This study evaluates cardiovascular and cerebral hemodynamics systems by only using non-invasive electrocardiography (ECG) signals. The Massachusetts General Hospital/Marquette Foundation (MGH/MF) and Cerebral Hemodynamic Autoregulatory Information System Database (CHARIS DB) from the PhysioNet database are used for cardiovascular and cerebral hemodynamics, respectively. For cardiovascular hemodynamics, the ECG is used for generating the arterial blood pressure (ABP), central venous pressure (CVP), and pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP). Meanwhile, for cerebral hemodynamics, the ECG is utilized for the intracranial pressure (ICP) generator. A deep convolutional autoencoder system is applied for this study. The cross-validation method with Pearson’s linear correlation (R), root mean squared error (RMSE), and mean absolute error (MAE) are measured for the evaluations. Initially, the ECG is used to generate the cardiovascular waveform. For the ABP system—the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressures (DBP)—the R evaluations are 0.894 ± 0.004 and 0.881 ± 0.005, respectively. The MAE evaluations for SBP and DBP are, respectively, 6.645 ± 0.353 mmHg and 3.210 ± 0.104 mmHg. Furthermore, for the PAP system—the systolic and diastolic pressures—the R evaluations are 0.864 ± 0.003 mmHg and 0.817 ± 0.006 mmHg, respectively. The MAE evaluations for systolic and diastolic pressures are, respectively, 3.847 ± 0.136 mmHg and 2.964 ± 0.181 mmHg. Meanwhile, the mean CVP evaluations are 0.916 ± 0.001, 2.220 ± 0.039 mmHg, and 1.329 ± 0.036 mmHg, respectively, for R, RMSE, and MAE. For the mean ICP evaluation in cerebral hemodynamics, the R and MAE evaluations are 0.914 ± 0.003 and 2.404 ± 0.043 mmHg, respectively. This study, as a proof of concept, concludes that the non-invasive cardiovascular and cerebral hemodynamics systems can be potentially investigated by only using the ECG signal.

A 67-year-old male patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was admitted to a hospital in northern Taiwan for progressive dyspnea and productive cough with an enlarged left upper lobe tumor (5.3 × 6.8 × 3.9 cm³). Previous chest auscultation on outpatient visits had yielded diffuse wheezes. A localized stridor (fundamental frequency of 125 Hz) was captured using a multichannel electronic stethoscope comprising four microelectromechanical system microphones. An energy-based localization algorithm was used to successfully locate the sound source of the stridor caused by tumor compression. The results of the algorithm were compatible with the findings obtained from computed tomography and bronchoscopy (mean radius = 9.40 mm and radial standard deviation = 14.97 mm). We demonstrated a potential diagnostic aid for pulmonary diseases through sound-source localization technology based on respiratory monitoring. The proposed technique can facilitate detection when advanced imaging tools are not immediately available. Continuing effort on the development of more precise estimation is warranted.

Background Cardiac arrest has been a great threat, regardless of its occurrence in or out of the hospital (OHCA and IHCA). ECMO has been regarded as the last resort to save these endangering lives. This prospective cohort intended to clarify how ECMO-assisted CPR (ECPR) benefited patients of cardiac arrests, both OHCA and IHCA, and addressed the survival benefit of left ventricular decompression. Methods Consecutive patients of OHCA and IHCA, refractory to resuscitation and without certain exclusion criteria for mechanical support, were enrolled since 2018. Primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality. Results From 2018 Jan. to 2021 Mar., 147 patients of both OHCA and IHCA were put on ECPR. Acute coronary syndrome took 63.3%. Rate of weaning-off from ECMO/modified LVAD was 45.6%, and the in-hospital mortality rate was 67.3%. Peak serum lactate (10.9 ± 5.5 vs. 16.4 ± 7.7 mmol/L, p < 0.001) and left ventricular ejection fraction (35.8 ± 20.6% vs. 26.7 ± 21.7%, p = 0.029) during mechanical support were of prognostic significance. The low-flow time was not correlated with these two prognostic parameters and in-hospital mortality in our series. Forty-five patients with poorer left ventricular function were put on modified LVAD, which rendered survival benefit over VA-ECMO by 3 days: 1st day mortality (VA-ECMO vs modified LVAD 18.6% vs. 2.2%, p = 0.008); 3rd day (35.3% vs 17.8%, p = 0.034). The Kaplan-Meyer analysis depicted the survival benefit of modified LVAD (log-rank p = 0.024) Conclusion Our prospective cohort, enrolling both OHCA and IHCA patients put on ECPR, implied that fair outcomes could be achieved in both groups, as long as high quality CPR could be persistently applied, regardless of the low-flow time. Peak serum lactate and LVEF were proved again to be closely correlated to outcomes. Moreover, the procedure of LV decompression could render further survival benefit to those with poorer LV function.

Background: Suicide is a significant public health issue worldwide, with profound impacts on individuals and society. In Taiwan, suicide has consistently ranked among the leading causes of death, with rates continuing to rise in recent years. Hospitalization due to suicide attempts or injuries is a key indicator of the severity of the issue and the effectiveness of preventive interventions. While suicide mortality has been widely studied, limited research has examined long‐term trends in suicide‐related hospitalizations, including variations by the methodology, gender, age, and region. Identifying these patterns is essential for developing effective suicide prevention programs and addressing high‐risk populations. Objectives: To examine the epidemiology of suicide‐related hospitalized patients, including overall suicide mortality, hospitalization incidence, hospitalization prevalence, and fatality rates—and to analyze long‐term trends in Taiwan. Methods: This study utilized data from three national databases: the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), the Household Registration Database, and the Cause of Death Data in Taiwan. Information on 66,399 hospitalized patients with suicide‐related injuries from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2018, was collected from the NHIRD, and the Cause of Death Statistics from 1998 to 2020 was analyzed. Results: The proportion of females hospitalized for attempted suicide (55.01%) was higher than that of males (44.99%). Hospitalizations were predominantly higher among individuals aged 20–39 years (46.63%). The three most common suicide methods were ingestion of solid or liquid substances (62.75%), jumping from buildings (19.13%), and burning charcoal (12.08%). Among these, females had higher rates of ingesting solid or liquid substances (11.32/100,000), cutting with tools (0.15/100,000), and jumping from buildings (3.2/100,000), whereas males had higher rates of burning charcoal (1.41/100,000), hanging (0.39/100,000), and firearm use. Regarding age, young adults aged 20–49 years were more likely to attempt suicide by jumping from buildings, burning charcoal, or using gas, while older adults aged 65 years and above predominantly used ingestion of solids, hanging, or cutting tools. Furthermore, suicide methods exhibited substantial regional variations. Conclusions: From 1998 to 2020, suicide‐related hospitalizations, mortality, and morbidity rates increased in Taiwan, underscoring a pressing public health concern that warrants immediate attention. The marked rise in hospitalization rates indicates that suicide attempts may be becoming more frequent or severe, emphasizing the urgent need to strengthen early intervention strategies.