PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to measure the elasticity of normal placentas using the Virtual Touch quantification (VTQ) technique. METHODS: This study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. Fifty randomly selected, healthy pregnant women in their second trimester and 50 randomly selected, healthy pregnant women in their third trimester with a single fetus were included, and their placentas underwent VTQ through shear wave velocity (SWV) measurements. The measurements were performed at different locations to sample different areas of the placenta. Measurements were performed 3-4 times in each location, the mean shear wave velocities were calculated without the highest and lowest values of measurements in each region, and the results were compared. RESULTS: The SWV of the placenta was 0.983±0.260 m/sec, and the minimal and maximal speed was 0.63 m/sec and 1.84 m/sec, respectively. There was no significant difference between the second and third trimester of VTQ of the placenta in terms of SWV (0.978±0.255 m/sec vs. 0.987±0.266 m/sec, P=0.711). The maternal age between second and third trimester was 27.9±4.3 years and 29.2±4.4 years, respectively; there was no significant difference between them (P=0.159). CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that the SWV of normal placenta tissue is 0.983±0.260 m/sec, it has little variation between the second and third trimesters, and the VTQ technique may potentially play an additional role in placenta evaluation.
Elasticity Imaging Techniques ; Elasticity* ; Ethics Committees ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Maternal Age ; Placenta* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Pregnant Women ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of variations in fatty liver on the ultrasonographic detection of focal liver lesions. METHODS: A total of 229 patients with varying degrees of fatty liver and focal liver lesions and 200 patients with focal liver lesions but no fatty liver were randomly selected for inclusion in groups I and II, respectively. Findings of focal liver lesions identified on computed tomography were taken as the reference, and findings on ultrasonography were compared with them. RESULTS: The number of focal liver lesions in groups I and II were 501 and 413, respectively. The ultrasonographic detection rates of focal liver lesions in groups I and II were 86.8% (435/501) and 94.2% (389/413), respectively. Comparison of the detection of the focal lesions between patients with and without fatty liver or different grades of fatty liver were as follows: mild fatty liver (162/177) vs. liver without fat infiltration (389/413) (P=0.277); mild fatty liver (162/177) vs. moderate fatty liver (190/212) (P=0.604); mild fatty liver (162/177) vs. severe fatty liver (83/112) (P<0.001); moderate fatty liver (190/212) vs. liver without fat infiltration (389/413) (P=0.051); moderate fatty liver (190/212) vs. severe fatty liver (83/112) (P<0.001); severe fatty liver (83/112) vs. liver without fat infiltration (389/413) (P<0.001); and fatty liver (435/501) vs. liver without fat infiltration (389/413) (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Mild and moderate fatty liver are not significantly associated with the visualization of the lesion, while severe fatty liver usually impairs the detection of focal lesions in the liver. If a patient with severe fatty liver is suspected to have a liver tumor, ultrasonography should only be chosen cautiously in case of a missed diagnosis.
Diagnosis ; Fatty Liver* ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Neoplasms ; Ultrasonography*

Objective: To explore determinants of childhood trauma among college students with left-behind experience, and to provide a reference for effective intervention among students with left-behind experience. Methods: A total of 2 468 students selected from 5 universities and 2 higher vocational colleges in tianjin by stratified cluster sampling method were investigated by self-compiled questionnaire and childhood trauma questionnaire. Results: The scores in emotional abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect and childhood trauma of students with left-behind experience were significantly higher than those without left-behind experience(t=3.01，3.13，3.24，2.27，3.60，P<0.05)；parental separation times and the frequency of parental return had significant interaction effect on the total score of childhood trauma of students with left-behind experience (F=2.37, P<0.05)；the gender had a significant major effect on the total score of childhood trauma of students with left-behind experience under the interaction with the place of origin, age at first separation,the cumulative time of leftbehind experiences and the frequency of parents contacting (F=4.49，5.23，5.93，5.11，P<0.05)；the age of subjects when parents going out under the interaction with the place of origin, the gender, if only-child,parental separation times and the frequency of parental return；as well as the frequency of parents contacting under the interaction with the place of origin，the household registration, the gender, if only-child and the cumulative time of left-behind experiences also had significantly main effect(F=3.88，4.25，3.32，2.86，3.45；3.82，4.02，2.64，3.29，P<0.05). Conclusion It is necessary to attach great importance to demographic and context information regarding left-behind experiences,which lead to more specific and effective prevention and intervention strategy for individual with left-behind experiences.

OBJECTIVEUnder various drought conditions and nitrogen application, the content of vindoline, catharanthine, vincristine and vinblastine in the leaf of Catharanthus roseus were illustrated to improve the content of alkaloid theoretically.

METHODSix groups were set in the experiment, which included: CK (natural control), CN (natural control + nitrogen), LK (low drought), LN (low drought + nitrogen), HK (high drought), HN (high drought + nitrogen) to discuss the change characteristics of total nitrogen, the activity of alkaline POD and TDC, the content of four alkaloids under the different conditions were measured.

RESULTUnder LK condition, the activity of POD, TDC were enhanced. In the early stage of stress (0-21 d), vindoline, catharanthine, vincristine and vinblastine accumulated, and reduced in the later stage (28-35 d). For all groups, adding exogenous nitrogen could improve the total content of nitrogen, vindoline and vinblastine, meanwhile the activity of POD and TDC were enhanced as well. The LN, HN treatments were beneficial to accumulating catharanthine and vinblastine.

CONCLUSIONDrought stress or additional nitrogen have an influence on both of the activities of POD and TDC, and the four alkaloids were affected as well. Thereinto, the LN condition was the most effective treatment for accumulating the four alkaloids (vindoline, catharanthine, vincristine and vinblastine), which were regulated by improve nitrogen content and enzymatic activity.

Catharanthus ; metabolism ; Nitrogen ; metabolism ; Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Stress, Physiological ; Vinblastine ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism ; Vinca Alkaloids ; metabolism ; Vincristine ; metabolism ; Water ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo reveal the response of content berberine in root of Coptis chinensis to different intensity of UV-B radiation, and provide the theory basis for promoting the content of berberine.

METHODFour groups of UV-B radiation were set in the experiment which included: natural light control (0 W x m(-2)), UL (0.05 W x m(-2)), UM (0.10 W x m(-2)), UH (0.20 W x m(-2)). The special photosynthesis character, PPP pathway in the primary metabolism and lyrosinase activity, the changes of berberine in the root of C. chinensis were measured under different UV-B radiation.

RESULTPhotosynthetic pigment, qN, Fo, ETR, activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and the content of berberine in the root of C. chinensis, all of these parameters were lower than other groups under the UH radiation. However, under the UM radiation, C. chinensis protected itself from the light UV-B radiation by promoting the power of photosynthesis and PPP pathway in order to produce more NADPH and secondary metabolites.

CONCLUSIONC. chinensis increases its photosynthetic ability and PPP pathway which can furnish more precursor of secondary metabolites and NADPH that are needed in the secondary metabolism. Furthermore, the content of berberine increases correspondingly. The research provide the example for increasing the content of berberine in C. chinensis cultivation.

Berberine ; analysis ; Coptis ; chemistry ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; NADP ; metabolism ; Photosynthesis ; radiation effects ; Ultraviolet Rays