To evaluate the possibility and accuracy of Doppler tissue image (DTI) on assessment of normal and abnormal ventricular activation and contraction sequence, 9 open chest canine hearts were analyzed by acceleration mode, M-mode, and spectrum mode DTI. Our results showed that: (1) Acceleration mode DTI could show the origin of activation and conduction sequence on line; (2) M-mode DTI revealed that the activation in mid-interventricular septum was earlier than that in mid-left ventricular posterior wall at sinus activation; (3) Spectrum DTI showed the ventricular endocardium was activated earlier than the ventricular epicardium in all segments at sinus rhythm. The earliest site of activation of the normal ventricular wall was at middle interventricular septum; the latest site was at basal-posterior wall; the contraction sequence was different at the different walls; (4) During abnormal ventricular activation, mid-left ventricular posterior wall was activated earliest in accordance with the pacing sites. Abnormal ventricular activation was slower than sinus activation, and the contraction sequence varied at different sites of ventricular wall. It is concluded that DTI can be used to localize the origin of normal or abnormal myocardial activation and to assess the contraction sequence conveniently, accurately and non-invasively.
Echocardiography, Doppler/instrumentation ; Echocardiography, Doppler/*methods ; Heart Ventricles/*ultrasonography ; Myocardial Contraction/*physiology ; Sinoatrial Node/physiology ; Tachycardia/physiopathology ; Tachycardia/ultrasonography

Objective To explore the effect of action verb processing on the excitability of the motor cortex and any effect on the upper limb motor function of stroke survivors.Methods Experiment 1:The motor evoked potential by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS-MEP) was measured while 18 healthy subjects were processing concrete action verbs or abstract verbs.Experiment 2:Eight hemiplegic stroke survivors were asked to read silently text describing concrete hand actions,and then repeat and explain the meaning of the action verbs used in the text.This was repeated for 30 minutes per day,5 days per week for 3 weeks.In the 2nd week the same training was conducted except that the text was about abstract verbs.The modified Ashworth scale (MAS),Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA),the Hong Kong version of the functional test for a hemiplegic upper extremity (FTHUE-HK) and a simple test for evaluating hand function (STEF) were used to assess upper limb motor function before and after the training each week.Results Experiment 1:Processing the concrete action verbs induced significantly greater MEP than processing the abstract verbs.Experiment 2:The average FMA and STEF ratings improved significantly after the training each week.Training with the concrete action verbs resulted in significantly better FMA and STEF scores than with the abstract verbs.The average MAS score increased significantly week by week.There was significantly more improvement in the average FTHUE-HK rating after the 1st and 3rd week of training than after the 2nd week.Conclusion Action verb processing induces greater motor cortex excitation than abstract verb processing among healthy subjects and better improves the upper limb motor function of stroke survivors.

Objective To approach the changes of cytosol phospholipase A2α(cPLA2α)and nitric oxide (NO)in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)and its significance. Methods One hundred patients with COPD admitted into Department of Critical Care Medicine of Affiliated Wuqing Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)Hospital of Tianjin University of TCM were enrolled,and according to the COPD severity grading standards,they were divided into mild group(25 cases),moderate group(25 cases),severe group(26 cases) and extremely severe group(24 cases);simultaneously,90 cases with normal pulmonary function who had taken health examination were chosen and assigned to the healthy control group. The cPLA2α level was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),the level of uric acid(UA),total cholesterol(TC),triacylglycerol (TG)were detected by enzymatic method,and serum NO metabolites(NOx)level was detected by nitrate reductase method. Results Compared with the healthy control group,the serum levels of cPLA2α and UA in patients with different severity of COPD were significantly increased;along with the increase of patient's COPD grade of severity,the cPLA2α,UA levels were gradually increased,while NOx level was gradually decreased in mild, moderate, severe, extremely severe groups〔cPLA2α(ng/L):125.60±8.17, 155.20±6.42, 190.20±9.32, 255.80±11.28 vs. 88.50±7.99;UA(μmol/L):381.23±32.22,434.95±87.71,464.81±52.65,487.45±82.61 vs. 241.95±52.33;NOx(μmol/L):59.90±17.52,45.60±6.17,38.20±4.08,25.70±3.04 vs. 74.90±18.31,all P<0.05〕. The differences in blood cPLA2αand serum NOx level among groups with different severity of COPD were of statistical significance(P<0.05). The levels of TC,TG among these different severity groups had no statistical significance(all P>0.05). The cPLA2αand NOx levels presented significant negative correlation(rs=-0.798,P=0.013). Conclusion The combined examination of blood cPLA2αand serum NOx levels can evaluate the severity degree of COPD patients,and cPLA2αcan be used as a new target index for COPD grading.

To evaluate the possibility and accuracy of Doppler tissue image (DTI) on assessment of normal and abnormal ventricular activation and contraction sequence, 9 open chest canine hearts were analyzed by acceleration mode, M-mode, and spectrum mode DTI. Our results showed that: (1) Acceleration mode DTI could show the origin of activation and conduction sequence on line; (2) M-mode DTI revealed that the activation in mid-interventricular septum was earlier than that in mid-left ventricular posterior wall at sinus activation; (3) Spectrum DTI showed the ventricular endocardium was activated earlier than the ventricular epicardium in all segments at sinus rhythm. The earliest site of activation of the normal ventricular wall was at middle interventricular septum; the latest site was at basal-posterior wall; the contraction sequence was different at the different walls; (4) During abnormal ventricular activation, mid-left ventricular posterior wall was activated earliest in accordance with the pacing sites. Abnormal ventricular activation was slower than sinus activation, and the contraction sequence varied at different sites of ventricular wall. It is concluded that DTI can be used to localize the origin of normal or abnormal myocardial activation and to assess the contraction sequence conveniently, accurately and non-invasively.
Animals ; Dogs ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; instrumentation ; methods ; Heart Ventricles ; diagnostic imaging ; Myocardial Contraction ; physiology ; Sinoatrial Node ; physiology ; Tachycardia ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of agomelatin and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors （SSRIs） in the treatment of depressive disorder via network Meta-analysis. MethodsThe literature databases such as China National Knowledge Network （CNKI）， Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform， VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodical （VIP）， Chinese Biomedical Literature Database （CBM）， PubMed， Embase and Cochrane Library were searched from the inception to November 2021. Based on the preset inclusion and exclusion criteria， literature screening， quality assessment of methodology and data extraction were conducted by two researchers separately， then statistical analysis was carried out using ADDIS software. ResultsA total of 7 256 patients with depressive disorder in 22 randomized controlled trials were included. According to the consistency assessed in Bayesian network Meta-analysis and the estimation of the probability of being the best treatment， escitalopram （P=0.63） ranked first for response rate and paroxetine （P=0.31） was associated with the best ranking for cure rate in terms of the effectiveness， meantime， paroxetine （P=0.44） had the highest adverse events risk and sertraline （P=0.74） had the highest study drop-outs proportion in terms of safety. ConclusionEscitalopram and paroxetine may be superior to sertraline， agomelatine， citalopram and fluoxetine in the treatment of depressive disorder， furthermore， paroxetine and sertraline demonstrate poor safety profiles.