1,393 research outputs found
Comparison of chemical profiles and effectiveness between Erxian decoction and mixtures of decoctions of its individual herbs : a novel approach for identification of the standard chemicals
Acknowledgements This study was partially supported by grants from the Seed Funding Programme for Basic Research (Project Number 201211159146 and 201411159213), the University of Hong Kong. We thank Mr Keith Wong and Ms Cindy Lee for their technical assistances.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
Parsec-scale jet properties of the gamma-ray quasar 3C 286
The quasar 3C~286 is one of two compact steep spectrum sources detected by
the {\it Fermi}/LAT. Here, we investigate the radio properties of the
parsec(pc)-scale jet and its (possible) association with the -ray
emission in 3C~286. The Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) images at
various frequencies reveal a one-sided core--jet structure extending to the
southwest at a projected distance of 1 kpc. The component at the jet base
showing an inverted spectrum is identified as the core, with a mean brightness
temperature of ~K. The jet bends at about 600 pc (in
projection) away from the core, from a position angle of to
. Based on the available VLBI data, we inferred the proper motion
speed of the inner jet as mas yr (), corresponding to a jet speed of about at an inclination
angle of between the jet and the line of sight of the observer. The
brightness temperature, jet speed and Lorentz factor are much lower than those
of -ray-emitting blazars, implying that the pc-scale jet in 3C~286 is
mildly relativistic. Unlike blazars in which -ray emission is in
general thought to originate from the beamed innermost jet, the location and
mechanism of -ray emission in 3C~286 may be different as indicated by
the current radio data. Multi-band spectrum fitting may offer a complementary
diagnostic clue of the -ray production mechanism in this source.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, accept for publication in MNRA
Pressure-stabilized tin selenide phase with an unexpected stoichiometry and a predicted superconducting state at low temperatures
published_or_final_versio
Antiresistin RNA oligonucleotide ameliorates diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice through attenuating proinflammatory cytokines
© 2015 Yi Tan et al. The aim of this study was to determine whether inhibition of resistin by a synthetic antiresistin RNA (oligonucleotide) oligo ameliorates metabolic and histological abnormalities in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by high-fat diet (HFD) in mice. The antiresistin RNA oligo and a scrambled control oligo (25 mg/kg of body weight) were i.p. injected to HFD mice. Serum metabolic parameters and hepatic enzymes were measured after 4-week treatment. The treatment significantly reduced epididymal fat and attenuated the elevated serum resistin, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and insulin with an improved glucose tolerance test. Antiresistin RNA oligo also normalized serum AST and ALT levels with improved pathohistology of NAFLD. Immunoblotting and qRT-PCR revealed that decreased protein and mRNA expression of resistin in fat and liver tissues of the treated mice were associated with reduction of adipose TNF-α and IL-6 expression and secretion into circulation. mRNA and protein expression of hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) were also significantly decreased in the treated mice. Our results suggest that resistin may exacerbate NAFLD in metabolic syndrome through upregulating inflammatory cytokines and hepatic PEPCK and SREBP-1c. Antiresistin RNA oligo ameliorated metabolic abnormalities and histopathology of NAFLD through attenuating proinflammatory cytokines
Study on the insecticidal activity compounds of the essential oil from Syzygium aromaticum against stored grain insect pests
Insect pests are a major cause of damage in stored grain around the world. To control the stored grain insects, synthetic insecticides have been used extensively for many years, resulting in insect populations that are resistant to insecticides. Consequently there is an interest to find alternatives to chemical pesticides. The essential oil from Syzygium aromaticum (clove oil) has a number of bioactive compounds. The chemical constituents of the clove oil were analyzed by GC-MS, and 9 of 18 compounds were identified. The main compound (83%) was 2-methoxy-4-(2-propenyl)-phenol the second most common compound (12%) was trans-caryophyllene. These two pure compounds and clove oil were tested for toxicity and repellency against Rhyzopertha dominica, Sitophilus oryzae and Tribolium castaneum. The pure compounds were tested at the dosages found in clove oil. The mortality from 2-methoxy-4-(2-propenyl)-phenol was not significantly different from clove oil, suggesting that the activity of clove oil was solely due to this major compound. The repellency results were more complex. 2-methoxy-4-(2-propenyl)-phenol was more repellant than clove oil. Trans-caryophyllene was less toxic and less repellant than both clove oil and 2-methoxy-4-(2-propenyl)- phenol. The potential for these compounds to be used to control stored product insects is discussed. Keywords: Essential oils, Syzygium aromaticum, Clove oil, Insecticidal activity compounds, Stored grain insect
Managing The Combination Of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease And Metabolic Syndrome With Chinese Herbal Extracts In High-fat-diet Fed Rats
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of Chinese herbal extracts from Salvia miltiorrhiza and Gardenia jasminoides (SGE) on the combination of NAFLD and MetS induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) in rats. After 6 weeks of HFD feeding, rats ( each group) were treated with saline, rosiglitazone (RSG), and SGE for 4 weeks. HFD rats were obese, hyperinsulinemic, hyperlipidemic and increased hepatic enzymes with the histological images of NAFLD. Treatment with SGE significantly reduced serum triglycerides (TG), nonesterified fatty acids and enhanced insulin sensitivity, and ameliorated the elevated serum hepatic enzymes compared with HFD-saline group. SGE treatment also attenuated hepatic TG by 18.5% (). Histological stains showed SGE decreased lipids droplets in hepatocytes () and normalized macrovesicular steatosis in HFD rats. Significant reduction of TNF-a and IL6 in adipose tissue was detected in SGE treated rats. The anti-inflammatory action may be, at least in part, the mechanism of SGE on MetS associated with NAFLD. This study discovered that SGE is capable of managing metabolic and histological abnormalities of NAFLD and MetS. SGE may be an optimal treatment for the combination of NAFLD and MetS
ChatGPT Assisting Diagnosis of Neuro-ophthalmology Diseases Based on Case Reports
Objective: To evaluate the efficiency of large language models (LLMs) such as
ChatGPT to assist in diagnosing neuro-ophthalmic diseases based on detailed
case descriptions. Methods: We selected 22 different case reports of
neuro-ophthalmic diseases from a publicly available online database. These
cases included a wide range of chronic and acute diseases that are commonly
seen by neuro-ophthalmic sub-specialists. We inserted the text from each case
as a new prompt into both ChatGPT v3.5 and ChatGPT Plus v4.0 and asked for the
most probable diagnosis. We then presented the exact information to two
neuro-ophthalmologists and recorded their diagnoses followed by comparison to
responses from both versions of ChatGPT. Results: ChatGPT v3.5, ChatGPT Plus
v4.0, and the two neuro-ophthalmologists were correct in 13 (59%), 18 (82%), 19
(86%), and 19 (86%) out of 22 cases, respectively. The agreement between the
various diagnostic sources were as follows: ChatGPT v3.5 and ChatGPT Plus v4.0,
13 (59%); ChatGPT v3.5 and the first neuro-ophthalmologist, 12 (55%); ChatGPT
v3.5 and the second neuro-ophthalmologist, 12 (55%); ChatGPT Plus v4.0 and the
first neuro-ophthalmologist, 17 (77%); ChatGPT Plus v4.0 and the second
neuro-ophthalmologist, 16 (73%); and first and second neuro-ophthalmologists 17
(17%). Conclusions: The accuracy of ChatGPT v3.5 and ChatGPT Plus v4.0 in
diagnosing patients with neuro-ophthalmic diseases was 59% and 82%,
respectively. With further development, ChatGPT Plus v4.0 may have potential to
be used in clinical care settings to assist clinicians in providing quick,
accurate diagnoses of patients in neuro-ophthalmology. The applicability of
using LLMs like ChatGPT in clinical settings that lack access to subspeciality
trained neuro-ophthalmologists deserves further research
Types of Control in Acupuncture Clinical Trials Might Affect the Conclusion of the Trials: A Review of Acupuncture on Pain Management
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Combating Osteoporosis and Obesity With Green Tea Polyphenols: Molecular Switching of Osteogenesis Versus Adipogenesis During Early Differentiation of Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells
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