Transesophageal Echocardiographic Analysis of the Systolic Pattern of the Anterior Mitral Leaflet in Patients with Flat Chest

Transesophageal echocardiography was conducted to determine the systolic pattern of the anterior mitral leaflet in patients with flat chest, and to differentiate it from that associated with mitral valve prolapse. The fronto-sagittal index (an index of chest flattening) was determined in 50 subjects using chest radiographs, and was used to classify them into a flat chest group (index < 0.38, n = 28) and a normal chest group (index ≥ 0.38, n = 22). We then used transesophageal echocardiography to examine the anterior leaflet in these subjects. A significant positive correlation was observed between the fronto-sagittal index and the short-to long-axis diameter ratio of the left ventricle in all patients. These parameters, and the left atrial dimension were lower in the flat than the normal chest group. The clear zone area of the anterior leaflet during mid-to late-systole was significantly larger in the flat chest group. However, no intergroup differences existed in the rough zone area of the anterior leaflet or in the middle scallop area of the posterior leaflet. Mitral regurgitation was observed in 20 and 12 subjects in the flat and normal chest groups, respectively. The maximum mitral regurgitant area did not differ between the two groups. The clear zone area of the anterior leaflet increased significantly following inhalation of amyl nitrite in 22 subjects of both groups, but the other areas did not increase. The mitral regurgitant area decreased or disappeared after amyl nitrite at a similar rate in each group. Thus, the decrease in the antero-posterior dimension of the thorax in subjects with flat chest affects the systolic pattern of the clear zone of the anterior leaflet more than that of the rough zone of the anterior leaflet or the posterior leaflet. This systolic pattern in such patients differs from that associated with mitral valve prolapse.     

二维超声心动图对高原婴幼儿右室射血分数的估测

目的：将二维超声测量右室射血分数（RVEF）的方法应用于临床。方法：用心尖四腔观单平面面积－长度法测量43例高原正常婴幼儿RVEF，并与40例患右室扩张肥厚型心肌病（RVDCHM）婴幼儿进行了比较。结果：健康组RVEF均值为58．20％，标准差为7．24％；患儿组均值为36．10％，标准差为7．01％，两组测量的RVEF有非常显著差异（P＜0．001）。结论：心尖四腔观单平面面积－长度法测量RVEF可作为估测右室收缩功能的简单可靠的方法。     

地尔硫静脉滴注治疗冠心病心绞痛

目的：观察地尔硫Ｚｈｕｏ注射液静脉滴注治疗冠心病心绞痛的疗效。方法：８６例心绞痛患者分为两组，其中治疗组４６例，用地尔硫Ｚｈｕｏ５０ｍｇ加入５％葡萄糖液２５０ｍｌ中静滴，１次／ｄ，连续１０ｄ；对照组４０例用丹参液１６ｍｌ加入５％葡萄糖液２５０ｍｌ中静滴，１次／ｄ，连续１０ｄ。结果：治疗组症状控制总有效率９８％，患者心电图改善率６１％，明显高于对照组的３７％和２８％，地尔硫Ｚｈｕｏ改善心功能效果明显     

Upper Gastrointestinal Irritation and Arrhythmia

Abstract: The influence of endoscopic examination on the occurrence of arrhythmia was investigated electrocardiographically in 30 patients with cardiovascular disease who underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) (group A) and 38 patients with digestive tract disease who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGIE) (group B). The mode and frequency of arrhythmia during the examination were compared between the two groups. (1) Arrhythmia was more frequently observed in group A (22 of 30, 73.3%) than in group B (9 of 38, 23.7%) patients (p<0.001). The common arrhythmias in both groups were supraventricular premature beat and ventricular premature beat. Serious arrhythmias, such as 2nd degree atrioventricular block and ventricular fibrillation were detected only in group A patients. (2) The region of the esophagus where the tip of the probe or scope was located was classified into three segments: upper (0–15 cm), middle (15–35 cm) and lower (35 cm<). Arrhythmias tended to be frequent when the tip of the probe or scope was located in the middle segment of the esophagus. These data indicate that arrhythmias observed during TEE or UGIE are related to the underlying heart disease. Furthermore, the middle segment of the esophagus appears to be particularly susceptible to the provocation of arrhythmia.     

多平面经食道超声心动图对心血管疾病的诊断价值

为了评价多平面经食道超声心动图（ＴＥＥ）的临床应用价值，对３６例临床经胸超声心动图（ＴＴＥ）检查尚未完全明确诊断的心血管疾病患者进行了ＴＥＥ检查。结果显示：①２６例（７２％）患者ＴＥＥ补充或纠正了ＴＴＥ诊断；②９例手术患者ＴＥＥ诊断符合率１００％；③对感染性心内膜炎小赘生物的检出、间隔缺损部位、数目、合并畸型、心腔内血栓、大动脉瘤等ＴＥＥ的诊断价值明显高于ＴＴＥ。     

超声心动图和下肢静脉超声联合血浆D-二聚体对孕产妇肺栓塞的临床诊断价值

目的分析和评价超声心动图和下肢静脉超声联合血浆D-二聚体对孕产妇肺栓塞（pulmonary thromboembolism, PE）的临床诊断和预测价值。方法回顾性收集2019年5月—2021年5月同济大学附属第一妇婴保健院收治120例临床疑诊PE的孕产妇临床资料,按照肺动脉断层血管造影（computed tomographic pulmonary angiographic, CTPA）的结果分为阴性组和阳性组,比较和评价超声心动图、下肢静脉超声、血浆D-二聚体单独及联合诊断孕产妇PE的临床诊断和预测效能。结果临床特征比较： 两组间年龄、孕次、产次、受孕方式、受孕胎数、终止妊娠方式、是否早产、既往妇产科手术史、既往外科手术史、是否合并高血压、糖尿病、肥胖及BNP等指标比较差异均无统计学意义（均P>0.05）。两组间仅血浆D-二聚体比较差异有统计学意义（t=-3.598,P＜0.001）。超声心动图、下肢静脉超声和血浆D-二聚体升高单独及联合诊断孕产妇PE的灵敏度分别为45.00%、53.33%、95.00%和85.00%,特异度分别为83.33%、91.67%、21.67%和81.67%,阳性预测值分别为72.97%、86.49%、54.81%和82.26%,阴性预测值分别为60.24%、66.27%、81.25%和84.48%。与单独诊断相比较,联合诊断显著提高灵敏度（χ2=49.669,P＜0.001）、特异度（χ2=88.413,P＜0.001）、阳性预测值（χ2=20.629,P＜0.001）和阴性预测值（χ2=11.169,P=0.01）。多因素Logistic回归分析提示超声心动图阳性（OR=18.266,P＜0.001）、下肢静脉血栓（OR=45.482,P＜0.001）及D-二聚体升高（OR=6.595,P=0.019）与孕产妇PE发生显著相关,ROC曲线分析显示单独及联合诊断的曲线下面积（AUC）分别为0.642、0.725、0.583和0.833。结论超声心动图和下肢静脉超声联合血浆D-二聚体对孕产妇PE具有良好的诊断和预测价值,为临床早期预防、诊断和治疗提供可靠依据。     

Use of a mouth gag instrument to facilitate bite block insertion and prevent finger and probe bites during transesophageal echocardiography

Transesophageal echocardiography greatly enhances the examination of patients difficult to image transthoracically. While of low patient risk, a potential for harm from human bites to the echocardiography staff and to the transesophageal probe remains, particularly when dealing with uncooperative patients. This risk potential prompted implementation of additional anti-bite protection in our universal precautions policy beyond use of a standard mouth guard. A mouth gag instrument was modified by placing latex rubber tubing over the instrument blades. This instrument was inserted into the mouth and set in an open position giving the operator safe access for probe and mouth bite guard insertion. This technique improved access to the patient's mouth and visualization of probe insertion without the mouth bite guard. The mouth gag instrument provided an insertion of the transesophageal probe in impaired or otherwise uncooperative patients, which was safer for the patient, laboratory staff, and the probe itself.     

Haemodynamic effects of atropine during halothane or isoflurane anaesthesia in infants and small children

In this study, two-dimensional and pulsed Doppler echocardiography were used to measure cardiovascular changes before and after IV atropine in 31 infants and small children during halothane (n = 15) or isoflurane (n = 16) anaesthesia. Prior to induction of anaesthesia heart rate (HR), mean blood pressure (MBP), and two0dimensional echocardiographic dimensions of the left ventricle and pulmonary artery bloodflow velocity were measured by pulsed Doppler echocardiography. Cardiovascular measurements were repeated while anaesthesia was maintained at 1.5 MAC halothane (n = 15) or isoflurane (n = 16). Atropine 0.02 mg·kg⁻¹ IV was then administered and two minutes later, a third set of cardiovascular data was obtained. Heart rate decreased during halothane anaesthesia but did not change significantly during isoflurane anaesthesia. Mean blood pressure, cardiac output (CO) and stroke volume (SV) decreased similarly during 1.5 MAC halothane or isoflurane anaesthesia. Ejection fraction (EF) decreased and left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) increased significantly in bothgroups, but decreases in EF (32 ± 5 percentvs18 ± 5 per cent) and increases in LVEDV (18 ± 7 per cent vs7 ± 5 per cent) were significantly greater during halothane than during isoflurane anaesthesia. Following atropine, HR increased more in the patients maintained with halothane (31 ± 6 per cent), than during isoflurane anaesthesia (18 ± 5 per cent). Atropine increased CO in both groups of patients, but SV and EF remained unchanged. When compared with awake values, HR increased similarly and significantly (18 ± 4 per cent) following atropine in both groups, and CO returned to control levels. Halothane decreased EF and increased LVEDV more than isoflurane at 1.5 MAC end— expired anaesthetic levels. Atropine did not diminish the myocardial depression produced by halothane or isoflurane. The increase in CO following atropine during halothane and isoflurane anaesthesia in infants and small children is the result of increases in HR alone. Nous avons utilisé un appareil à échocardiographie bi-dimensionnelle couplé à un Doppler pulsé chez des bébés et de jeunes enfants pour évaluer l’impact hémodynamique de l’halothane (n = 15) et de l’isoflurane (n = 16) et la modification possible de ces effets par l’atropine. Nous avons mesure la frequence cardiaque (FC), la pression artérielle moyenne (PAM), la dimension de la cavité ventriculaire gauche (par écho bi-dimensionnelle) et la vélocité du flot sanguin pulmonaire (par Doppler) et ce, en trois occasions soit avant l’induction, après l’instauration de 1.5 MAC d’halothane ou d’isoflurane et finalement, deux minutes après l’injection IV de 0.02 mg·kg⁻¹ d’atropine. On ne nota une baisse de la frequence cardiaque qu’avec l’halothane tandis que la PAM, le débit cardiaque (DC) et le volume d’éjection (VE) diminuaient autant avec l’un ou l’autre anesthésique. La diminution de la fraction d’éjection (FE) et l’augmentation du volume télédiastolique du ventricule gauche (VTDVG) significatives pour les deux groupes, étaienl plus marqué avec l’halothane qu’avec l’isoflurane: FE 32 ± 5 pour cent vs18 ±5 pour cent; VTDVG 18 ± 7 pour cent vs 7 ± 5 pour cent. Avec l’atropine, la FC monta plus dans le groupe halothane (31 ± 6 pour cent) que dans le groupe isoflurane (18 ± 5 pour cent), le DC augmentant dans les deux groupes, alors que le VE et la FE demeuraient inchangés. Comparée aux mesures pré-induction, l’atropine amenait une hausse significative de la FC, semblable dans les deux groupes (18 ± 4 pour cent) et restaurait le DC. Donc, chez les bebes et les jeunes enfants, a 1.5 MAC, l’halothane diminue la FE et augmente le VTDVG plus que ne le fait l’isoflurane. L’atropine ne modifie pas la depression myocardique et elle ne restaure le DC que par une hausse de la FC.

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Supported by PHS Grant No. 8507300 from the College of Medicine, University of Iowa Hospital, Iowa City, IA.     

A two-dimensional electrophoresis reference map of human ovary

The ovary plays a central role in oogenesis and gonadal hormone secretion. Proteomic analysis is a valuable approach for gaining an increased understanding of the molecular nature of the ovary. In this work, two-dimensional electrophoresis for protein separation followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry and database searches, identified 231 protein spots corresponding to 138 individual proteins that were found in gels representing both the follicular and luteal phases. The data were used to construct a database online (). The identified proteins were functionally classified into seven groups: (1) cell signaling/communication, (2) cell division, (3) gene/protein expression, (4) metabolism, (5) cell structure and motility, (6) cell/organism defense, and (7) unclassified. Among the proteins identified, 47% had not been previously reported in the human ovary. In addition, a number of disease-related proteins were identified in this protein map, including some cancer- and polycystic ovarian syndrome-related proteins. Two proteins with phosphorylation were verified by Western blot analysis. Comparison of protein abundance between follicular and luteal stages produced seven protein spots that had been identified in our database. This study provides a preliminary reference map of normal human ovary that will form a basis for comparative studies on normal and pathological conditions of the human ovary and may serve as a potential tool for clinical diagnosis, therapeutics, and prognosis.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at L. Wang and Y.-F. Zhu contributed equally to this work     

Comparative proteomic analysis of Vibrio cholerae O139, O22, O155 and El Tor biotype epidemic strains

Cholera ,as one of the most severe epidemic dis-eases inthe world,can occurin a short time ,andspread quicklyto a wide region.Until 1992 ,onlyV.choleraeserogroup O1 was recognized as thecause of epidemic cholera . However in October1992 ,a major outbreak of a cholera-like illnesscaused by a newserogroupstrain ofV.choleraee-mergedinIndia and Bangladesh.In contrast to allpreviously reported non-O1 strains , which induceonly sporadic cases of human diarrhea without epi-demic potential ,the new…