Inter-Technique Consistency and Prognostic Value of Intra-Procedural Angiographic and Echocardiographic Assessment of Aortic Regurgitation After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

Background: We investigated the relationship between intraprocedural angiographic and echocardiographic AR severity after TAVI, and the clinical robustness of angiographic assessment.

Methods and results: In 74 consecutive patients, the echocardiographic circumferential extent (CE) of the paravalvular regurgitant jet was retrospectively measured and graded based on the VARC-2 cut-points; and angiographic post-TAVI AR was retrospectively quantified using contrast videodensitometry (VD) software that calculates the ratio of the contrast time-density integral in the LV outflow tract to that in the ascending aorta (LVOT-AR). Seventy-four echocardiograms immediately after TAVI were analyzable, while 51 aortograms were analyzable for VD.

Neurotropin(®) ameliorates chronic pain via induction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

Neurotropin (NTP)(®), a non-protein extract isolated from the inflamed skin of rabbits inoculated with vaccinia virus, is used clinically for the treatment of neuropathic pain. Moreover, NTP may activate the descending pain inhibitory system. Depression-like behavior is often complicated by chronic pain.

Kinetics of left ventricular rotation during exercise and its relation to exercise tolerance in atrial fibrillation: assessment by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) rotation plays an important role in cardiac function both at rest and during exercise in sinus rhythm. The kinetics of rotation during exercise and the relation between exercise tolerance and rotation-related parameters in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are unknown.

Methods: Twenty-nine patients (age 62 ± 13 years, 6 females) with AF and preserved LV ejection fraction (LVEF) were studied using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography at rest and during exercise with a supine bicycle ergometer (20 W, 10 min).

Distribution of Spinal Sensitization Evoked by Inflammatory Pain Using Local Spinal Cord Glucose Utilization Combined with (3) H-Phorbol 12,13-Dibutyrate Binding in Rats.

Aims. Hyperalgesia following tissue injury is induced by plasticity in neurotransmission. Few investigators have considered the ascending input which activates the superficial of spinal cord.