstehung in Risikogruppen notwendig.Im Unterschied dazu ist die Pathogenität der Viren der Familie der Marseilleviridae und der Gruppe der Virophagen noch unklar