Prevalence of smoking among nurses and its association with blood pressure: A cross-sectional study in 11 cities of China.

AIM: Smoking is harmful to human health. However, the relationship between smoking and blood pressure (BP) has not been consistent. This study aimed to analyse nurses' smoking behaviours and their relationship with BP. METHODS: This cross-sectional study recruited 128 009 nurses in 11 cities in China. They were surveyed with questionnaires including BP measurements. The main contents of the questionnaire included smoking status and other factors that might be associated with hypertension. Multiple linear regression analyses and binary logistic regression analyses were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: The results showed there was a significant difference in the smoking rate among nurses with different characteristics (P < 0.05). For both male and female nurses, smoking was associated with increased diastolic BP and mean arterial pressure, but only with increased systolic BP of male nurses. The prevalence of hypertension among male and female nurses was not related to smoking. CONCLUSION: Despite a relatively low overall smoking rate, rates among some groups are high. Different cities, hospitals, and departments can combine local data and conditions to formulate targeted tobacco control measures to improve nurses' physical and mental health.

Assessment of carotid plaque neovascularization by contrast-enhanced ultrasound and high sensitivity C-reactive protein test in patients with acute cerebral infarction: a comparative study.

Vulnerable carotid plaque easily ruptures and causes cerebral infarction. Plaque inflammation and neovascularization have both been shown as important characteristics in vulnerable plaque. We assessed neovascularization within carotid plaque using contrast-enhanced ultrasound, and also assessed inflammation, using high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) testing, in acute cerebral infarction patients. A total of 106 patients with acute cerebral infarction and 40 controls were enrolled in the study. All subjects had been previously found to have carotid atherosclerotic plaques, and the plaques were classified as soft plaque, hard plaque, mixed plaque, and calcified plaque, using carotid artery ultrasound. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound was performed on the plaques for quantitative analysis and hs-CRP levels were measured. The results showed that plaque enhancement was present in 81.1 % of cerebral infarction patients and 40.0 % of controls. The contrast parameters for cerebral infarction patients were significantly different from controls. For cerebral infarction patients, soft plaque showed the highest enhanced percentage, 95.1 %, with contrast parameters significantly different to other types of plaque. The hs-CRP levels of enhanced cerebral infarction patients were higher than in non-enhanced patients. Correlation analysis in cerebral infarction patients showed that hs-CRP levels were closely related to the contrast parameters. Acute cerebral infarction patients showed intense contrast enhancement and inflammation in carotid plaque, and different types of plaque had various degrees of enhancement, suggesting that contrast-enhanced ultrasound and hs-CRP might be used for plaque risk stratification.

Wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with pain nursing for the treatment of urinary calculi with acute pain.

BACKGROUND: Urological calculi often cause renal colic, which is characterized by paroxysmal or persistent severe pain in the upper abdomen or lumbar region. Development of methods to quickly relieve these pain symptoms has garnered clinical attention. Wrist-ankle acupuncture is a type of floating acupuncture therapy administered at selected points in the carpal and ankle areas, and it has good pain-relieving effects. We used wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with pain nursing for pain intervention in patients with renal calculi to confirm its application and safety. AIM: To study the effect of wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with pain nursing in the treatment of urinary calculi with acute pain. METHODS: Eighty-two patients with urinary calculi with acute pain as the first symptom followed at our hospital from November 2019 to June 2021 were enrolled in the study and classified into two groups according to the odd and even numbers of the visit sequences, each with 41 cases. The control group received a routine nursing intervention and intramuscular injection of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, whereas the observation group received pain management nursing and wrist-ankle acupuncture. Subsequently, the pain-relieving effect was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The score on the visual analog scale (VAS) at 24, 48, and 72 h postintervention was decreased in both groups compared with the baseline data; moreover, the observation group scored significantly lower than the control group on the VAS at each time point after the intervention (P < 0.05). The clinical efficacy at 24 h postintervention was not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05). In turn, the pain recurrence rate at 72 h postintervention was lower in the observation group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Finally, the nursing satisfaction rate in the observation group was significantly higher than that observed in the control group (P < 0.05). No serious adverse reactions occurred during the treatment and the safety of treatment was high in both groups. CONCLUSION: Wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with pain nursing for treating urolithiasis with acute pain effectively alleviated the degree of pain and reduced the recurrence rate, which was worthy of clinical application.

Value of Serum SRY-Box Transcription Factor 2 Levels Combined with Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Diagnosis of Endometrial Carcinoma.

Objective: To investigate the role of the SRY-box transcription factor 2 (SOX2) in endometrial carcinoma and the diagnostic value of serum SOX2 levels combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: The present prospective observational study included 326 cases of endometrial carcinoma. All patients received measurements of serum SOX2 and MRI detection two weeks prior to surgery. Patients' demographic and clinical data including age, BMI, cancer stage, tumor differentiation, invasion, and lymph node metastasis were collected. All patients were followed for 5 years following surgery. Results: Deceased patients showed significantly higher ratios of: FIGO stage III-IV tumors; low tumor differentiation; myometrial invasion depths of >1/2 and cervical invasion. Lymph node metastases and distant metastasis were significantly lower in surviving patients than those in deceased patients. The serum levels of SOX2 were significantly higher in endometrial carcinoma patients compared with the healthy controls and were remarkably higher in deceased patients. Patients with elevated SOX2 levels also had higher rates of FIGO stage III-IV, higher rates of myometrial invasion depth >1/2 and higher rates of low tumor differentiation. Elevated SOX2 levels are correlated with higher rates of lymph node metastases, distant metastases and 5-year mortality. Serum SOX2 levels combined with MRI have the potential to improve the diagnosis of myometrial invasion and lymph node metastasis in endometrial carcinoma. Conclusion: Elevated serum SOX2 levels were associated with poor prognoses of patients with endometrial carcinoma. Serum SOX2 levels combined with MRI could be useful in the diagnosis and prognosis of endometrial carcinoma.

Exosomal long non-coding RNA LINC00662 promotes non-small cell lung cancer progression by miR-320d/E2F1 axis.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common tumor affecting modern people and is associated with severe morbidity and high mortality. Exosomal long non-coding RNAs as crucial regulators are involved in cancer progression. However, the role of exosomal lncRNA LINC00662 in the development of NSCLC remains unclear. Here, we aimed to explore the impact of exosomal lncRNA LINC00662 on the NSCLC progression and the underlying mechanism. Significantly, we revealed that the expression of lncRNA LINC00662 was elevated in the plasma exosome of NSCLC patients. Exosomal LINC00662 promoted proliferation, invasion, and migration, and inhibited apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of NSCLC cells. Mechanically, LINC00662 was able to serve as a miR-320d sponge in NSCLC cells. MiR-320d could target E2F1 in NSCLC cells. Exosomal LINC00662 contributed to the progression of NSCLC by miR-320d/E2F1 axis in vitro. Remarkably, exosomal LINC00662 enhanced the tumor growth of NSCLC in vivo. Thus, we conclude that exosomal lncRNA LINC00662 promotes NSCLC progression by modulating miR-320d/E2F1 axis. Our finding provides new insights into the mechanism by which exosomal lncRNA LINC00662 contributes to the development of NSCLC. LncRNA LINC00662, miR-320d, and E2F1 may serve as potential targets for NSCLC therapy.

The effect of holographic meridian scraping therapy combined with free position on the labor process, perineum lateral resection rate, and delivery outcomes of primiparae.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of holographic meridian scraping combined with free body positions on the stages of labor, the perineal lateral resection rate, and the delivery outcomes of the primipara. METHODS: A total of 120 primiparous women in natural labor admitted to Hebei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (HPH-TCM) from January 2020 to September 2020 were recruited as the study cohort. The cohort of parturients was divided into a conventional treatment group (the conventional group) or a combined treatment group (the combined group). Both groups gave birth in free positions, and the combined treatment group also underwent holographic meridian scraping therapy. We compared the two groups of parturients in terms of their labor times, their postpartum hemorrhages within two hours, their delivery indicators (vaginal delivery rate, cesarean section rate, oxytocin application rate during labor), and their perineal injury indicators (perineal injury degree, perineal lateral resection rate, and delivery satisfaction rate). The two groups' pain and anxiety levels were evaluated, and the newborns' weights and health conditions after delivery were compared. RESULTS: The combined treatment group's maternal pain and anxiety scores were lower, their labor times were shorter, their postpartum blood loss in two hours was less than it was in the conventional group (P<0.05). The vaginal delivery rate, oxytocin injection rate, and cesarean section rate in the combined group were lower than they were in the conventional group during labor (P<0.05). The combined group's maternal perineal injury levels and perineal lateral resection rate were lower, and the delivery satisfaction rate and the newborns' Apgar scores were higher than they were in the conventional group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: All labor stages of primipara can be shortened, their mental state and health conditions improved, their perineal lateral resection rate lessened, and their perineal injury degrees and pain reduced through free delivery positions combined with holographic meridian scraping treatment.

Effect of frequency and pattern of night shift on hypertension risk in female nurses: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Understanding the effect of night shift on hypertension risk in nurses is important to improve the health of nurses and ensure patient safety. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the frequency and pattern of night shift on hypertension risk and the interaction of them in female nurses. METHODS: This cross-sectional study constituted 84 697 female nurses in 13 cities in China. The main contents of the survey included SBP, DBP, the frequency and pattern of night shift, and some other factors that might be associated with hypertension. Logistic regression analyses were used to calculate ORs and 95% CIs to estimate the effect of the frequency and pattern of night shift on hypertension risk and the interaction of them in relation to hypertension risk. RESULTS: Having more than 5 to 10 or more than 10 night shifts per month were significantly more likely to be hypertensive (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.10-1.28; OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.13-1.54), whereas having less than or equal to 5 night shifts per month was not (OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.95-1.16). The patterns of night shift were all associated with a higher probability of hypertension and participants engaging in rapidly rotating night shift had a lower OR (1.14) than those having slowly rotating night shift (1.23) and permanent night shift (1.46). No significant interaction was observed between the frequency and the pattern of night shift (Pinteraction = 0.281). CONCLUSION: The frequency and pattern of night shift were associated with hypertension risk in female nurses and no significant interaction was observed between them.

Analysis of User Satisfaction with Online Education Platforms in China during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The outbreak of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in various countries at the end of last year has transferred traditional face-to-face teaching to online education platforms, which directly affects the quality of education. Taking user satisfaction on online education platforms in China as the research object, this paper uses a questionnaire survey and web crawler to collect experience data of online and offline users, constructs a customer satisfaction index system by analyzing emotion and the existing literature for quantitative analysis, and builds aback propagation (BP) neural network model to forecast user satisfaction. The conclusion shows that users' personal factors have no direct influence on user satisfaction, while platform availability has the greatest influence on user satisfaction. Finally, suggestions on improving the online education platform are given to escalate the level of online education during the COVID-19 pandemic, so as to promote the reform of information-based education.

A Policy Category Analysis Model for Tourism Promotion in China During the COVID-19 Pandemic Based on Data Mining and Binary Regression.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: At the end of 2019, the outbreak of COVID-19 had a significant impact on China's tourism industry, which was almost at a standstill in the short-term. After reaching the preliminarily stable state, the government and the scenic area management department implemented a series of incentive policies in order to speed up the recovery of the tourism industry. Therefore, analyzing all sorts of social effects after policy implementation is of guiding significance for the government and the scenic areas. METHODS: Targeted as the social effect with the implementation of tourism promotion policy during the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper briefly analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on the national cultural and tourism industry and selects several representative types of tourism policies, crawls the comment data of Weibo users, analyzes users' perception and emotional preference to the policy, and thus mines the social effect of various policies. Subsequently, by identifying the social effects of various policies as dependent variables, a binary logistic regression model is constructed to obtain the best combination of tourism promotion policies and promote the rapid revitalization of the cultural and tourism industry. RESULTS: The results show that from the single policy, the social effect of the "safety" policy is the best. From the perspective of combination policies, the simultaneous release of "safety" policies and "economy" policies have the greatest social impact, which can dramatically accelerate the recovery of the cultural and tourism industry. Finally, this paper proposes suggestions for policy formulation to improve the ability of the cultural tourism industry to cope with crisis events. CONCLUSION: These results explain the perceived effects of the public on the government policies and can be used to judge whether the policies have been released in place. Based on the above results, corresponding suggestions are proposed as follows: 1) the combination of economic policies and security policies can achieve better results; and 2) the role of "opinion leaders" can be played to improve the perceived effect of policies.

Comparative study of cellular kinetics of reporter probe [(131)I]FIAU in neonatal cardiac myocytes after transfer of HSV1-tk reporter gene with two vectors.

AIM: Reporter gene imaging is a promising approach for noninvasive monitoring of cardiac gene therapy. In this study, HSV1-tk (herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase) and FIAU (2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-1-beta-d-arabinofuranosyl-5-iodouracil) were used as the reporter gene and probe, respectively. Cellular uptakes of radiolabeled FIAU of neonatal rat cardiac myocytes transferred with HSV1-tk were compared between two vectors, adenovirus and liposome. The aims of this study were to choose the better vector and to provide a theoretical basis for good nuclide images. METHODS: Neonatal cardiac myocytes were obtained from rat heart by single collagenase digestion. HSV1-tk inserted into adenovirus vector (recombinant adenovirus type 5, Ad5-tk) and plasmid (pDC316-tk) coated with Lipofectamine 2000 (pDC316-tk/lipoplex) were developed; thus, HSV1-tk could be transferred into neonatal cardiac myocytes. FAU (2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-1-beta-d-arabinofuranosyluracil) was labeled with (131)I, and the product was assessed after purification with reversed-phase Sep-Pak C-18 column. The uptake rates of [(131)I]FIAU in the transferred cardiac myocytes at different times (0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 h) were detected. Furthermore, mRNA expression and protein expression of HSV1-tk were detected by semiquantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: FAU could be labeled with (131)I, and the labeling efficiency and radiochemical purity rates were 53.82+/-2.05% and 94.85+/-1.76%, respectively. Time-dependent increase of the accumulation of [(131)I]FIAU was observed in both the Ad5-tk group and the pDC316/lipoplex group, and the highest uptake rate occurred at 5 h, with peak values of 12.55+/-0.37% and 2.09+/-0.34%, respectively. Greater uptakes of [(131)I]FIAU in Ad5-tk-infected cells compared with pDC316/lipoplex-transfected ones occurred at all the time points (t=12.978-38.253, P<.01). The exogenous gene expression by polymerase chain reaction in adenovirus vector-infected cardiac myocytes was significantly higher than that in pDC316-tk/lipoplex-transducted ones (semiquantitative analysis, 3.11+/-0.14 versus 1.60+/-0.05, P<.01). Immunocytochemistry showed that the transferred cardiac myocytes successfully expressed the target protein, and the positive rates were 81.70+/-0.40% in Ad5-tk and 22.06+/-0.32% in liposome (P<.01). CONCLUSIONS: Both adenovirus and liposome could transfer reporter gene into cardiac myocytes successfully, and the expressed exogenous protein could form functional enzymes efficiently. However, the adenovirus vector acted more efficiently than did liposome, with a higher uptake rate of the reporter probe. Thus, adenovirus is competent for gene transfer in cardiac reporter gene imaging.

Angiotensin II receptor 1 involved in the central pressor response induced by interleukin-1 beta in the paraventricular nucleus.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible participation of angiotensin II receptor 1 (AT(1) receptor) in pressor response induced by IL-1beta in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of hypothalamus. METHODS: The experiments were performed on adult Wistar rats. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) were recorded during microinjection of different doses of IL-1beta, IL-1beta together with Losartan, an AT1 receptor antagonist, or Ang II pre-treated with IL-1beta into PVN. Rats microinjected with saline were served as controls in all experiments. RESULTS: Microinjection of IL-1beta (0.1 or 0.2 ng) resulted in increases in blood pressure in a dose-dependent manner, and the pressor effect caused by administration of IL-1beta (0.2 ng) could be attenuated by pre-treatment with AT(1) receptor antagonist (100 ng Losartan). A subpressor dose of IL-1beta (0.05 ng) could augment the pressor response induced by microinjection of Ang II (10 ng). DISCUSSION: The present results provide support that central infusion of IL-1beta increases blood pressure and the pressor response requires stimulation of AT(1) receptors. It is also shown that IL-1beta has the effect of increasing the magnitude of pressor response induced by Ang II in PVN.

[Autoradiography reporter gene (Ad5-tk carrying HSV1-tk gene) expression imaging in rat myocardium].

OBJECTIVE: Radionuclide imaging of reporter gene expression holds promise for noninvasive monitoring of gene therapy. Herpes simplex virus 1-thymidine kinase (HSV1-tk) has been successfully applied to the tumor tissue.We explored the feasibility of the expression imaging of HSV1-tk reporter gene in rat myocardium by using SPECT reporter probe (131)I-2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-5-iodouracil ((131)I-FIAU) and autoradiography (ARG). METHODS: The recombinant Ad5-tk carrying HSV1-tk gene and adenovirus (Ad5-null) as vector were constructed and intramyocardially injected into SD rats. Experiment was grouped for different aims as follows: (1) Influence of time on the imaging after transfection reporter gene: rats were injected with (131)I-FIAU at day 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 after transfection of 1 x 10(8)pfu Ad5-tk; (2) Influence of various titers on the imaging: rats underwent intramyocardial injection with various titers of Ad5-tk (5 x 10(8), 1 x 10(8), 5 x 10(7), 1 x 10(7)pfu). After 2 days, rats were injected with (131)I-FIAU in tail vein. Equal volume Ad-nulls was intramyocardially injected to control rats. Rats were killed 24 h after injection of (131)I-FIAU and the hearts were rapidly dissected for gamma counts measurement. The total myocardial (131)I-FIAU accumulation was quantified in percent of injected dose per gram myocardium (%ID/g). The myocardial reporter gene expression was semi-quantitatively determined by ARG and RT-PCR. RESULTS: ARG and RT-PCR showed that the local expression of reporter gene increased in proportion with increasing titer and decreased in proportion with time post injection. The semi-quantitative assay showed there were significant correlations among %ID/g, RT-PCR and ARG: r(2) = 0.963, P < 0.05 for RT-PCR and ARG; r(2) = 0.996, P < 0.01 for %ID/g and ARG in rats received various reporter gene titers at identical time point post injection; r(2) = 0.950, P < 0.05 for RT-PCR and ARG; r(2) = 0.980, P < 0.01 for %ID/g and ARG for rats received identical reporter gene titer on various time points post injection. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed that cardiac reporter gene imaging with HSV1-tk as reporter gene and (131)I-FIAU as reporter probe was feasible in rats. The optimal Ad5-tk titer is 1 x 10(8) pfu and the optimal imaging time is 24 h to 48 h post gene transfer. HSV1-tk/FIAU may be used for the noninvasive monitoring of cardiac gene therapy.

Comparison of the predictive value of four-dimensional speckle tracking imaging risk classification and the TIMI system after STEMI reperfusion therapy.

The predictive value of four-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (4D-STI) risk classification and TIMI risk scores for the prognosis of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) after reperfusion therapy were investigated. One hundred and twenty patients with STEMI after reperfusion therapy were involved. At 12 h after reperfusion therapy, 2nd and 3rd day, the three-dimensional longitudinal strain (LS), circumferential strain (CS) and radial strain (RS), area strain (AS), as well as other 4D-STI detection indicators, were collected. The patients were followed up for one year, and were divided into good prognosis group and poor prognosis group. LS, CS, RS and AS indicators were analyzed between these two groups. The ROC curve was drawn to establish the 4D-STI risk classification and its predictive value for poor prognosis and mortality were compared with TIMI risk scores. AS, LS and RS at 12 h after reperfusion treatment, and AS and RS at 2nd and 3rd day had a certain degree of prediction accuracy in STEMI patients in the poor prognosis group. In the 4D-STI and TIMI risk scores, the risk of death and adverse prognosis significantly increased as the risk scores increased (P<0.01). The 4D-STI risk score for predicting poor prognosis and mortality was greater than the TIMI risk score. 4D-STI risk scores are superior to TIMI risk scores in predicting poor prognosis and mortality in patients with STEMI after reperfusion therapy.

Implication of coronary CT angiography combined with four-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography for predicting major adverse cardiac events.

Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) can provide abundant information about the anatomy of the coronary artery. However, this modality is limited in evaluation of myocardial function. Four-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (4DSTE) is a novel and sensitive technique for quantitative evaluation of myocardial deformation. We estimated the value of these imaging modalities to predict the risk of MACE in 209 patients with suspected coronary artery disease(CAD) after a median follow-up of 727 days. Three models were established: (1) CCTA alone, (2) CCTA combined with 4DSTE, and (3) CCTA combined with 4DSTE and clinical risk factors. Forty-six (22.0%) patients developed MACE. The hazard ratio (HR) of CCTA classification to predict the risk of MACE was greater (HR = 4.86) than for other parameters, including B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) (HR = 2.44) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (HR = 0.40). The area under the curve of models 2 and 3 to predict MACE was significantly greater than that of model 1 (0.92 and 0.93 vs. 0.84, respectively, p < 0.001). We conclude that there is direct relationship between CCTA classification and MACE risk. CCTA combined with 4DSTE can improve the ability of CCTA to predict the risk of MACE. This approach provides cardiologists a noninvasive, objective, and efficient method to predict MACE.

[Gene analysis in a family of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical feature of a family with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), and to study the mutation of its related genes. METHODS: Medical histories of the family were analyzed to detect HHT patients according to the diagnostic criteria. ENG and ALK-1 genes of the proband and her two daughters were analyzed. DNA from the three patients' peripheral blood was extracted. The exons 2-10 and their intron-exon boundaries of ALK1 were amplified with PCR, and then the PCR products were sequenced and analyzed to identify the mutation. RESULTS: There were 11 people in 41 family members of 4 generations were diagnosed as HHT. The proband and her two daughters suffered from multiple organ damage, the younger daughter appeared only imaging features instead of corresponding clinical symptoms. A missense mutation at the 1321 bp of cDNA (c.1321G>A) was detected in the exon 9 of ALK1, which resulted in valine 441 to methionine replacement in ALK-1 protein (p.Val441Met). CONCLUSION: A Chinese family with HHT was studied and a missense mutation (c.1321G>A, p.Val441Met) of ALK-1 was discovered. This mutation is the genetic basis of the family with HHT and is reported for the first time in China. This research will not only help to further investigate molecular mechanism of pathogenesis of HTT, but also provide evidences and references for the following gene screening and genetic counseling on HTT family members.

Clinical application of contrast enhanced ultrasound to diagnose benign prostatic hyperplasia.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) through comparing CEUS parameters between BPH and normal person. METHODS: A retrospective study of sixty BPH patients (aged 73.5 ± 20.5 years old) and thirty normal controls without prostate diseases (aged 75.3 ± 19.7 years old) who had accepted CEUS detection were performed. Time-intensity curves were obtained for all tests in regions of interest. Images were processed using ACQ software and the following parameters were obtained: arrival time (AT), peak intensity (P), time to peak (TP), area under the curve (AUC), mean transit time (MTT) and extinction time (ET). Differences in inner and outer gland of prostate between BPH and the normal tissue were evaluated. RESULTS: There was a clear boundary between the inner and outer gland of BPH prostate. AT, TP, MTT, ET and P in BPH outer gland were significantly higher than the control group. In inner gland, MTT, ET, AUC and P were also significantly higher than the controls. The accurate rate to diagnose BPH using CEUS was 95.6%, and the sensitivity and specificity were 95.0% and 96.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Among these significantly changed parameters, the increases of MTT, ET and AUC in inner gland and AT, TP in outer gland were most likely related to BPH. These parameters provide an objective visual assessment to diagnosis of BPH. VIRTUAL SLIDES: The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/4852383312229155.

The response of mulberry trees after seedling hardening to summer drought in the hydro-fluctuation belt of Three Gorges Reservoir Areas.

Interest has developed in the potential of mulberry (Morus alba), a woody perennial, for revegetating the hydro-fluctuation belt of the Three Gorges Reservoir due to its resistance to water-logging stress. To be useful, the trees must also be able to withstand dry conditions in summer when temperatures can be very high and droughts become severe quickly. Here, we report a study in which mulberry seedlings were grown in a greenhouse under a variety of simulated soil water conditions reflecting potential summer scenarios in the hydro-fluctuation belt of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area. We compared the responses of two pretreatment groups of mulberry seedlings to different levels of drought stress. The pretreatment groups differed with respect to drought hardening: the daily-managed (DM) group had relative soil moisture held constant in the range 70-80 %, while the drought-hardened (DH) group had relative soil moisture held constant at 40-50 %. Following the month-long pretreatment of seedlings, the two groups of young trees (DM and DH) were then respectively subjected to three levels of drought stress for a month: normal watering, moderate drought stress, and severe drought stress. A series of measurements comparing the physiological status of the plants in the two groups were then made, and the following results were obtained: (1) As drought stress increased, the heights, base diameters, root surface areas, photosynthetic rates (Pn), stomatal conductances (Gs), and transpiration rates (Tr) of the mulberry trees in both groups (DM and DH) decreased significantly, while the specific root area and abscisic acid (ABA) contents had increasing trends. Root activity and instantaneous water use efficiency of mulberry trees in both groups (DM and DH) were all raised under drought stress conditions than under normal watering, but the root/shoot ratio and leaf water potential were lowered. (2) At the same level of soil water content, the heights, base diameters, root/shoot ratios, root surface areas, specific root areas, photosynthetic rates (Pn), stomatal conductances (Gs), and transpiration rates (Tr) of the young mulberry trees in the DH were all significantly higher than those of the control group (DM). Leaf water potential, instantaneous water use efficiency, and abscisic acid content of DH were all significantly lower than DM. Under different degrees of drought stress, the growth of mulberry trees will be inhibited, but the trees can respond to the stress by increasing the root absorptive area and enhancing capacity for water retention. Mulberry trees demonstrate strong resistance to drought stress, and furthermore drought resistance can be improved by drought hardening during the seedling stage.

[Development of periodontal tissue engineering].

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature about the development of the periodontal tissue engineering. METHODS: Based on an extensive review of the latest literature concerned, we analyzed and evaluated the method of the periodontal tissue engineering. RESULTS: The development of the periodontal tissue engineering in the fields of the seed cells, modifier genes, cell factors, and scaffold materials provided a brand-new thinking and method for complete regeneration of the periodontal tissues. CONCLUSION: The periodontal tissue engineering has an excellent future but many problems still require a further study and a satisfactory solution.