LV Mechanics in Mitral and Aortic Valve Diseases: Value of Functional Assessment Beyond Ejection Fraction

The assessment of myocardial function in the context of valvular heart disease remains highly challenging. The myocardium deforms simultaneously in 3 dimensions, and global left ventricular (LV) function parameters such as volume and ejection fraction may remain compensated despite the changes in myocardial deformation properties. Current guidelines recommend valve replacement/repair in the presence of symptoms or reduced LV ejection fraction, but the resolution of symptoms or recovery of LV function post-surgery may not be reliably predicted. A wealth of evidence currently suggests that LV dysfunction is frequently subclinical despite normal ejection fraction. It may precede the onset of symptoms and portend a poor outcome due to progressive myocardial remodeling and dysfunction during the post-operative period. The advent of novel tissue-tracking echocardiography techniques has unleashed new opportunities for the clinical identification of early abnormalities in LV function. This review gathers and summarizes current evidence regarding the use of these techniques to assess myocardial deformation in patients with valvular heart disease.     

Alteración del strain auricular izquierdo como predictor de fibrilación auricular de nuevo comienzo tras recambio valvular aórtico,independientemente del tamaño de la aurícula izquierda

Introduction and objectives

Left atrial dysfunction in aortic stenosis may precede atrial enlargement and predict the occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF). To test this hypothesis, we assessed left atrial function and determined its impact on the incidence of AF after aortic valve replacement.

The central role of conventional 12-lead ECG for the assessment of microvascular obstruction after percutaneous myocardial revascularization

Guidelines report that the optimal treatment for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) when performed timely by trained operators. Yet, the reopening of the infarct-related artery (IRA) is not always followed by myocardial reperfusion. This phenomenon is most commonly called “no-reflow”, is caused by microvascular obstruction (MVO) and is associated to a worse outcome. Electrocardiogram (ECG) is crucial for the diagnosis of STEMI, but is also useful for the assessment of MVO. In this review we summarize ECG-derived parameters associated to MVO and their prognostic relevance.     

Stroke causes a transient imbalance of interhemispheric information flow in EEG during non-REM sleep

Objective

Large-scale connectivity, especially interhemispheric connections, plays a crucial role for recovery after stroke. Here we used methods from information theory to characterize interhemispheric information flow in wake- and sleep-EEG after cerebral ischemia.

肺腺癌细胞系H114的建立

目的建立国人男性肺腺癌细胞系,为肺癌的防治研究提供理想的体外实验模型。方法以经组织学和／或细胞学确诊的标本进行原代培养,通过光镜观察、细胞苏木精．伊红（HE）染色、细胞生长曲线、异体移植实验及组织HE染色等对其进行分析鉴定,建立细胞系。结果细胞经液氮罐或-80℃低温冰箱反复冻存复苏后仍保持良好的增殖活性,复苏细胞经0．4％胎盘蓝染色,活细胞比率均保持在85％以上。在整个168h的观察时间里,肺腺癌H114细胞始终处于持续增殖状态,可见潜伏期和指数生长期,由于本细胞系传代次数较少,生长活跃,7d还没出现平顶期和退化衰亡期;体外培养细胞生长稳定,细胞形态学及浸润性生长结果表明该细胞系符合恶性细胞特性,裸鼠接种成功致瘤,瘤细胞形态与原患者的病理切片相似,命名为H114细胞系。结论该细胞系符合建系标准,是一株新建的人肺腺癌细胞系。