Biomedical subjects

Ji Liang

Publications and source records attributed to Ji Liang.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Evidence-informed obstetric practice during normal birth in China: trends and influences in four hospitals.

BACKGROUND: A variety of international organizations, professional groups and individuals are promoting evidence-informed obstetric care in China. We measured change in obstetric practice during vaginal delivery that could be attributed to the diffusion of evidence-based messages, and explored influences on practice change. METHODS: Sample surveys of women at postnatal discharge in three government hospitals in Shanghai and one in neighbouring Jiangsu province carried out in 1999, repeated in 2003, and compared. Main outcome measures were changes in obstetric practice and influences on provider behaviour. "Routine practice" was defined as more than 65% of vaginal births. Semi-structured interviews with doctors explored influences on practice. RESULTS: In 1999, episiotomy was routine at all four hospitals; pubic shaving, rectal examination (to monitor labour) and electronic fetal heart monitoring were routine at three hospitals; and enema on admission was common at one hospital. In 2003, episiotomy rates remained high at all hospitals, and actually significantly increased at one; pubic shaving was less common at one hospital; one hospital stopped rectal examination for monitoring labour, and the one hospital where enemas were common stopped this practice. Mobility during labour increased in three hospitals. Continuous support was variable between hospitals at baseline and showed no change with the 2003 survey. Provider behaviour was mainly influenced by international best practice standards promoted by hospital directors, and national legislation about clinical practice. CONCLUSION: Obstetric practice became more evidence-informed in this selected group of hospitals in China. Change was not directly related to the promotion of evidence-based practice in the region. Hospital directors and national legislation seem to be particularly important influences on provider behaviour at the hospital level.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Chromium adsorption by aligned carbon nanotubes supported ceria nanoparticles.

Ceria nanoparticles supported on aligned carbon nanotubes (CeO(2)/ACNTs), a novel adsorbent for Cr(VI) from drinking water, were prepared by chemical reaction of CeCl(3) with NaOH in aligned carbon nanotube solution and subsequent heat treatment. The best Cr(VI) adsorption effect of CeO(2)/ACNTs occurs at a pH range of 3.0-7.4. The largest adsorption capacity of CeO(2)/ACNTs reaches 30.2 mg g(-1) at an equilibrium Cr(VI) concentration of 35.3 mg l(-1) at pH 7.0. The experiment results suggest that CeO(2)/ACNTs have great potential applications in environmental protection.

Adsorption↗

PubMed2006

Developmental regulation of intracellular calcium transients during cardiomyocyte differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.

AIM: To investigate the developmental regulation of intracellular Ca2+ transients, an essential event in excitation-contraction coupling, during cardiomyocyte differentiation. METHODS: Using the embryonic stem (ES) cell in vitro differentiation system and pharmacological intervention, we investigated the molecular and functional regulation of Ca2+ handling proteins on the Ca2+ transients at early, intermediate and later differentiation stages of ES cell-derived cardiomyocytes (ESCM). RESULTS: Nifedipine, a selective antagonist of L-type Ca2+ channels, totally blocked Ca2+ transients even in the condition of field-electric stimulation in ESCM at three differentiation stages. The Ca2+ transients of ESCM were also inhibited by both ryanodine [an inhibitor of ryanodine receptors (RyRs)] and 2-aminoethoxydipheylborate [2-APB, an inhibitor of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs)]. The inhibitory effect of ryanodine increased with the time of differentiation, while the effect of 2-APB decreased with the differentiation. Thapsigargin, an inhibitor of SR Ca2+-pump ATPase, inhibited Ca2+ transients equally at three differentiation stages that matched the expression profile. Na+ free solution, which inhibits Na+-Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) to extrude Ca2+ from cytosol, did not affect the amplitude of Ca2+ transients of ESCM until the latter differentiation stage, but it significantly enhanced the basal Ca2+ concentration. CONCLUSION: The Ca2+ transients in ESCM depend on both the sarcolemmal Ca2+ entry via L-type Ca2+ channels and the SR Ca2+ release from RyRs and IP3Rs even at the early differentiation stage; but NCX seems not to regulate the peak of Ca2+ transients until the latter differentiation stage.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Development of a controlled release formulation based on a starch matrix system.

Controlled release formulation (CRF) of the insecticide acetamiprid was made using tapioca starch, urea and sodium borate. The data show the recovery of this CRF process is > 95.43%, there is no obvious difference with increase of sodium borate added, however, with the increase of urea in the mixture, the formulation has a decrease recovery. In stability test, the decomposition rate of acetamiprid CRF was less one tenth than that of the acetamiprid emulsifiable concentrate (EC) under UV radiation. The release kinetics of acetamiprid from granules with variation content of urea, sodium borate and granule sizes were evaluated in water under laboratory condition. The release data were fitted to the generalized model Mt/Mz = kt(n), where Mt/Mz is the percentage of insecticide released at time t, k and n are constants, and n is constant that indicates the mechanism of release. The results indicated that the release of acetamiprid was diffusion-controlled. The time taken for 50% of the active ingredient to be released into water, T50, was also calculated for the comparison of formulations. The results showed that the formulation with the increasing urea in formulation had the higher value of T50, which means a slower release of the active ingredient, while that the formulation with the increasing sodium borate in formulation had the lower value of T50, which means a faster release of the active ingredient. It was also found that as the size of this formulation decreased, the release of the active ingredient was faster.

Borates↗

PubMed2005

HPLC/UV analysis of chlorfenapyr residues in cabbage and soil to study the dynamics of different formulations.

The chlorfenapyr analysis method of residue, its degradation and final residue in soil and cabbage were studied. Residues of chlorfenapyr were extracted from soil and cabbage with acetone/water, purified by liquid/liquid partition and chromatographic column, concentrated to a small volume, and then determined by HPLC equipped with UV detector. The mean accuracy of analytical method were 93.3% and 90.6% in soil and cabbage, respectively; the precision (repeatability) in cabbage ranging from 1.7% to 11.8%, in soil ranging from 2.8% to 11.2%; the precision (reproducibility) in cabbage ranged from 2.2% to 12.1%, in soil it ranged from 2.4% to 11.5%. The minimum detectable amount of chlorfenapyr was 0.65 ng, the minimum detectable concentration was 0.0162 mg kg-1. The degradation of chlorfenapyr formulations in soil and cabbage was determined. The results showed that chlorfenapyr nanoformulation and suspension concentration degradation in soil coincided with C=0.2538 e-0.1612t, C=0.537 e-0.1754t, respectively; the half-lives were about 4.3 d and 3.9 d, respectively. Two kinds of chlorfenapyr formulation degradation in cabbage coincided with C=4.0431 e-0.3103t, C=6.9611 e-0.2686t respectively; the half-lives were about 2.2 d and 2.6, d, respectively. When chlorfenapyr formulations were applied according to the double recommended dose, the final residues in cabbage were much lower than the USA EPA's maximum residue limit of 1 mg kg-1 in vegetables. The degradation rate of chlorfenapyr nanoformulation was faster than that of suspension concentration, and the former residue was also less in soil. Therefore, a harvest interval should be more than 5 d, and a dosage of 900 mL/hm2 was suggested for chlorfenapyr suspension concentration, which could be considered as safe to human beings and animals. Chlorfenapyr nanoformulation was safer than suspension concentration, its harvest interval and dosage can attain a high level.

Brassica↗

PubMed2005

Automatic recognition of maize cell types using context information.

When classifying objects in images of biological specimens, it is usual for there to be some dependence among neighbouring objects. This can in theory be used to augment the information available for classifying each object. However, much of the methodology developed for this type of contextual classification assumes a fixed number of neighbours, such as is found on a regular grid. In this paper, we show how Markov random fields can be used in the case where the number of neighbours varies, and we illustrate this with an application in the classification of cells types in microscope images of plant stems.

Markov Chains↗

PubMed2001

Evidence-based obstetrics in four hospitals in China: An observational study to explore clinical practice, women's preferences and provider's views.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based obstetric care is widely promoted in developing countries, but the success of implementation is not known. Using selected childbirth care procedures in four hospitals in Shanghai, we compared practice against evidence-based information, and explored user and provider views about each procedure. METHODS: Observational study. Using the Cochrane Library, we identified six procedures that should be avoided as routine and two that should be encouraged. Procedure rate determined by exit interviews with women, verified using hospital notes. Views of women and providers explored with in depth interviews.The study sites were three hospitals in Shanghai and one in neighbouring province of Jiangsu. 150 women at each centre for procedure rate, and 48 in-depth interviews with women and providers. RESULTS: Vaginal births were 50% (303/599) of the total. Of the six practices where evidence suggests they should be avoided as routine, three were performed with rates above 70%: pubic shaving (3 hospitals), rectal examination (3 hospitals), and episiotomy (3 hospitals). Most women delivered lying down, pain relief was rarely given, and only in the urban district hospital did women routinely have a companion. Most women wanted support or companionship during labour and to be given pain relief; but current practice is insufficient to meet women's needs. CONCLUSION: Obstetric practice is not following best available evidence in the hospitals studied. There is a need to adjust hospital policy to support the use of interventions proven to be of benefit to women during childbirth, and develop approaches that ensure clinical practice changes.

Journal Article↗