Objective To evaluate the unusual echocardiographic manifestation and its clinical value in the patients with constrictive pericarditis (CP). Methods To analyse the echocardiographic manifestation of CP in 187 patients retrospectively, especially left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and variation with respiration (VER) in mitral E velocity. Results Most of the patients with CP expressed the common echocardiographic features of CP. But some unusual echocardiographic signs were revealed. (1)LVEF

Objective To improve the understanding of cardiac valve involvement in Behcet's disease (BD).Methods The echocardiographic manifestations of 13 patients with BD were analysed and the results of 5 patients were compared with those of operation.Results Cardiac valve involvement wasn't rare.In the study,cardiac valve involvement was observed in 26% (13/50) of patients with BD.The principal manifestations of cardiac valve involvement were valve prolapse,perforation,split and regurgitation.Four (80%) patients had repeated operation.Conclusion Echocardiography provides the important information of valvular morphology and function in BD.

Objective To evaluate left atrial function serial change after circumferential pulmonary vein ablation(CPVA)for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation using tissue Doppler echocardiography.Methods One hundred and eight patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation underwent CPVA guided by CARTO.Tissue Doppler imaging and conventional echocardiography were underwent 48 h before CPVA,48 h,1 month,3 month and 6 month after CPVA.Results One hundred and six patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation finished CPVA successfully.Compared tO 48 h pre-CPVA,left atrial diameter and volume decreased 48 h,1 month,3 month,6 month after CPVA,significant change were found at 3 month,6 month after CPVA(P＜0.05).Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDD),left ventricular end-systolic diameter(LVESD).left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),mitral flow E revealed no significant change(P＞0.05).Mitral flow A decreased significantly 48 h after CPVA(P＜0.05),restored significantly after 3 month.Tissue Doppler parameter S'and E'revealed no significant change(P＞0.05)through the period,A'decreased significantly 48 h after CPVA(P＜0.05),restored significantlv after 1 month.Conclusions Left atrial diameter and volume decreased after CPVA.Left atrial active contraction function decreased shortly after CPVA(LA stunning),and restored progressively.

Objective To investigate the characteristics and the diagnostic value of the tissue strain imaging in constrictive pericarditis(CP).Methods Twenty-six patients and thirty controls underwent comprehensive echocardiography with apical four chamber tissue Doppler imaging and strain imaging.Peak strain of the middle segments of the inter-ventricle septum and left ventricular lateral wall was recorded.The peak strain difference and strain ratio between the two segments were calculated.Results In patients with CP peak strain of the left ventricle lateral wall was significantly lower than that of the septum[(-5.60?3.46)% vs(-14.14?4.11)%,P

The volume-time curve change in patients with normal left ventricular (LV) diastolic function and diastolic dysfunction was evaluated by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE). LV diastolic dysfunction was defined by E'0.05). It is concluded that PFR, as a diastolic filling index of RT3DE, can reflect the early diastolic function and serve as a new non-invasive, quick and accurate tool for clinical assessment of LV diastolic function.
Diastole/physiology ; Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional/*methods ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left/physiopathology ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left/*ultrasonography ; Ventricular Function, Left/*physiology

The volume-time curve change in patients with normal left ventricular (LV) diastolic function and diastolic dysfunction was evaluated by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE). LV diastolic dysfunction was defined by E'＜A' in pulse-wave tissue Doppler for inter-ventricular septal (IVS) of mitral annulus. In 24 patients with LV diastolic dysfunction, including 12 patients with delayed relaxation (delayed relaxation group) and 12 patients with pseudo-normal function (pseudo-normal group) and 24 normal volunteers (control group), data of full-volume image were acquired by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography and subjected to volume-time curve analysis. EDV (end-diastolic volume), ESV (end-systolic volume), LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction), PER (peak ejection rate), PFR (peak filling rate) from RT3DE were examined in the three groups. Compared to the control group, PFR (diastolic filling index of RT3DE) was significantly reduced in the delayed relaxation group and pseudo-normal group (P＜0.05). There were no significant differences in EDV, ESV, LVEF, PER (P＞0.05). It is concluded that PFR, as a diastolic filling index of RT3DE, can reflect the early diastolic function and serve as a new non-invasive, quick and accurate tool for clinical assessment of LV diastolic function.

ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect and regulatory mechanism of berberine （BBR） against the senescence of ovarian granulosa cells. MethodA cell senescence model in the human ovarian granulosa-like tumor （KGN） cell line was induced by H₂O₂. A control group， a model group， and high-dose （1 μmol·L^-1） and low-dose （0.5 μmol·L^-1） BBR groups were set up. The cells in the model group and the BBR groups were incubated with 10 μmol·L^-1 H₂O₂ for 40 min. The effect of BBR on KGN cell proliferation was detected by cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay. The effect of BBR on the senescence of KGN cells was detected by β-galactosidase staining. The effects of BBR on the apoptosis and ROS content of KGN cells were detected by flow cytometry. The effects of BBR on the mRNA expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）/Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease-3 （Caspase-3）， forkhead transcription factor O1 （FoxO1）， and catalase （CAT） was detected by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. Western blot was used to detect the effects of BBR on protein expression of silent information regulator1 （SIRT1）， superoxide dismutase 2 （SOD2）， c-Jun N-terminal kinase （JNK）， FoxO1， autophagy-associated protein microtubule-associated protein light chain 3Ⅱ （LC3BⅡ）， mammalian ortholog of yeast Atg6 （Beclin-1）， and ubiquitin-binding protein p62. ResultAfter H₂O₂ induction for 40 min， the cell proliferation rate of the model group decreased compared with that of the control group （P<0.01）， and the cell proliferation rates of the BBR groups increased compared with that of the model group （P<0.05）. The results of β-galactosidase staining showed that the cells of the model group showed significant senescence compared with those of the control group （P<0.01）， and the cellular senescence in the BBR groups was reduced compared with that of the model group （P<0.01）. As revealed by flow cytometry， compared with the control group， the model group showed increased apoptosis rate （P<0.01）， and compared with the model group， BBR groups showed decreased apoptosis rates （P<0.05）. Meanwhile， the ROS content in the model group increased compared with that in the control group （P<0.01）， and compared with the model group， the BBR groups showed reduced cellular ROS content （P<0.01）. The Real-time PCR results showed that compared with the control group， the model group showed decreased mRNA expression of CAT and Bcl-2/Bax in KGN cells and increased mRNA expression of Caspase-3 and FoxO1 （P<0.05）， and compared with the model group， the BBR groups showed increased mRNA expression of CAT and Bcl-2/Bax （P<0.05） and reduced mRNA expression of Caspase-3 and FoxO1 in KGN cells （P<0.05）. As revealed by Western blot results， SIRT1， SOD2， and p62 protein levels decreased in the model group compared with those in the control group （P<0.01）， and JNK FoxO1， LC3BⅡ， and Beclin-1 protein levels increased （P<0.05）. After BBR intervention， SIRT1， SOD2， and p62 protein levels increased （P<0.01）， and JNK， FoxO1， LC3BⅡ， and Beclin-1 protein levels decreased compared with those in the model group （P<0.05）. ConclusionBBR has an inhibitory effect on ovarian granulosa cell senescence， and the mechanism is related to the inhibition of apoptosis and autophagy mediated by the SIRT1/FoxO1 pathway.