Plt 1202s

To assess the cardiac function of the experimental animals, echocardiography was performed in all of the experimental animals at different time points (prior to LAD ligation, 3 days post LAD ligation, 2 and 4 weeks after aFRLM treatment) under controlled anesthesia using a Toshiba Aplio XG Echocardiography with a PLT-1202 S linear array transducer [5 (link), 36 ]. In each experimental subject, the M-mode tracing and 2-dimensional echocardiography of at least ten consecutive cardiac cycles were recorded from the parasternal long- and short-axis views. The left ventricle systolic function was assessed by calculating the EF and FS with the Modified-Simpson method using conventional echocardiography [37 (link)]. The left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVESD) and the left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD), as well as the systolic and diastolic wall thickness, were measured from the M-mode tracings using the leading-edge convention of the American Society of Echocardiography [5 (link), 11 (link), 36 ]. All of the data were analyzed offline with software that was installed in the ultrasound system. All of the measurements were averaged from ten consecutive cardiac cycles per experiment and were analyzed by an experienced investigator.

Blood flow velocities in the umbilical artery and vein on E19 were determined via pulsed-wave Doppler imaging. Pregnant rats were anesthetized with isoflurane and were placed in a supine position. Blood flow was visualized using an Aplio 80 equipped with a 14-MHz PLT-1202S transducer (Toshiba Medical Systems Corp, Tochigi, Japan, Fig. 2D). Umbilical cords that had a Doppler angle of less than 60 degrees were selected for blood flow measurements. The overall gain setting was optimized at the beginning of each recording session. The peak systolic velocity and mean velocity for blood flow in the umbilical artery were measured.