RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: In many cardiovascular disorders, the contractile performance of the right ventricle (RV) is the primary determinant of prognosis. For evaluating RV volumes and function, 4 dimensional (4D)-echocardiography has become common. This research used 2D and 4D modalities to assess RV contractile performance in hypertensive patients. METHODS: A total of 150 patients with essential hypertension were enrolled in this study, along with 75 age and sex-matched volunteers. Clinical evaluation and echocardiographic examination (including M-mode, tissue Doppler imaging, and 2D speckle tracking) were conducted on all participants. RV volumes, 4D-ejection fraction (EF), 4D-fractional area change (FAC), 4D-tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), 4D-septal and free wall (FW) strain were all measured using 4D-echocardiography. RESULTS: Hypertensive patients showed 2D-RV systolic and diastolic dysfunction (including TAPSE, 2D-right ventricular global longitudinal strain, RV-myocardial performance index and average E/EaRV) and 4D-RV impairment (including right ventricular EF, FAC, RV strain and TAPSE, right ventricular end-diastolic volume and right ventricular end-systolic volume) compared to the control group. We verified the prevalence of RV systolic dysfunction in hypertension patients using the following parameters: 1) 15% of them had 2D-TAPSE < 17 mm vs. 40% by 4D-TAPSE; 2) 25% of them had 2D-GLS < 19% vs. 42% by 4D-septal strain and 35% by 4D FW strain; 3) 35% of hypertensive patients had 4D-EF < 45%; and finally; 4) 25% of hypertensive patients had 2D-FAC < 35% compared to 45% by 4D-FAC. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of RV involvement was greater in 4D than in 2D-modality trans-thoracic echocardiography. We speculated that 4D-echocardiography with 4D-strain imaging would be more beneficial for examining RV morphology and function in hypertensive patients than 2D-echocardiography, since 4D-echocardiography could estimate RV volumes and function without making geometric assumptions.
RESUMEN
As a contribution to the graphene-based nanoferrite composites, this article is intended to present Mn, Co, and Co-Mn nanoferrites for the preparation and investigation of such samples. Nanoparticles of Co ferrite, Mn ferrite, and Co-Mn ferrite were chemically synthesized by the coprecipitation method. The composites of ferrite/graphene were made by incorporating weight ratios of 25% graphene to 75% ferrite. Various structural and characterizing investigations of ferrite samples and ferrite/graphene composites were performed, including XRD, EDX, SEM, VSM hysteresis loops, AC conductivity, and dielectric behavior. The investigations ensured the formation of the intended nanoferrite powders, each having a single-phase crystal structure with no undesired phases or elements. All samples exhibit a soft magnetic behavior. They show a semiconducting behavior of AC electrical conductivity as well. This was proved by the temperature dependence of the AC's electrical conductivity. Whereas the dielectric function and loss tangent show an expected, well-explained behavior, the ferrite/graphene composite samples have lower saturation magnetization values, lower AC conductivity, and dielectric constant values than the pure ferrites but still have the same behavior trends as those of the pure ferrites. The values obtained may represent steps on developing new materials for expected applications, such as manufacturing supercapacitors and/or improved battery electrodes.