Clinical significance of modified unilateral puncture percutaneous vertebroplasty guided by 3D- printed guides in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical significance of using 3D printing guides in modified unilateral puncture percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF), and to explore a new method for preventing paravertebral vein leakage during PVP in conjunction with a previous study of the optimal puncture-side bone cement/vertebral volume ratio(PSBCV/VV%). METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed 99 patients who underwent unilateral puncture PVP between January 2023 and December 2023. Patients were divided into a guide plate group (46 patients) and a conventional group (53 patients). The guide plate group underwent modified unilateral puncture PVP with the guidance of 3D printing guides, while the conventional group underwent unilateral puncture PVP using the conventional pedicle approach. The distribution of bone cement, surgical outcomes, and the occurrence of cement leakage into paravertebral veins were observed in both groups. RESULTS: The guide plate group had significantly shorter operating time and required fewer fluoroscopies compared to the conventional group. The amount of bone cement volume (BCV) used in the guide plate group was higher, but the amount of bone cement volume on the puncture side(PSBCV), the PSBCV/VV%, and the rate of paravertebral vein leakage were lower in the guide plate group compared to the conventional group (P < 0.05). Within each group, significant improvements in anterior vertebral margin height, Cobb angle, visual analog scale (VAS) score, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were observed at 1 day and 1 month postoperatively compared to preoperative values (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Using 3D printing guides in modified unilateral puncture PVP is a safe and effective method for treating OVCF. And it has the advantages of short operation time, less fluoroscopy, even distribution of bone cement, and a low rate of paravertebral vein leakage.

Novel digital-based approach for evaluating wine components' intake: A deep learning model to determine red wine volume in a glass from single-view images.

Estimation of wine components' intake (polyphenols, alcohol, etc.) through Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs) may be particularly inaccurate. This paper reports the development of a deep learning (DL) method to determine red wine volume from single-view images, along with its application in a consumer study developed via a web service. The DL model demonstrated satisfactory performance not only in a daily lifelike images dataset (mean absolute error = 10 mL), but also in a real images dataset that was generated through the consumer study (mean absolute error = 26 mL). Based on the data reported by the participants in the consumer study (n = 38), average red wine volume in a glass was 114 ± 33 mL, which represents an intake of 137-342 mg of total polyphenols, 11.2 g of alcohol, 0.342 g of sugars, among other components. Therefore, the proposed method constitutes a diet-monitoring tool of substantial utility in the accurate assessment of wine components' intake.

Relationship between retinal volume changes and the prognosis of BRVO-ME treated with ranibizumab.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ranibizumab for the treatment of macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO-ME), changes in retinal volume and central retinal thickness (CRT) before and after therapy, and the connection between visual prognosis and changes in retinal volume. Methods: The 120 patients(121 eyes) of BRVO-ME were recruited from July 2020 to October 2022 at the Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University. The clinical data of patients were retrospectively examined for changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), retinal volume, and CRT at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1year after treatment. Findings: Visual acuity improved gradually and became steady approximately 1 months after treatment, whereas retinal volume decreased gradually in both the outer and full layers and stabilized around 6 month after treatment. The decline in retinal volume and CRT was more visible in the deeper layers than in the inner levels. A higher correlation was observed between retinal volume and BCVA than between CRT and BCVA. BCVA after one year of treatment had a high correlation with baseline outer retinal volume. Interpretation: Treatment of BRVO-ME with ranibizumab is highly effective, and the recovery of visual function was depends more on early treatment. The outer retina is the major site of edema. Changes in retinal volume may serve as a better predictor of visual prognosis than changes in CRT. Baseline ourter retinal volume is correlated with long-term visual prognosis.

Impact of non-covalent interactions on the solvation of ovalbumin in an aqueous environment of different pHs: Thermodynamic and diffusion studies.

The solvation behavior of protein is an important factor in protein-based food products. In the present study, the xylitol (XY) - ovalbumin (OVN) interaction in an aqueous solution of different pH conditions is analyzed in two methods. In one method, the thermodynamic parameters Gibbs free energy, free volume, and internal pressure are calculated by using ultrasonic velocity, density, and viscosity in addition the refractive index is also measured. The second method is a theoretical method in which using the Laplace transform technique the diffused amount of protein have been calculated for OVN with and without XY in different pH environment. The addition of XY with OVN makes the system with more free energy and free volume as the internal pressure decreases. This trend shows that preferential interaction occurs between solvent-solute molecules. The diffusivity of OVN is reduced after the addition of XY representing the strength of protein-protein interaction. The effect of pH changes is well reflected in both experimental and theoretical results. The results confirm that acidic pH extremity offers more solvation of OVN compared to alkaline pH extremity.

Impact of vermicompost addition on water availability of differently textured soils.

Vermicompost is an organic material that is abundant in humic acids and nutrients. It is obtained through the bio-oxidation and stabilization processes carried out by earthworms. It has been proven to bring several benefits to different soil properties, including bulk density, soil structure, and plant available water capacity (PAWC). This investigation was conducted to fill the knowledge gap in some critical factors related to vermicompost application, specifically the short-term influence of a single vermicompost application with increasing doses on soil wettability and physical quality of differently textured soils. Water repellency of vermicompost and soil/vermicompost mixtures was investigated at different moisture contents by the water drop penetration time test, whereas physical quality was assessed by 35 soil indicators related to bulk density, soil water retention curve, and pore size distribution function. Despite vermicompost showed from strong to severe hydrophobicity at moisture content lower than the field capacity, amended soils were at the most slightly water repellent thus indicating that, under field conditions, the hydrophobicity attributable to soil amendment with vermicompost could be considered negligible. Soil physical quality was effectively affected by vermicompost addiction with different outcomes depending on soil texture. Indicators linked to PAWC generally increased at increasing the vermicompost rate in the coarse soils whereas no significant effect was observed for intermediate and fine soils. For example, plant available water capacity of coarse-textured soils increased from an average initial value of 0.056 cm3 cm-3 to an optimal value of 0.15 cm3 cm-3 when a vermicompost addition dose of about one-third by volume (34 %) was applied. In the finest soil, drainable porosity significantly increased from an initial value of 0.09 cm3 cm-3 to 0.23 cm3 cm-3 when the maximum vermicompost dose (43 %) was applied thus indicating that amendment could be effective in enhancing water and air circulation.

Mean Platelet Volume/Platelet Count Ratio and Dipper/Non-Dipper Hypertensive Patients.

There is an interaction between mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet count (PC), inflammation, and platelet reactivity. The present study evaluated the relationship between the MPV/PC ratio and blood pressure (BP) using 24 h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM). A total of 720 patients (male: 291) were included in the study. Based on the ABPM outcomes, they were divided into two groups: dipper hypertensive (n = 350; male: 136) and non-dipper hypertensive (n = 370; male: 155). Peripheral venous blood samples obtained at admission were used for PC and MPV calculations. Both groups displayed identical clinical characteristics. Non-dipper hypertensives had a higher MPV/PC ratio than dipper hypertensives [0.044; (0.036-0.055); 0.036 (0.030-0.042); P < .001]. According to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, the optimal cut-off value of the MPV/PC ratio for predicting non-dipper patterns in hypertensive patients was 0.040 (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.726, P < .001). Sensitivity was 64.1% and specificity was 64.3%. The MPV/PC ratio may represent mechanisms involved in increasing cardiovascular risk in non-dipper hypertensives compared with dipper hypertensives.

Modular morals: Mapping the organization of the moral brain.

Is morality the product of multiple domain-specific psychological mechanisms, or one domain-general mechanism? Previous research suggests that morality consists of a range of solutions to the problems of cooperation recurrent in human social life. This theory of 'morality as cooperation' suggests that there are (at least) seven specific moral domains: family values, group loyalty, reciprocity, heroism, deference, fairness and property rights. However, it is unclear how these types of morality are implemented at the neuroanatomical level. The possibilities are that morality is (1) the product of multiple distinct domain-specific adaptations for cooperation, (2) the product of a single domain-general adaptation which learns a range of moral rules, or (3) the product of some combination of domain-specific and domain-general adaptations. To distinguish between these possibilities, we first conducted an anatomical likelihood estimation meta-analysis of previous studies investigating the relationship between these seven moral domains and neuroanatomy. This meta-analysis provided evidence for a combination of specific and general adaptations. Next, we investigated the relationship between the seven types of morality - as measured by the Morality as Cooperation Questionnaire (Relevance) - and grey matter volume in a large neuroimaging (n = 607) sample. No associations between moral values and grey matter volume survived whole-brain exploratory testing. We conclude that whatever combination of mechanisms are responsible for morality, either they are not neuroanatomically localised, or else their localisation is not manifested in grey matter volume. Future research should employ phylogenetically informed a priori predictions, as well as alternative measures of morality and of brain function.

Alveolar wall hyperelastic material properties determined using alveolar cluster model with experimental stress-stretch and pressure-volume data.

Micro-scale models of lung tissue have been employed by researchers to investigate alveolar mechanics; however, they have been limited by the lack of biofidelic material properties for the alveolar wall. To address this challenge, a finite element model of an alveolar cluster was developed comprising a tetrakaidecahedron array with the nominal characteristics of human alveolar structure. Lung expansion was simulated in the model by prescribing a pressure and monitoring the volume, to produce a pressure-volume (PV) response that could be compared to experimental PV data. The alveolar wall properties in the model were optimized to match experimental PV response of lungs filled with saline, to eliminate surface tension effects and isolate the alveolar wall tissue response. When simulated in uniaxial tension, the model was in agreement with reported experimental properties of uniaxial tension on excised lung tissue. The work presented herein was able to link micro-scale alveolar response to two disparate macroscopic experimental datasets (stress-stretch and PV response of lung) and presents hyperelastic properties of the alveolar wall for use in alveolar scale finite element models and multi-scale models. Future research will incorporate surface tension effects, and investigate alveolar injury mechanisms.

RF coil that minimizes electronic components while enhancing performance for rodent MRI at 7 Tesla.

This study introduces a novel volume coil design that features two slotted end-plates connected by six rungs, resembling the traditional birdcage coil. The end rings are equipped with six evenly distributed circular slots, inspired by Mansfield's cavity resonator theory, which suggests that circular slots can generate a baseline resonant frequency. One notable advantage of this proposed coil design is its reduced reliance on electronic components compared to other volume coils, making it more efficient. Additionally, the dimensions of the coil can be theoretically computed in advance, enhancing its practicality. To evaluate the performance and safety of the coil, electromagnetic field and specific absorption rate simulations were simulated using a cylindrical saline phantom and the finite element method. Furthermore, a transceiver coil prototype optimized for 7 Tesla and driven in quadrature was constructed, enabling whole-body imaging of rats. The resonant frequency of the coil prototype obtained through experimental measurements closely matched the theoretical frequency derived from Mansfield's theory. To validate the coil design, phantom images were acquired to demonstrate its viability and assess its performance. These images also served to validate the magnetic field simulations. The experimental results aligned well with the simulation findings, confirming the reliability of the proposed coil design. Importantly, the prototype coil showcased significant improvements over a similarlysized birdcage coil, indicating its potential for enhanced imaging capabilities. The noise figure was lower in the prototype versus the birdcage coil (NFbirdcage- NFslotcage= 0.9). Phantom image data were also used to compute the image SNR, giving SNRslotcage/SNRbirdcage= 34.36/22.25. By proving the feasibility of the coil design through successful rat whole-body imaging, the study provides evidence supporting its potential as a viable option for high-field MRI applications on rodents. .

MV CBCT based assessment of setup uncertainties and planning target volume margin in head and neck cancer.

Background: Set-up errors are an undesirable part of the radiation treatment process. The goal of online imaging is to increase treatment accuracy by reducing the set-up errors. This study aimed to determine the daily variation of patient set-up uncertainties and planning target volume (PTV) margins for head and neck cancer patients using pre-treatment verification by mega voltage cone-beam computed tomography (MV-CBCT). Materials and methods: This retrospective study was internal record base of head and neck (H&N) cancer patients treated with definitive radiotherapy, adjuvant radiotherapy, and hypo-fractionated radiotherapy at our institution since the implementation of HalcyonTM 2.0 machine (Varian, US). Errors collected from each patient setup were recorded and evaluated for each direction [medio-lateral (ML), supero-inferior (SI), antero-posterior (AP)] discretely. For each patient, the systematic error (∑) and random error (σ) were collected. Clinical target volume (CTV) to planning target volume (PTV) margin was calculated using International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) 62 ( PTV margin = ( Σ 2 + σ 2 ) ), Stroom's (PTV margin = 2∑ + 0.7σ), and Van Herk's (PTV margin = 2.5∑ + 0.7σ) formula. Results: A total of 7900 pre-treatment CBCT scans of 301 patients were analyzed and a total of 23,000 error measurements in the ML, SI, and AP directions were recorded. For all of our H&N cancer patients, the CTV to PTV margin, calculated from the van Herk formula for the head and neck patients was 0.49 mm in the anteroposterior axis. Conclusions: An isometric PTV margin of 5 mm may be considered safe if daily imaging is not being done. In case daily online pretreatment imaging is being utilized, further reduction of PTV margin is possible.

Definitive chemo-radiotherapy in cervical oesophageal cancer: a comprehensive review of literature.

Background and Objectives: Despite decades of experience with definitive chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) in cervical oesophageal cancer (CEC), the loco-regional control and survival outcomes are dismal. This review evaluated the outcomes of various treatment strategies being commonly utilized. Materials and methods: A literature review was conducted to identify relevant articles on CEC published from years 2000-2023 addressing the predefined key questions. These questions focussed on the comparative outcomes of various primary treatment approaches (surgery, CRT, or trimodality treatment) and the radiation dose schedules, volumes, and techniques. Results: CRT is the standard approach for treatment for CEC so far. The potential role of surgery and trimodality approach in settings of evolving surgical approaches needs to be validated. The high dose schedules that are preferentially practiced in CEC have not shown any benefit in improving the disease outcomes over the standard dose schedule of 50.4 Gy. The target volume delineation practice of elective nodal irradiation (ENI) does not have a proven benefit over the involved field irradiation (IFI). The limited evidence on radiation techniques suggests that intensity-modulated radiotherapy/volumetric-modulated arc therapy (IMRT/VMAT) techniques can improve toxicity profile over three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), but no advantage proven in disease outcomes so far. Conclusion: This review will guide clinicians in decision-making for the management of this relatively rare entity and the directions for future research in these areas. Future large-scale multicentre prospective studies are needed for validating and standardizing our current practices and exploring potential options to improve the outcomes.

Comparison of Ocular Blood Flow in Glaucomatous Eyes and Nonglaucomatous Eyes at a Tertiary Hospital in South India: A Prospective Case-control Study.

Aim: To compare the ocular blood flow in glaucomatous eyes and normal healthy eyes. This study compares open-angle glaucoma patients to healthy adults by measuring various parameters in the ophthalmic artery (OA), central retinal artery (CRA), and short posterior ciliary artery (SPCA). Materials and methods: A total of 50 glaucomatous eyes and 50 normal eyes were included in a prospective case-control study over 1 year. The color Doppler imaging (CDI) was conducted using a noninvasive linear multifrequency probe with a frequency range of 5-9 MHz. OA, CRA, and SPCA were measured for peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic volume (EDV), pulsatility index (PI), and resistivity index (RI). Results: When compared with controls, PSV was decreased in all three vessels, with the results being remarkable only in CRA. The EDV also showed a remarkable decrease in all three vessels. Additionally, all three vessels showed significant increases in PI and RI except OA, p-value < 0.05. Conclusion: Blood velocity is decreased, and resistive indices are increased in glaucomatous eyes compared with normal eyes. Variations in ocular blood flow could be a cause or consequence of glaucomatous optic neuropathy and are an important predictor of disease progression. How to cite this article: Murugesan MAD, Venkat P, Basetti B. Comparison of Ocular Blood Flow in Glaucomatous Eyes and Nonglaucomatous Eyes at a Tertiary Hospital in South India: A Prospective Case-control Study. J Curr Glaucoma Pract 2024;18(2):45-50.

The impact of thermophysical properties on eflornithine drug solute in acetone and ethyl acetate solvent interactions at varying concentrations and temperatures.

The study was conducted on the impact of thermophysical properties on eflornithine drug solute-solvent interactions in aqueous ethyl acetate and acetone at different concentrations and temperatures. The aim of this study is to enhance the understanding of eflornithine's behavior in different solvents, which is crucial for its effective use in pharmaceutical applications. The density, molar volume, viscometric, and conductometric characteristics of the eflornithine drug solutions (0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.1, and 0.125 mol/kg) in acetone and 25% (v/v) aqueous ethyl acetate were measured within a temperature range of 298.15 K-318.15 K. Based on the determined density parameters, the following parameters were assessed: viscosity (η), equivalent molar conductance, limiting apparent molar volume (V0φ), apparent molar volume of transfer (V0φtr), and apparent molar volume (Vφ). The Masson empirical relationship and the viscosity-to-Jones-Dole (JD) equation were used to evaluate the partial molar volume (Vφ), experimental slope (SV), viscosity, and density data. Temperature and concentration were used to determine each parameter. For each set of dilutions, conductometric studies were conducted in both study solvents. The gathered data was analyzed in order to evaluate the ion-solvent interactions. The Walden product Λomηo's positive temperature coefficient values indicate that the drug eflornithine functions as a structural modifier in acetone and aqueous acetyl acetate systems. The structure-making and breaking characteristics of the polar solvents acetone and ethyl acetate were identified.

Subperiosteal abscess volume; an objective indication for surgical management in pediatrics.

PURPOSE: Subperiosteal abscess (SPA) can lead to devastating morbidity and mortality. Prompt management is important; however, the choice of management route is controversial. This study investigates factors associated with surgical management and defines a cut-off abscess volume prompting surgical intervention. METHODS: SPA cases presented to King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC) from 2014 to 2023 were reviewed. The surgical approach was studied in association with factors including age, gender, symptoms and signs, laboratory results, computed tomography (CT) characteristics, medications, and surgical approach. Multiple statistical tests were used for analysis, including student t-test, chi-square, multiple logistic regression analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: Patients were managed medically (n = 14, 45.16%) or surgically (n = 17, 54.84%). The average duration of antibiotics was 15 days. Superior SPA favors surgical management (OR = 6.722, CI [1.332-33.913], p = 0.029), along with the use of steroids (OR = 5.625, CI [0.915-34.572], p = 0.049), and abscess volume (OR = 10.003, CI [1.418-70.540], p < 0.001). However, the only factor attributing to a surgical decision on multivariate logistic regression analysis was abscess volume (OR = 5.126, CI [1.023-25.694], p = 0.047). SPA volume of ≥ 0.648 ml strongly prompts surgical management, with a sensitivity of 94.1% and a specificity of 71.4% (p = 0.000). CONCLUSION: SPA volume increases the likelihood of surgical intervention by five times, especially when abscess volume is ≥ 0.648 ml.

Left ventricular stroke volume decreases due to surgical procedures of anatomical lung resection.

OBJECTIVES: The influence of lung resection on cardiac function has been reported, and previous studies have mainly focused on right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. As few studies have analyzed changes in left ventricular hemodynamic variables caused by lung resection, we aimed to investigate the perioperative changes in left ventricular stroke volume (LVSV) caused by anatomical lung resection. METHODS: We enrolled 61 patients who underwent anatomical lung resection and perioperative LVSV monitoring. The Flo Trac system was used for dynamic monitoring. We investigated changes in LVSV after lung resection and the factors that affected these changes. The operative procedures that contributed to these changes were also investigated. RESULTS: LVSV decreased after anatomical lung resection in the majority of patients (n = 38, 62.2%). Operative procedures affecting this change were (a) taping the superior pulmonary vein (SPV; right: V1-3) before dorsal part procedure (e.g., major fissure division of right upper lobectomy, A1 + 2c, and A4 + 5 division of left upper lobectomy); (b) division of the SPV (right: V1-3, V4 + 5); (c) division of A6-10 (in lower lobectomy); and (d) finish division of all vessels. CONCLUSIONS: LVSV decrease was caused by anatomical lung resection in the majority of patients owing to the intraoperative procedures described above.

Platelet indices and the risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension: a two-sample and multivariable Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Recent epidemiological studies have indicated a correlation between platelet indices and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), yet the causality between them remains unclear. To explore the causal relationship between four platelet indices and PAH, with the aim of providing a theoretical basis for clinical prevention and treatment. Methods: Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with platelet-related traits were selected as exposure factors from published genome-wide association studies (GWAS), including: platelet count (PLT), plateletcrit (PCT), mean platelet volume (MPV), and platelet distribution width (PDW). Summary-level data for PAH were obtained from the FinnGen study (248 cases and 289,117 controls). Two-sample and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were conducted to assess the causal relationship between exposure factors and the risk of outcomes. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was utilized as the primary MR analysis approach, supplemented by weighted median, mode-based estimation, MR-Egger regression, and the MR Pleiotropy Residual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO) test to detect and adjust for pleiotropy, ensuring the reliability of the results through sensitivity analysis. Results: (1) The IVW results from the two-sample MR analysis showed a positive causal association between PLT and the risk of developing PAH [(OR = 1.649, 95%CI: 1.206-2.256, P = 0.0017)], with the sensitivity analysis confirming the robustness of the causal relationship. The MR-Egger intercept analysis did not detect potential pleiotropy (P = 0.879). (2) The MVMR results showed no statistically significant causal relationship between these four markers and the risk of developing PAH. After adjusting for collinearity, a direct positive causal association was observed between PLT and the risk of developing PAH (OR = 1.525, 95%CI: 1.063-2.189, P = 0.022). Conclusion: The positive correlation between PLT and the risk of PAH suggests that correcting elevated platelet levels may reduce the risk of developing PAH.

Impact of Right Ventricular Pressure Overload on Myocardial Stiffness Assessed by Natural Wave Imaging.

BACKGROUND: Right ventricular (RV) hemodynamic performance determines the prognosis of patients with RV pressure overload. Using ultrafast ultrasound, natural wave velocity (NWV) induced by cardiac valve closure was proposed as a new surrogate to quantify myocardial stiffness. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess RV NWV in rodent models and children with RV pressure overload vs control subjects and to correlate NWV with RV hemodynamic parameters. METHODS: Six-week-old rats were randomized to pulmonary artery banding (n = 6), Sugen hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (n = 7), or sham (n = 6) groups. They underwent natural wave imaging, echocardiography, and hemodynamic assessment at baseline and 6 weeks postoperatively. The authors analyzed NWV after tricuspid and after pulmonary valve closure (TVC and PVC, respectively). Conductance catheters were used to generate pressure-volume loops. In parallel, the authors prospectively recruited 14 children (7 RV pressure overload; 7 age-matched control subjects) and compared RV NWV with echocardiographic and invasive hemodynamic parameters. RESULTS: NWV significantly increased in RV pressure overload rat models (4.99 ± 0.27 m/s after TVC and 5.03 ± 0.32 m/s after PVC in pulmonary artery banding at 6 weeks; 4.89 ± 0.26 m/s after TVC and 4.84 ± 0.30 m/s after PVC in Sugen hypoxia at 6 weeks) compared with control subjects (2.83 ± 0.15 m/s after TVC and 2.72 ± 0.34 m/s after PVC). NWV after TVC correlated with both systolic and diastolic parameters including RV dP/dtmax (r = 0.75; P < 0.005) and RV Ees (r = 0.81; P < 0.005). NWV after PVC correlated with both diastolic and systolic parameters and notably with RV end-diastolic pressure (r = 0.65; P < 0.01). In children, NWV after both right valves closure in RV pressure overload were higher than in healthy volunteers (P < 0.01). NWV after PVC correlated with RV E/E' (r = 0.81; P = 0.008) and with RV chamber stiffness (r = 0.97; P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Both RV early-systolic and early-diastolic myocardial stiffness show significant increase in response to pressure overload. Based on physiology and our observations, early-systolic myocardial stiffness may reflect contractility, whereas early-diastolic myocardial stiffness might be indicative of diastolic function.