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To evaluate the volume and function of left atrium and left atrial appendage in patients with atrial fibrillation by three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography and transthoracic echocardiography. Methods: A total of 112 patients with atrial fibrillation were divided into two groups: a paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (ParAF) group (n=80) and a persistent atrial fibrillation (PerAF) group (n=32). Control group was people without atrial fibrillation (n=40). Clinical data of the participants were collected. Left atrial dimension (LAD), left atrial volume (LAV), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) and left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) were measured by transthoracic echocardiography, while left atrial appendage peak emptying flow velocity (LAAeV), left atrial appendage peak filling flow velocity (LAAfV), left atrial appendage maximum volume (LAAVmax) and left atrial appendage minimum volume (LAAVmin) were measured by three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography. Left atrial volume index (LAVI), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left atrial appendage ejection fraction (LAAEF) were calculated. Results: Compared with the control group, LAAEF, LAAeV and LAAfV in the ParAF group were decreased obviously, while LAD, LAV, LAVI, LAAVmax and LAAVmin in the ParAF group were increased obviously (P<0.05). Compared with the ParAF group, LAAEF, LAAeV and LAAfV in the PerAF group were also decreased obviously, and LAD, LAV, LAVI, LAAVmax and LAAVmin in the ParAF group were also increased obviously (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in LVEDV, LVESV, LVEF between the ParAF group and the PerAF group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Left atrium and left atrial appendage were enlarged and the function of left atrial appendage was declined in patients with AF, and the changes were more obvious in patients with PerAF compared with patients with ParAF by three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography and transthoracic echocardiography.
Subject(s)
Humans , Atrial Appendage , Atrial Fibrillation , Echocardiography, Transesophageal , Heart AtriaABSTRACT
Objective:To examine the role of LY294002 in cardiac function and myocardial structure in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) rats.Methods:Fifty-two male SD rats were randomly assigned to a control group (n=16) and a DCM group (n=36).The DCM rats were induced by intraperitoneal injection of adriamycin,and the control rats were given normal saline.After observation for 2 weeks,6 rats from each group were killed randomly.In the end of the 8th week,the 24 DCM rats were randomly assigned to a DCM group (n=12) and a LY294002 group (n=12),which were given normal saline and LY294002,respectively.In the end of the 8th week and 16th week,the cardiac function was analyzed by ultrasonic cardiogram (UCG) and the plasma was collected to test the level of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP).HE and Van Gieson (VG) staining were performed to calculate the collagen volume fraction (CVF).Results:Compared with the control group,the left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD),left ventricular end-systolic dimension (LVESD) and NT-proBNP level of in the DCM rats were increased obviously,while the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF),left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS) in the DCM rats were decreased obviously (P＜0.01).These changes were consistent with DCM characteristics.Compared with the DCM group,the LVEDD,LVESD and NT-proBNP levels in the LY294002 group were decreased,while the LVEF and LVFS were increased (P＜0.05).Histopathology showed that the myocardium in the DCM rats was fibrotic and the CVF was increased compared with the control rats (P＜0.01).The myocardial structure was improved in the LY294002 group compared to the DCM group.Conclusion:LY294002 can reduce the myocardial fibrosis in the DCM rats and improve the cardiac function.
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OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the characteristics of left ventricular rotation and twist in patients with silent myocardial ischemia (SMI) by three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (3D-STE), and to explore the diagnostic value of this method for SMI. @*METHODS@#According to Gensini score, 66 patients with SMI were divided into 3 subgroups: a mild lesion group (n=16), a moderate lesion group (n=26) and a severe lesion group (n=24). Thirty patients with negative results in selective coronary angiography served as a control group. The parameters of wall motion score index (WMSI), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), peak basal rotation (Ptw-B), peak apical rotation (Prot-A), left ventricular peak apical rotation (LVrot), left ventricular peak apical twist (LVtw) were measured. @*RESULTS@#In the SMI group, with an increase in severity of myocardial ischemia, LVEF, Prot-A, Prot-B, LVrot, LVtw showed a decrease trend while WMSI exhibited an opposite phenomenon (P<0.05), and all of them displayed a significant corelation with Gensini score (P<0.05). In the diagnosis of SMI, all of the above-mentioned parameters were highly sensitive and specific. 3D-STE showed the highest diagnostic value for LVtw. @*CONCLUSION@#Left ventricular rotation and twisting motion monitered by 3D-STE can evaluate the severity of myocardial ischemia in patients with SMI.
Subject(s)
Humans , Coronary Artery Disease , Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional , Heart Ventricles , Myocardial Ischemia , Rotation , Ventricular Function, LeftABSTRACT
Genetic modification technology is a new molecular tool for targeted genome modification. It includes zinc finger nucleases (ZFN) technology, transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN) technology and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated (Cas) (CRISPR-Cas) nucleases technology. All of these nucleases create DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) at chromosomal targeted sites and induce cell endogenous mechanisms that are primarily repaired by the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or homologous recombination (HR) pathway, resulting in targeted endogenous gene knock-out or exogenous gene insertion. In recent years, genetic modification technologies have been successfully applied to bacteria, yeast, human cells, fruit fly, zebra fish, mouse, rat, livestock, cynomolgus monkey, Arabidopsis, rice, tobacco, maize, sorghum, wheat, barley and other organisms, showing its enormous advantage in gene editing field. Especially, the newly developed CRISPR-Cas9 system arose more attention because of its low cost, high effectiveness, simplicity and easiness. We reviewed the principles and the latest research progress of these three technologies, as well as prospect of future research and applications.