First trimester Doppler velocimetry of the uterine artery ipsilateral to the placenta improves ability to predict early-onset preeclampsia.

This study sought to investigate the effects of placental laterality on the measurements of uterine artery (UtA) Doppler velocimetry and their application in predicting early-onset preeclampsia (PE).We conducted a prospective cohort study on all women with singleton, uncomplicated pregnancies scheduled for first-trimester nuchal translucency at our institution. Pulsatility index (PI) for both UtAs was measured by Doppler velocimetry, and placental laterality was determined. Additionally, pregnancy outcome data were abstracted from the medical records. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs) were plotted.Of the 304 patients enrolled, 247 met the inclusion criteria. Among these patients, 240 had uncomplicated delivery, while 7 had early delivery at <34 weeks due to PE. For the uncomplicated pregnancies, PI measurements of the UtA ipsilateral to the placenta were similar (left versus right UtA: 1.06 ±â€Š0.38 vs. 1.04 ±â€Š0.40; P = .745). However, PI measurements of the UtA contralateral to the placenta differed significantly (left versus right UtA: 1.45 ±â€Š0.51 vs. 1.3 ±â€Š0.47; P = .027). In predicting early-onset PE, the ideal cut-off value for the placental side PI was 1.91, with sensitivity 100% and specificity 96.3%. For nonplacental side PI, the ideal cut-off value for PI was 1.975, with sensitivity 57.1% and specificity 79.2%. Using the mean of the left and right UtA PI, the ideal cut-off value was 1.63, with sensitivity 100% and specificity 74.2%.ROC analysis confirmed that PI measurements of the UtA on the placental side were significantly lower than those on the contralateral side, PI measurements of the UtA ipsilateral to the placenta were similar.

[Effects of irradiance transition on leaf photochemical efficiency of mulberry under different light conditions].

Taking the seedlings of mulberry (Morus alba) variety Menggusang as test materials, and by using chlorophyll fluorescence technique, this paper studied the effects of irradiance transition on the leaf active photochemical efficiency (phi(PS II)), apparent electron transport rate (ETR), and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) under different light conditions, and analyzed the changes of three components of NPQ. When the irradiance was transferred from dark or weak light to sunlight, the photosynthetic quantum efficiency of full-light leaves was higher than that of weak-light leaves, the inducible time responses of full-light leaves' Psi(PS II) and ETR were faster to reach steady state as compared to those of week-light leaves', and the induction of full-light leaves' NPQ had a trend of rapid increase in the first two minutes and slow decrease subsequently. The state transitional quenching component (q(T)) of full-light leaves under high light condition made up 18% of the total non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), whereas the q(T) of weak-light leaves only amounted to 7% of NPQ, which meant that the mulberry leaves under full-light condition could adapt to the changes of light intensity by means of higher efficiency of photosynthetic quantum and greater contribution to the adjustment of light energy between photosystem I (PS I ) and photosystem II (PS II), compared to the leaves under weak-light condition.

[Construction and expression of recombinant cecropin B-binding site of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone gene and its anticancer function].

OBJECTIVE: To construct and express recombinant cecropin B-binding site of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (CB-LHRH') gene, and to evaluate the anticancer function of CB-LHRH' on human ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3 and human endometrial cancer cell line HEC-1B. METHODS: The sequence of the cDNA encoding CB-LHRH' was designed, artificially synthesized, verified by DNA sequence analysis and expressed by Bac-to-Bac baculovirus expression system. The expression of CB-LHRH' proteins were identified by western dot blot using rabbit polyclonal antibody against LHRH as the primary antibody. To determine the anticancer effects of the CB-LHRH' protein, ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3 and endometrial adenocarcinoma cell line HEC-1B were treated by different doses of the CB-LHRH' protein. Cell growth inhibition assay was performed using the 2, 3-bis (2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl) 5 [(phenylamino) carbonyl]-2H-tetrazolium hydroxide (XTT) kit at different times, and cell morphologic changes were observed under the inverted microscope. RESULTS: The inhibitory rate of proliferation by CB-LHRH' increased with the increase of dose and time respectively: SKOV3 cell, from (5.03 +/- 0.08)% to (53.24 +/- 1.22)%; HEC-1B cell, from (5.13 +/- 0.37)% to (56.16 +/- 1.08)%. The inhibitory effect on HEC-1B cell was stronger than that on SKOV3 cell (P < 0.01). There were obvious cell morphologic changes. CONCLUSION: The CB-LHRH' protein has anticancer activity, probably through the LHRH receptor, and it may be expected to be a potential candidate as peptide drugs for targeted cancer therapy.