Echocardiographic evaluation of the effect of dapagliflozin on epicardial adipose tissue and left ventricular systolic function in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background And Aims: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is associated with cardiovascular disease, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2I) have been reported to reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular events. This study was designed to investigate the effect of an SGLT-2 inhibitor (dapagliflozin) on EAT and left ventricular (LV) systolic function in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients during a 6-month follow-up.

Methods: Twenty-seven T2DM patients who received dapagliflozin for the first time were enrolled in this study to measure EAT thickness and evaluate LV function before and after 6 months of SGLT-2 administration.

Epicardial adipose tissue and right ventricular function in type 2 diabetes mellitus using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography.

Background: Epicardial adipose tissue is an emerging cardiovascular risk factor. The aim of this study was to evaluate right ventricular function and investigate its association with EAT in T2DM patients.

Methods: 154 T2DM patients were divided into two groups according to EAT thickness: T2DM with EAT <5 mm and T2DM with EAT ≥5 mm.

Whole-cell biotransformation for large scale production of carcinine in Escherichia coli.

Carcinine is a natural imidazole-containing peptide derivative. It is widely used in the cosmetics industry as anti-aging supplement with antioxidant, anti-glycation and glycation reversal functions, and it also has a notable pharmacological effect as anti-tumor drug and in protection against retinopathy. However, a technological method for synthesis and production of carcinine has not been established.

Echocardiographic Association of Epicardial Adipose Tissue with Ascending Aorta Elasticity in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is an emerging cardiovascular risk factor located between the myocardium and visceral pericardium. In order to investigate the association between EAT and ascending aorta elasticity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), we prospectively enrolled a total of 135 T2DM patients and 63 age- and gender-matched non-T2DM controls in this study. They all underwent transthoracic echocardiography to measure EAT thickness and ascending aorta inner diameters which were used to calculate ascending aorta elastic parameters: compliance (C), distensibility (D), strain (S), stiffness index (SI), and Peterson's elastic modulus (EM).

Determination of three sites involved in the divergence of L-aspartate-α-decarboxylase self-cleavage in bacteria.

L-aspartate-α-decarboxylase (PanD) is an essential enzyme catalysing the decarboxylation of L-aspartate to β-alanine in organisms. To perform the catalytic functions, PanD pro-proteins need to be self-cleaved to form two subunits: active α-subunit and β-subunit. However, the processes of self-cleavage have diverged in different organisms for unknown reasons.

Association between epicardial adipose tissue and left ventricular function in type 2 diabetes mellitus: Assessment using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography.

Background And Aims: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is the visceral fat between the myocardium and the visceral pericardium. Dysfunctional EAT can cause cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between EAT and left ventricular function in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE).

Echocardiographic evaluation of the effect of poor blood glucose control on left ventricular function and ascending aorta elasticity.

Background And Aims: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with high cardiovascular risk. Preclinical left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and subclinical arterial stiffness have been documented in patients with T2DM. The aims of this study were to investigate whether there were any differences in LV function and ascending aorta elasticity between T2DM patients with controlled [defined as glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) <6.

Comparative transcriptome analysis during seeds development between two soybean cultivars.

Soybean is one of the important economic crops, which supplies a great deal of vegetable oil and proteins for human. The content of nutrients in different soybean seeds is different, which is related to the expression of multiple genes, but the mechanisms are complicated and still largely uncertain. In this study, to reveal the possible causes of the nutrients difference in soybeans A7 (containing low oil and high protein) and A35 (containing high oil and low protein), RNA-seq technology was performed to compare and identify the potential differential expressed genes (DEGs) at different seed developmental stages.

Echocardiographic evaluation of the elasticity of the ascending aorta in patients with essential hypertension.

Background: Hypertension is the most common chronic disease and the most important risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Atheroma and arteriosclerosis plays a key role in the occurrence and development of hypertension. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the elasticity of ascending aorta wall in patients with essential hypertension (EH) using M-mode echocardiography.

Right atrial function assessed by volume-derived values and speckle tracking echocardiography in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: To detect the right atrial (RA) functions in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients by using volume-derived values and two-dimensional strain.

Methods: Thirty-two HCM patients and 34 age and gender matched normal controls were enrolled for this study. RA volume-derived values were measured by using 2D ultrasonic images.

Evaluation of the Effect of Essential Hypertension on Elasticity of Ascending Aorta in Type 2 Diabetic Mellitus Patients by Echocardiography.

Both essential hypertension (EH) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) can impair the elasticity of the ascending aorta. We prospectively enrolled 42 patients with T2DM, 44 patients with EH, 45 patients with T2DM and EH (T2DM + EH), and 41 healthy subjects (HS). They all underwent transthoracic echocardiography to measure ascending aorta inner diameters and a brachial blood pressure measurement to calculate aortic elastic parameters (ie, compliance, distensibility, strain, stiffness index, and Peterson elastic modulus).

Layer-specific speckle tracking analysis of left ventricular systolic function and synchrony in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Background: This study investigated the value of layer-specific strain analysis by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) for evaluating left ventricular (LV) systolic function and synchrony in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients.

Methods: A total of 34 MHD patients and 35 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Dynamic images were collected at the LV apical long-axis, the four- and two- chamber, and the LV short-axis views at the basal, middle, and apical segments.

Left ventricular longitudinal function assessment in rabbits after acute occlusion of left anterior descending coronary artery by two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging.

Abstact: BACKGROUND: To evaluate the left ventricular (LV) longitudinal function changes in rabbits after acute occlusion of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) by two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (2D-STI).

Methods: Forty-eight New Zealand white rabbits underwent echocardiography examination. EchoPAC was used to measure LV peak systolic longitudinal strain (LS) of the endocardium, middle myocardium, and epicardium, peak longitudinal strain rate (LSr), segmental and global longitudinal rotation (LR) degrees.

Left ventricular systolic function changes in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients detected by the strain of different myocardium layers and longitudinal rotation.

Background: Impairment of left ventricular (LV) longitudinal function has an important role in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This research investigated an association between the longitudinal strain of different myocardial layers, longitudinal rotation and the LV systolic function of HCM patients.

Methods: The research was performed on 36 HCM patients and 36 healthy subjects.