Objective To determine the usefulness of real time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography(RT-3D TEE) in the preoperative assessment of mitral valve (MV) pathology by comparing images with surgical findings and to evaluate the function of MV postoperatively. Methods Nineteen consecutive adult patients with established diagnosis of mitral regurgitation(MR) scheduled for surgical correction were enrolled. Intraoperative 2D and 3D transesophageal echocardiography(TEE) were performed. All the 3D images were compared with findings obtained from direct surgical inspection. Postoperative RT-3D TEE was performed immediately to evaluate outcomes of mitral annuloplasty. Results Superb 3D-TEE en face views of the MV were obtained in all patients. Correct diagnoses of MV pathology in agreement with the surgical findings were made in 16 of 19 patients (84. 2%), however in the remaining 3 patients, the diagnoses were incorrect despite good image quality. In one, RT-3D TEE diagnosed prolapse of A2 segment and P2 scallop,which was not confirmed at surgery, but MV degeneration and annular dilatation were observed. In another one, RT-3D TEE revealed prolapse of P3 scallop, while at surgery prolapse involved P2 and P3 with ruptured chordae. In the rest one,surgically detected prolapse of P2 was missed by RT-3D TEE. On the other hand with 2D TEE,the diagnoses correlated poorly with surgical findings,only 10 patients were accurately diagnosed (52.6%). In some patients,2D TEE was able to identify the MVP, but it had difficulty in defining the exact location of the prolapsed segment or scallop. The severity of MR decreased significantly after surgery. MV repair was successful in all patients except one(5.1%), in whom moderate to severe MR was still present and MV replacement was conducted subsequently as an alternative.Conclusions RT-3D TEE provides excellent imaging of MV components, including the anterior and posterior leaflets, as well as annulus and subvalvular structures, which can be especially helpful in planning the most appropriate surgery strategy. RT-3D TEE offers exact anatomic characteristics of mitral annuloplasty rings and bands, providing additional information for the evaluation of surgical outcomes.

Objective To investigate the effect of erythropoietin(EPO)on the proliferation of neural stem cells(NSCs)derived from central canal of adult rat spinal cord in vitro ,so as to provide a theoretical basis for clinical treatment of spinal cord injury by autotransplanting or allograft transplanting of adult spinal cord NSCs. Method NSCs were isolated from the central canal of the adult rats spinal cord by microsurgical method,and Nestin(nestin)and Sox2 immunofluorescence stain were used to identify the cells. After cells were treated with different dose of EPO,5,10,20 and 40 U/mL,respectively,the optical treatment concentration and time were determined by CCK8 assay. The effect of EPO on the cell count and the expression of Cyclin D1 in NSCs were detected at the treatment time 96 h. Result The NSCs derived from the central canal of adult SD rats spinal cord could stably express protein Nestin and transcription factor Sox2. As the results of CCK8 test,cell counts and real-time quantitative PCR showed the optimal treatment of concentration and time maybe 20 U/mL and 96 h. Conclusions This study shows that EPO can promote the proliferation of NSCs derived from central canal of adult rat spinal cord,and the optimal treatment of concentration and time for proliferation might be 20 U/mL and 96 h.

Objective:To establish a new model for the prediction of severe outcomes of COVID-19 patients and provide more comprehensive, accurate and timely indicators for the early identification of severe COVID-19 patients.Methods:Based on the patients’ admission detection indicators, mild or severe status of COVID-19, and dynamic changes in admission indicators (the differences between indicators of two measurements) and other input variables, XGBoost method was applied to establish a prediction model to evaluate the risk of severe outcomes of the COVID-19 patients after admission. Follow up was done for the selected patients from admission to discharge, and their outcomes were observed to evaluate the predicted results of this model.Results:In the training set of 100 COVID-19 patients, six predictors with higher scores were screened and a prediction model was established. The high-risk range of the predictor variables was calculated as: blood oxygen saturation <94 %, peripheral white blood cells count >8.0×10 9, change in systolic blood pressure <-2.5 mmHg, heart rate >90 beats/min, multiple small patchy shadows, age >30 years, and change in heart rate <12.5 beats/min. The prediction sensitivity of the model based on the training set was 61.7 %, and the missed diagnosis rate was 38.3 %. The prediction sensitivity of the model based on the test set was 75.0 %, and the missed diagnosis rate was 25.0 %. Conclusions:Compared with the traditional prediction (i.e. using indicators from the first test at admission and the critical admission conditions to assess whether patients are in mild or severe status), the new model’s prediction additionally takes into account of the baseline physiological indicators and dynamic changes of COVID-19 patients, so it can predict the risk of severe outcomes in COVID-19 patients more comprehensively and accurately to reduce the missed diagnosis of severe COVID-19.

Objective To investigate the value of synchronous recording of Doppler blood flow spectrum of fetal pulmonary artery and vein in quantitative measurement of fetal heart conduction time. Methods A total of 221 fetuses aged 16-41 weeks were enrolled in this study.Each fetus was measured by pulsed Doppler (PD),tissue Doppler (DTI) and pulmonary arteriovenous synchrony (PA-PV). Atrioventricular conduction time (AV) and the time period from ventricular contraction began to shrink to the next cardiac atrial contractions (VA) were recorded for comparing the consistency of three measure methods.Results ①The AV and VA obtained by three different measurement methods have no significant difference after any comparison( P >0.05). ②There was a significant positive correlation between AV and gestational age (r= 0.825, P = 0.000). There was a weak correlation between VA and gestational age (r=0.216,P =0.000). ③AV was negatively related to heart rate ( r = -0.236,P =0.000);VA was negatively related to heart rate( r = -0.860,P =0.000). ④There was a positive correlation between AV and biparietal diameter ( r = 0.188, P = 0.005). There was no significant correlation between VA and biparietal diameter ( r = 0.054, P = 0.428). ⑤ AV and VA in different gestational weeks fetuses were analyzed by ANOVA. The differences in AV among PD,DTI and PA-PV groups were statistically significant ( P =0.014),AV > 36 weeks was the longest,and there was no significant difference in VA among PD,DTI and PA-PV groups ( P =0.941). ⑥ According to different biparietal diameter grouping, the differences in AV among PD,DTI and PA-PV groups were statistically significant ( P = 0.004),and biparietal diameter was 8~9 cm.There was no significant difference in VA among PD,DTI and PA-PV groups ( P = 0.829). Conclusions PA-PV method,PD method and DTI determination of fetal heart conduction time have the same clinical value,the measured data can be used as a clinical reference value, quantitative analysis of fetal arrhythmia has important clinical potential value.

Objective:To analyze the correlation between left and right atrial diameters and fetal biological growth parameters of normal fetuses in middle and late trimester, and to establish normal reference and Z-score model for left and right atria.Methods:Three hundred and ninety-two fetuses in middle and late trimester were prospectively selected from July 2022 to October 2022 in Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital.Non-cardiac biometric parameters included biparietal diameter (BPD), femoral length (FL), and gestational age (GA) based on menstrual age were assessed.Left and right atrial widths (LAW, RAW) and atrial lengths (LAL, RAL) at end-systole, left and right atrial areas (LAA, RAA) at end-systole and the heart area (HA) at end-diastole were measured in standard apical four-chamber or basal four-chamber view. The ratio of RA and LA transverse diameters (RAW/LAW), the ratio of RA and LA length diameters (RAL/LAL), ratio of RA and LA area (RAA/LAA), spherical index of the ratio of RA and LA length to transverse diameter (RASI, LASI), ratio of LA and RA area to heart area (LAA/HA, RAA/HA) were calculated. The best regression equation was established using GA, BPD and FL as independent variables and LAL, LAW, LAA, RAL, RAW, RAA as dependent variable. The correlation between the standard deviation (SD) and the independent variables GA, BPD and FL was analyzed, and then the above statistics were used to calculate the corresponding Z-score for each variable of RA and LA using the regression equation.Results:①Significant positive correlations were found between LAW, RAW, LAL, RAL, LAA and RAA with the increase of GA, BPD and FL, and the highest degree of correlation between RAA, LAA and GA was denoted ( r=0.927, 0.920, all P<0.001). ②Taking GA as an example, there was no significant correlation between RAL/LAL, RAW/LAW and GA ( r=-0.064, 0.077; all P>0.05). RAA/LAA showed a very weak positive correlation with GA ( r=0.106, P=0.037), with normal reference values of 1.002±0.091, 1.091±0.093, 1.059±0.090, respectively. Interestingly RAL/LAL was found close to 1, while RAW/LAW and RAA/LAA were always >1. No significant correlations were found between LAA/HA, RAA/HA and GA ( r=0.003, 0.056; all P>0.05), with normal reference values of 0.155±0.026, 0.163±0.026, respectively, and RAA/HA was found larger than LAA/HA. LASI showed a very weak positive correlation with GA ( r=0.112, P=0.027), while there was no significant correlation between RASI and GA ( r=0.003, P>0.05), the normal reference values were 1.068±0.113, 0.980±0.105, respectively. ③The SD of LAL, LAW, etc.showed a simple linear relationship with the independent variables. Taking RAA and GA as examples, the linear regression equation for RAA was Y=-1.690+ 0.107 0GA ( r=0.927, P<0.001) and the linear regression equation for RAA-SD was Y=-0.107+ 0.010 4GA ( r=0.320, P<0.001). The Z-scores for LAL, LAW, LAA, RAL, RAW and RAA were relatively constant with the growth of GA, BPD and FL, with the corresponding Z-scores for GA were -1.817~3.631( r=0.000 3), -1.605~2.995( r<-0.000 1), -1.700~3.107( r<0.000 1), -1.617~3.466( r=0.000 1), -1.491~3.025( r<-0.000 1), -1.566~3.104( r=0.000 2), respectively. Conclusions:This study preliminarily establish the reference value ranges and Z-score of atrial diameters in normal fetuses during middle and late trimester, providing a reference basis for accurate quantitative evaluation of fetal atrial development and analysis of fetal congenital heart abnormalities, and contributing to the early detection of pathological conditions leading to abnormal atrial size.

Objective:To evaluate the morphological characteristics of the fetal heart and the contractile function of the left and right ventricles in fetuses with pulmonary stenosis (PS) and pulmonary atresia (PA) using fetal heart quantitative analysis technology (fetal HQ), and to assess the impact of different degrees of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction (RVOTO) on the contractile function of the fetal left and right ventricles. To accumulate early data and explore parameters for constructing a predictive model and clinical decision-making tool for the progression of fetal PS and PA.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 42 cases of mild to moderate PS and 23 cases of severe PS or PA detected through fetal echocardiography in the Department of Ultrasound, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, from July 2020 to December 2021. A control group of 195 normal fetal cases matching gestational weeks was selected. The fetal HQ technique was employed to measure the global sphericity index (GSI), left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), left/right ventricular area change percentage (LVFAC, RVFAC), and left/right ventricular longitudinal strain (LVGLS, RVGLS). Additionally, 24-segment sphericity index (SI) and fractional shortening (FS) for both left and right ventricles were measured. Comparative analyses were performed between the case and control groups, as well as within the case group.Results:In comparison with the control group, the case group exhibited significantly decreased GSI, LVGLS, LVEF, LVFAC, RVGLS, and RVFAC.The differences were statistically significant in the mild to moderate PS group (all P<0.05) and highly significant in the severe PS/PA group (all P<0.01). In the mild to moderate PS group, the left ventricle′s 2nd segment, right ventricle′s 24th segment SI, and the left ventricle′s 1st-13th segments, right ventricle′s 1st-16th and 20th-24th segments FS showed statistically significant differences compared to the control group (all P<0.05). In the severe PS/PA group, the right ventricle′s 1st-22nd segment SI, and the left ventricle′s 6th-13th, 21st-24th segments, and the right ventricle′s 1st-14th segments FS were reduced, showing statistically significant differences compared to the control group (all P<0.05). The severe PS/PA group showed lower RVGLS, RVFAC, and SI for the right ventricle′s 1st to 17th segments when compared to the mild to moderate PS group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Quantitative indices derived by fetal HQ is capable of evaluating the cardiac morphology and function of fetuses with PS/PA, which may provide for reference information for comprehensive understanding of cardiac morphological and functional changes in such fetuses.

Objective To observe the correlations of two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging(2D-STI)parameters of healthy fetal heart and gestational age in middle and late pregnancy.Methods Fetal echocardiography was prospectively performed in 279 healthy singleton fetuses in middle and late pregnancy.The fetuses were divided into group A(20-23+6 weeks of pregnancy,n=49),B(24-27+6 weeks of pregnancy,n=112),C(28-31+6 weeks of pregnancy,n=63),D(32-35+6 weeks of pregnancy,n=30)and group E(≥36 weeks of pregnancy,n=25)according to gestational age.Fetal left ventricle(LV)ejection fraction,LV and right ventricle(RV)area change fraction,LV and RV global radial strain(GRS),LV and RV myocardium and endocardium global longitudinal strain(MyoGLS,EndoGLS),LV myocardium and endocardium global circumferential strain(MyoGCS,EndoGCS)were obtained with 2D-STI and compared among 5 groups,and the correlations with gestational age were analyzed.Results Significant differences of fetal LV EndoGLS was found among 5 groups(P=0.044).Fetal LV GRS and RV GRS were positively correlated with gestational age(r=0.165,0.122,both P＜0.05)in middle and late pregnancy,while the absolute value of LV EndoGLS was negatively correlated with gestational age(r=-0.133,P=0.026).Conclusion LV GRS and RV GRS were positively correlated with gestational age in healthy fetuses in middle and late pregnancy,while the absolute value of LV EndoGLS was negatively correlated with gestational age.