Speckle tracking echocardiography in systemic sclerosis: A useful method for detection of myocardial involvement.

BACKGROUND: Systemic sclerosis is a multisystem disorder characterized by tissue fibrosis and organ damage. Heart involvement is one of the main factors shortening survival, which may be underestimated by conventional echocardiography measurements. Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography is a powerful novel modality to assess subclinical myocardial dysfunction. AIM: The aim of this study is to investigate heart involvement in systemic sclerosis patients, and to determine the usefulness of ventricular longitudinal deformation using the Two-dimensional speckle tracking technology for an early detection of ventricular dysfunction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between May 2016 and September 2016, 25 patients with systemic sclerosis and 25 healthy subjects underwent echocardiography to assess heart abnormalities and the strain of the two ventricles using two dimensions' speckle tracking echography. RESULTS: The two groups were comparable in age and gender. Despite comparable left ventricle systolic function (left ventricular ejection fraction patients 64.58±8.87 vs. in healthy 68.2±7.41, P=0.19), patients presented altered longitudinal peak systolic strain values (global longitudinal strain: patients -17.42±1.62 vs. healthy -19.24±8.85, P<0.0001). Despite comparable pulmonary artery systolic pressure, there was a significant alteration in right ventricular systolic and diastolic function assessed by standard measurement. Longitudinal peak systolic strain of the right ventricle was significantly lower in patients compared with controls (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Ventricular deformation analysis by two dimensions' speckle tracking echocardiography appears to be a sensitive method to detect early ventricular impairment in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Thyme essential oil as an alternative mechanism: biofungicide-causing sensitivity of Mycosphaerella graminicola.

AIMS: To understand the mode of action of thyme essential oil as an alternative biofungicide. METHODS AND RESULTS: The chemical composition of thyme essential oil isolated by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of Thymus vulgaris was analyzed. The main constituents of thyme essential oil were thymol (76·96%), ρ-cymene (9·89%), γ-terpinene (1·92%) and caryophyllene oxide (1·69%). The antifungal activity of the oil and its pure major component (thymol) was assessed by the in vitro assay against Mycosphaerella graminicola. Thyme oil exhibited higher antifungal activity than thymol. The expression pattern of genes involved in fungal development and detoxification acting in M. graminicola under thyme oil and thymol treatment was analyzed. Thyme oil overexpressed, more than thymol, the genes encoding for the efflux pump (MgMfs1, MgAtr4), the regulatory subunit of protein kinase A (PKA) (MgBcy1) and the MAPK MgHog1. Thyme oil repressed the expression of the genes encoding for the efflux pump MgAtr4, the MAPK (MgSlt2) and the regulatory subunit of PKA (MgBcy1). However, thymol repressed only MgAtr4 and MgSlt2 expression. CONCLUSIONS: These data highlight the ability of thyme oil to target genes involved in fungal development and virulence of the yeast-like fungi M. graminicola, which explain its higher antifungal activity. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: These findings will probably be useful to design an alternative biofungicide which will not lead to pathogen multidrug resistance.