Structural and Functional Disturbances of the Thoracic Aorta in Atherosclerosis of Various Gradations.

Aim      To study global aortic circumferential strain in normal conditions and in atherosclerosis of various grades and to determine its role in prediction of structural and functional disorders of the thoracic aorta (TA) and coronary atherosclerosis using 2D speckle-tracking transesophageal echocardiography.Material and methods  182 patients with typical or probable angina were examined. The control group consisted of 11 healthy volunteers. TA was visualized along its entire length. The height of each atheroma was measured, and the total number of plaques in the TA was determined. Five stages of TA atherosclerosis were identified. In the descending TA, the global peak systolic circumferential strain (GCS, %) and the global peak systolic circumferential strain normalized to pulse arterial pressure (PAP) (GCS / PAP∙100) were calculated. All patients underwent coronary angiography. The number of coronary arteries (CAs) with >50 % stenosis was determined, and the SYNTAX Score was calculated.Results TA atherosclerosis was not detected in the control group. Among 182 patients, stage 1-5 TA atherosclerosis was found in 23 (12.6 %), 103 (56.6 %), 43 (23.6 %), 7 (3.8 %), and 6 (3.4 %) cases respectively. GCS and GCS / PAD decreased as the ultrasound stage of TA atherosclerosis increased as compared with the control group: 9.2 % and 15.3 for the control group; stage 1, 5.6 % and 8.9 (p<0.001); stage 2, 4.1 % and 5.9 (p<0.001); stage 3, 4 % and 5.8 (p<0.001); stage 4, 3.7 % and 4.9 (p<0.01); and stage 5, 2.6 % and 3.3 (p<0.01), respectively. ROC analysis showed that GCS ≥5.9 % (area under the curve, AUC, 0.94±0.03; p<0.001) and GCS / PAD ≥11.4 (AUC, 0.97±0.02; p <0.001) were predictors of intact TA. Also, GCS ≤4.85 % (AUC, 0.82±0.04; p<0.001) and GCS / PAD ≤8.06 (AUC, 0.87±0.03; p<0.001) were predictors of hemodynamically significant TA atherosclerosis (stages 3-5). GCS ≤4.05 % (AUC, 0.62±0.04; p=0.007) and GCS / PAD ≤5.95 (AUC, 0.61±0.04; p=0.018) were predictors of hemodynamically significant (>50 %) stenosing atherosclerosis of at least one CA. Furthermore, GCS ≤3.75 % (AUC, 0.67±0.07; p=0.039) and GCS / PAD ≤5.15 (AUC, 0.64±0.07; p=0.045) were predictors of severe and advanced coronary atherosclerosis (SYNTAX Score ≥22).Conclusion      GCS and GCS / PAD are new diagnostic markers of structural and functional disorders of TA in atherosclerosis of various grades. GCS and GCS / PAD are independent predictors of high-grade TA atherosclerosis (stages 3-5) with GCS / PAD demonstrating the highest level of significance. GCS and GCS / PAD are non-invasive predictors of severe and advanced CA atherosclerosis.

[Possibilities and limitations of three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography in the diagnosis of thoracic aorta atherosclerosis].

OBJECTIVES: To compare the possibilities and limitations of the two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) multiplane transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for the diagnosis of the thoracic aorta (TA) atherosclerosis stage, qualitative and quantitative assessment of aortic atheromas and coronary atherosclerosis prediction. Materials and methods. 2D and 3D multiplane TEE of the TA was performed in 180 consecutive CAD patients (104 men, 76 women, mean age 62,4±7,5 years) using Philips IE33 xMatrix system and a X7-2t multiplane probe. Ascending aorta, accessible parts of the arch and descending TA were visualized in 2D mode with standard protocol using Live xPlane mode. 3D study of TA was performed using Live 3D and Full Volume modes. 2D and 3D studies were recorded as video clips series on a system hard drive with subsequent off line processing on a QLab 10.8 (Philips) workstation. Qualitative and quantitative assessment of every atheroma was performed using 2D and 3D modes. The degree of severity and distribution of the TA atheromatosis was evaluated according to the classification of ASE and EACVI (2015): grade 0 - intimal-medial thickness ≤1 mm, 1 - intimal thickness ≤2 mm, 2 - focal or diffuse intimal thickening of 2-3 mm (small atheromas), 3 - atheromas >3-5 mm (no mobile/ulcerated components), 4 - atheromas > 5 mm (no mobile/ulcerated components), 5 - grade 2, 3, or 4 atheromas plus mobile or ulcerated components. After TEE all patients underwent digital coronary angiography. SYNTAX Score was calculated in 122 (67,7%) patients with no coronary stents and bypass grafts. Results. 620 atheromas were analysed: 109 (17,6%) in the ascending part, 8 (1,3%) in the arch and 503 (81,1%) in the descending part. On average 3,4±2,1 atheromas per patient were revealed. Atheromas height in 3D was significantly higher (p<0,001), than in 2D, being 0,38±0,09 cm and 0,26±0,07 cm, respectively.  Averaged atheromas height increase in 3D was 0,12±0,06 cm. In 3D 87,7% of atheromas have shown irregular contours while in 2D only 35,4% of atheromas had rough countors. The mobile component in 6 (66,6%) out of 9 atheromas was revealed only in 3D. In 2D 1-5 stages of TA atheromatosis were revealed in 22 (12,2%), 103 (57,2%), 43 (23,9%), 7 (3,9%) and 4 (2,2%) cases, respectively. In 3D 1-5 stages of TA atheromatosis were revealed in 16 (8,9%), 25 (13,9%), 90 (50%), 38 (21,1%) and 10 (5,5%) cases, respectively. With 3D TEE 130 (72,2%) patients were found to have higher gradation of TA atheromatosis stage. TA atheromatosis was not detected in 1 (0,6%) patient. The direct Spearman's correlation between a stage of TA atheromatosis and SYNTAX Score which has been established for 2D rs =0,32 p<0,001 and 3D rs =0,30, p<0,01, respectively. Conclusion. A comparison between 2D and 3D TEE has shown, that 3D is more precise method of qualitative and quantitative assessment of aortic atheromas and diagnosis of TA atheromatosis stage which allows, ultimately, to change the stage of TA atheromatosis towards a higher gradation. 3D ultrasound stage of TA atheromatosis is a surrogate marker of the severity and prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis.

Statistical estimation of the efficiency of quantum state tomography protocols.

A novel operational method for estimating the efficiency of quantum state tomography protocols is suggested. It is based on a priori estimation of the quality of an arbitrary protocol by means of universal asymptotic fidelity distribution and condition number, which takes minimal value for better protocol. We prove the adequacy of the method both with numerical modeling and through the experimental realization of several practically important protocols of quantum state tomography.

Qutrit state engineering with biphotons.

The novel experimental realization of three-level optical quantum systems is presented. We use the polarization state of biphotons to generate a specific sequence of states that are used in the extended version of four-state QKD protocol quantum key distribution protocol. We experimentally verify the orthogonality of the basic states and demonstrate the ability to easily switch between them. The tomography procedure is employed to reconstruct the density matrices of generated states.