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In this review, we will give a critical update of published studies using ultrasound for targeted therapeutic use. We will briefly discuss the interaction mechanisms and their effects in non-invasive delivery of therapeutic agents. Moreover, the mechanisms by which ultrasonic contrast agents facilitate the delivery of drugs and genes into tissue will be discussed, together with recent applications and perspectives of targeted-microbubbles in cardiovascular medicine.

: Cardiovascular diseases(CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Evidence from observational and randomized controlled studies showing the potential benefits of green tea on lowering CVD risk has been emerging rapidly during the past few decades.These benefits include reduced risk for major cardiovascular events, lowering of blood pressure, decreased LDL cholesterollevels and weight loss.At the same time, the understanding of physiological mechamismsbehind these alterations is advancing.Consumption of green tea originates from China thousands of years ago, but has since expanded all over the world.Recent advances in understanding the role of tea polyphenols, mainly catechins,as mediators of tea’s health benefits has caused an emergence of various types of green teaextracts(GTE) on the market. While drinking green tea is generally considered safe, there are concerns about thesafety of using tea extracts. The present article reviews the current evidence of green tea consumption leading to reducedCVD risk, the phenomenon’s potential biological mechanisms and the safety of using GTE.

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This article reviews the current imaging techniques and the methodologies used to derive quantitative markers of hypertension in the cardiovascular system. Firstly, simple but effective methods to assess regional and global function of large arteries are discussed. After, the role of echocardiography and high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging to assess geometric and mechanical indices of hypertension related cardiac diseases are summarized. In particular, quantitative indices of deformation and strain are derived from quantitative analysis of doppler tissue and tagged magnetic resonance images. Finally, the importance of high field magnetic resonance imaging to assess myocardial microcirculation is described.