BACKGROUND This study attempted to identify the role of combined conventional and novel echocardiographic techniques in evaluation of left atrial (LA) function to predict the postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF). METHODS In this cross-sectional study, subjects with sinus rhythm who were candidates for CABG were enrolled. Preoperative LA function was evaluated by conventional echocardiogra...

Recent developments in the field of echocardiography have allowed the cardiologist to objectively quantify regional and global myocardial function. Regional deformation (strain) and deformation rate (strain-rate) can be calculated non-invasively in both the left and right ventricle, providing information on regional (dys-)function in a variety of clinical settings. Although this promising novel...

OBJECTIVE In patients with aortic stenosis (AS), the left ventricular (LV) geometry changes due to the increased LV afterload. However, subclinical myocardial dysfunction can develop despite a normal LV ejection fraction (EF). This study was an investigation of subclinical LV systolic dysfunction in patients with severe AS with a normal LV EF using a strain imaging method, speckle-tracking echo...

In this work, dynamic mechanical properties of three high-manganese steels with TRIP/TWIP or fully TWIP characteristics are studied. High strain rate experiments in the range of true strain rates between ~500 and 1800 /s are conducted using a dynamic torsional testing setup. All the three steels show a positive strain rate sensitivity in the intermediate range of strain rates (up to 500 /s). Bu...