The "Huang gua" melons were measured for their physical properties including firmness and static elastic modulus. The vibrational characteristics of fruits and vegetables are governed by their elastic modulus (firmness), mass, and geometry. Therefore, it is possible to evaluate firmness of fruits and vegetables based on their vibrational characteristics. Analysis of the vibration responses of a fruit is suggested for measuring elastic properties (Firmness) non-destructively. The impulse response method is often used to measure firmness of fruits. The fruit was excited using three types of balls (wooden, steel and rubber) and the vibration is detected by an accelerometer. The Instron device was used to measure the static elastic modulus of the inner, middle and outer portions of melon flesh. Finite element (FE) technique was used to determine the optimum excitation location of the chosen measurement sensor and to analyze the mode shape fruits. Four types of mode shapes (torsional or flexural mode shape, first-type, second-type spherical mode and breathing mode shape) were found. Finite element simulation results agreed well with experimental results. Correlation between the firmness and resonant frequency (r2=0.91) and between the resonant frequency and stiffness factor (r2=0.74) existed. The optimum location and suitable direction for excitation and response measurement on the fruit were suggested.
Cucurbitaceae ; physiology ; Elasticity ; Finite Element Analysis ; Food Analysis ; methods ; Fruit ; physiology ; Hardness ; Hardness Tests ; methods ; Models, Biological ; Physical Stimulation ; methods ; Vibration

A digital image analysis algorithm based color and morphological features was developed to identify the six varieties (ey7954, syz3, xs11, xy5968, xy9308, z903) rice seeds which are widely planted in Zhejiang Province. Seven color and fourteen morphological features were used for discriminant analysis. Two hundred and forty kernels used as the training data set and sixty kernels as the test data set in the neural network used to identify rice seed varieties. When the model was tested on the test data set, the identification accuracies were 90.00%, 88.00%, 95.00%, 82.00%, 74.00%, 80.00% for ey7954, syz3, xs11, xy5968, xy9308, z903 respectively.
Algorithms ; Artificial Intelligence ; Cluster Analysis ; Colorimetry ; methods ; Image Enhancement ; methods ; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Information Storage and Retrieval ; methods ; Oryza ; anatomy & histology ; classification ; Pattern Recognition, Automated ; methods ; Photography ; methods ; Reproducibility of Results ; Seeds ; anatomy & histology ; classification ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Species Specificity

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the bioequivalence of orally disintegrating tablets of pentoxyverine citrate (tested preparation) in healthy male volunteers.

METHODSA single oral dose of the tested and reference preparations at 25 mg were given to 20 healthy volunteers in a randomized two-period cross-over design. Plasma pentoxyverine citrate concentrations were determined by HPLC-MS/ESI+ method. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated and the bioequivalence of the two preparations were evaluated using DAS program.

RESULTSThe Tmax, Cmax, AUC0 15 and AUC0infinity of tested and reference preparations were 1.62-/+0.75 h and 2.52-/+1.21 h, 62.28-/+33.06 microg/L and 59.72-/+33.25 microg/L, 234.44-/+130.01 microg.h.L(-1) and 228.77-/+129.24 microg.h.L(-1), 246.80-/+136.19 microg.h.L(-1) and 244.11-/+140.73 microg.h.L(-1), respectively. The 90% confidence interval of C(max), AUC0 15 and AUC0infinity of tested preparations were 81.4%-138.4%, 86.0%-123.3% and 86.5%-121.2%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe tested and reference preparations are bioequivalent.

Adult ; Area Under Curve ; Biological Availability ; Citric Acid ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Cross-Over Studies ; Cyclopentanes ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Humans ; Male ; Tablets ; Therapeutic Equivalency ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the association between the two single nucleotide polymorphisms located in catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)in Han population in Guangdong province.

METHODSTwo tagSNPs (rs4646312 and rs4680) were picked out from COMT gene. Using the SNPscan(TM) Kit, SNP genotyping was then performed, in two cohorts, including 595 cases and 725 controls. Finally, Chi-square test, logistic regression model and other methods were employed for statistical analysis.

RESULTSThe frequencies of TT, CT and CC of rs4646312 appeared to be 304(51.1%), 234(39.3%)and 57 (8.6%) in cases, 323 (44.6%), 319 (44.0%) and 83(11.4%)in controls, respectively. The frequencies of GG,GA and AA of rs4680 were 311(52.4%), 236 (39.8%) and 46(7.8%)in cases, 417(57.7%), 265 (36.6%) and 41 (5.7%) in controls, respectively.

RESULTSshowed that SNP rs4646312 was significantly associated with T2DM both in allelic association analysis (P = 0.020,OR = 1.26, 95%CI:1.04-1.53)and in recessive model (P = 0.022, OR = 1.35, 95% CI:1.05-1.74)after adjustment for sex,BMI and TG. The association between rs4680 and T2DM was not significant, but BMI was remarkably different among the three genotypes of rs4680 after controlling for other factors.

CONCLUSIONSNP rs4646312 of COMT gene was associated with the increased risk of T2DM in Han population in Guangdong province. However, rs4680 was not significantly associated with T2DM.

Adult ; Aged ; Alleles ; Case-Control Studies ; Catechol O-Methyltransferase ; genetics ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; etiology ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical treatment outcomes and the changes of the outcomes over time in extremely preterm twins in Guangdong Province, China. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 269 pairs of extremely preterm twins with a gestational age of <28 weeks who were admitted to the department of neonatology in 26 grade A tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province from January 2008 to December 2017. According to the admission time, they were divided into two groups: 2008-2012 and 2013-2017. Besides, each pair of twins was divided into the heavier infant and the lighter infant subgroups according to birth weight. The perinatal data of mothers and hospitalization data of neonates were collected. The survival rate of twins and the incidence rate of complications were compared between the 2008-2012 and 2013-2017 groups. RESULTS: Compared with the 2008-2012 group, the 2013-2017 group (both the heavier infant and lighter infant subgroups) had lower incidence rates of severe asphyxia and smaller head circumference at birth (P<0.05). The mortality rates of both of the twins, the heavier infant of the twins, and the lighter infant of the twins were lower in the 2013-2017 group compared with the 2008-2012 group (P<0.05). Compared with the 2008-2012 group, the 2013-2017 group (both the heavier infant and lighter infant subgroups) had lower incidence rates of pulmonary hemorrhage, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (P-IVH), and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) and a higher incidence rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS There is a significant increase in the survival rate over time in extremely preterm twins with a gestational age of <28 weeks in the 26 grade A tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province. The incidences of severe asphyxia, pulmonary hemorrhage, PDA, P-IVH, and NRDS decrease in both the heavier and lighter infants of the twins, but the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia increases. With the improvement of diagnosis and treatment, the multidisciplinary collaboration between different fields of fetal medicine including prenatal diagnosis, obstetrics, and neonatology is needed in the future to jointly develop management strategies for twin pregnancy.
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/epidemiology* ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Extremely Premature ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome