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Figure 1 Top panelillustrates the color M-mode image, with yellowindicating systolic shortening (s) and blue-white indicating diastolic lengthening (d) in strain rate imaging. The time point of transition from shortening to lengthening (contraction to relaxation) is indicated by the solid black line. The middle panelshows the strain rate tracing, * = systolic wave; solid arrow = late diastolic wave; open arrow = early diastolic wave. The lower panelis the electrocardiogram trace. An example of the time to onset of relaxation (electrocardiogram R-wave to the transition point) is illustrated at the bottom of the strain rate tracing (T_R). The dotted linesseparate the septum into apical (top), mid and basal segments.