Effects of a multi-herbal extract on type 2 diabetes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>An aqueous extract of multi-hypoglycemic herbs of <it>Panax ginseng </it>C.A.Meyer, <it>Pueraria lobata, Dioscorea batatas Decaisne, Rehmannia glutinosa, Amomum cadamomum Linné, Poncirus fructus </it>and <it>Evodia officinalis </it>was investigated for its anti-diabetic effects in cell and animal models.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Activities of PPARγ agonist, anti-inflammation, AMPK activator and anti-ER stress were measured in cell models and in <it>db/db </it>mice (a genetic animal model for type 2 diabetes).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>While the extract stimulated PPARγ-dependent luciferase activity and activated AMPK in C2C12 cells, it inhibited TNF-α-stimulated IKKβ/NFkB signaling and attenuated ER stress in HepG2 cells. The <it>db/db </it>mice treated with the extract showed reduced fasting blood glucose and HbA_1clevels, improved postprandial glucose levels, enhanced insulin sensitivity and significantly decreased plasma free fatty acid, triglyceride and total cholesterol.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The aqueous extract of these seven hypoglycemic herbs demonstrated many therapeutic effects for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in cell and animal models.</p

Peccei-Quinn Inflation at the Pole and Axion Kinetic Misalignment

We propose a minimal extension of the Standard Model with the Peccei-Quinn (PQ) scalar field and explain the relic density of the QCD axion through the kinetic misalignment with a relatively small axion decay constant. To this purpose, we consider a slow-roll inflation from the radial component of the PQ field with the PQ conserving potential near the pole of its kinetic term and investigate the post-inflationary dynamics of the PQ field for reheating. The angular mode of the PQ field, identified with the QCD axion, receives a nonzero velocity during inflation due to the PQ violating potential, evolving with an approximately conserved Noether PQ charge. We determine the reheating temperature from the perturbative decays and scattering processes of the inflaton and obtain dark radiation from the axions produced from the inflaton scattering at a testable level in the future Cosmic Microwave Background experiments. We show the correlation between the reheating temperature, the initial velocity of the axion and the axion decay constant, realizing the axion kinetic misalignment for the correct relic density.Comment: 25 pagesm 3 figure

Tumuli exploration using surface 3D Electrical Resistivity Tomography

Introduction The direct current resistivity method is nowadays a well established geophysical technique, used routinely and successfully in the detection and mapping of concealed subsurface structures, like walls, ditches and anthropogenic or natural cavities (Dahlin and Zhou, 2004). In archaeological geophysics, tombs constitute the most common subterranean manmade cavities of the greatest archaeological and historical importance. Several successful case studies in the detection of tombs hav..

Impact of Body Mass Index on the relationship of epicardial adipose tissue to metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease in an Asian population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In a previous study, we demonstrated that the thickness of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), measured by echocardiography, was increased in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS) and coronary artery disease (CAD). Several studies on obese patients, however, failed to demonstrate any relationship between EAT and CAD. We hypothesized that body mass index (BMI) affected the link between EAT and MS and CAD.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We consecutively enrolled 643 patients (302 males, 341 females; 59 ± 11 years), who underwent echocardiography and coronary angiography. The EAT thickness was measured on the free wall of the right ventricle at the end of diastole. All patients were divided into two groups: high BMI group, ≥27 kg/m²(n = 165), and non-high BMI group, < 27 kg/m²(n = 478).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The median and mean EAT thickness of 643 patients were 3.0 mm and 3.1 ± 2.4 mm, respectively. In the non-high BMI group, the median EAT thickness was significantly increased in patients with MS compared to those without MS (3.5 vs. 1.9 mm, p < 0.001). In the high BMI group, however, there was no significant difference in the median EAT thickness between patients with and without MS (3.0 vs. 2.5 mm, p = 0.813). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis predicting MS revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) of the non-high BMI group was significantly larger than that of the high BMI group (0.659 vs. 0.506, p = 0.007). When compared to patients without CAD, patients with CAD in both the non-high and high BMI groups had a significantly higher median EAT thickness (3.5 vs. 1.5 mm, p < 0.001 and 4.0 vs. 2.5 mm, p = 0.001, respectively). However, an ROC curve analysis predicting CAD revealed that the AUC of the non-high BMI group tended to be larger than that of the high BMI group (0.735 vs. 0.657, p = 0.055).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>While EAT thickness was significantly increased in patients with MS and CAD, the power of EAT thickness to predict MS and CAD was stronger in patients with BMI < 27 kg/m². These findings showed that the measurement of EAT thickness by echocardiography might be especially useful in an Asian population with a non-high BMI, less than 27 kg/m².</p