The effect of magnetic stimulation on potential rhythm of cerebral cortex

An approach using magnetic stimulation to modulate the electromagnetic potential rhythm of the cerebral cortex to induce sleep is proposed. Animal experiments were designed and carried out to examine this approach. The results showed that, in comparison with a control group, magnetic stimulation can influence and modulate the activities of brain potentials, and consequently promote the efficiency of the sleep process (p<0.01).published_or_final_versio

A Fuzzy Social Network Analysis Method and a Case Study on Tianya

Social networking service (SNS) has become online service platforms that focus on facilitating the building of social networks among people who share interests, activities, backgrounds, or real-life connections and has had a rapid development in China in the past few years. This paper aims to develop a fuzzy social network service analysis method, which combines graph theory with related fuzzy approach, to analyze the social network structural features and the distribution characteristics of interpersonal nodes in SNS community. A case study on a very famous Chinese tourism BBS-Tianya-is conducted to illustrate and validate the proposed approach. The research findings are as follows: (1) The attraction degrees of various areas in the forum are significantly different; (2) interpersonal nodes in the forum are concentrated relatively; (3) the fuzzy out-degrees and the fuzzy in-degrees of interpersonal nodes in the forum conflict each other; and (4) the distribution of interpersonal nodes is influenced by geographical relations. These findings can directly support social network service management and particularly tourism online service developments. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014

A pan-Asian survey of risk perception, attitudes and practices associated with live animal markets.

Key Messages 1. Causal attributions for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) of the H5N1 virus among live poultry, consumers, retailers and breeders in Vietnam, Thailand, Guangzhou and Hong Kong were studied. 2. Three main themes embodying lay explanation for the causes of H5N1 HPAI emerged: viruses, husbandry-related factors, and vulnerability factors. 3. A deeper understanding of the perceptions of risks, biases, causal attributions, and both the facilitators and barriers to change is needed for planning effective changes in health related behaviour.published_or_final_versio

Initial validation of Chinese Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia Scale (C-PAINAD)

2007-2008 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

The antioxidative effect of propofol on angiotesin II-induced apoptosis in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes

Theme: New Horizons on Cardiovascular DiseasesPosterOrganizer: International Academy of CardiologyPropofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol), an intravenous sedative Vhypnotic agent popular for sedation, has been found to be effective in protecting against pathological states characterized by an increase in basal rate of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in hearts, but the cardioprotective mechanism is not well established. Angiotensin-II (Ang-II), an important neurohormonal factor during heart failure, can induce cardiomyocyte apoptosis which has an important role in the transition from compensatory cardiac remodeling to heart failure. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of propofol on Ang-II-mediated cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Cultured cardiomyocytes from neonatal rats were stimulated with Ang-II. Apoptosis was evaluated by measuring caspase 3 activity and by TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) method. It was found that incubation with Ang-II (0.1 micromolar) for 48 h increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Administration of propofol ...postprin

Conditional statistics of electron transport in interacting nanoscale conductors

Interactions between nanoscale semiconductor structures form the basis for charge detectors in the solid state. Recent experimental advances have demonstrated the on-chip detection of single electron transport through a quantum dot (QD). The discreteness of charge in units of e leads to intrinsic fluctuations in the electrical current, known as shot noise. To measure these single-electron fluctuations a nearby coherent conductor, called a quantum point contact (QPC), interacts with the QD and acts as a detector. An important property of the QPC charge detector is noninvasiveness: the system physically affects the detector, not visa-versa. Here we predict that even for ideal noninvasive detectors such as the QPC, when a particular detector result is observed, the system suffers an informational backaction, radically altering the statistics of transport through the QD as compared to the unconditional shot noise. We develop a theoretical model to make predictions about the joint current probability distributions and conditional transport statistics. The experimental findings reported here demonstrate the reality of informational backaction in nanoscale systems as well as a variety of new effects, such as conditional noise enhancement, which are in essentially perfect agreement with our model calculations. This type of switching telegraph process occurs abundantly in nature, indicating that these results are applicable to a wide variety of systems.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Nature Physic

The anti-oxidative effect of propofol on angiotensin-II induced apoptosis in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes

Poster Session: P-401 Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, Basic Research: no. 2Propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol), an intravenous sedative Vhypnotic agent popular for sedation, has been found to be effective in protecting against pathological states characterized by an increase in basal rate of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in hearts, but the cardioprotective mechanism is not well established. Angiotensin-II (Ang-II), an important neurohormonal factor during heart failure, can induce cardiomyocyte apoptosis which has an important role in the transition from compensatory cardiac remodeling to heart failure. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of propofol on Ang-II-mediated cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Cultured cardiomyocytes from neonatal rats were stimulated with Ang-II. Apoptosis was evaluated by measuring caspase 3 activity and by TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) method. It was found that incubation with Ang-II (0.1 micromolar) for 48 h increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Administration of propofol (3-10 micromolar) significantly decreased this Ang-II-induced apoptosis. To further investigate the underlying mechanisms, the quantity of cleaved caspase-3, cytosol cytochrome c release, BcL-xL expression, and ROS generation were examined. These results suggest that propofol abates cardiomyocytes from Ang II-induced apoptosis possibly via reduced the quantity of cleaved caspase-3, and cytosol cytochrome c, and increased BcL-xL expression, and inhibiting the increased ROS generation. In addition, propofol was found to increase the Akt phosphorylation in cardiomyocytes. The siRNA transfection for Akt significantly reduced propofol-induced Akt phosphorylation and propofol¡¦s protective effect. Our data provide the first evidence that propofol prevents Ang-II-induced apoptosis, suggesting that propofol may provide a new therapeutic target for the prevention of the cardiac remodeling process.postprintThe International Academy of Cardiology 15th World Congress on Heart Disease, Annual Scientific Sessions 2010, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, 24-27 July 2010

Entanglement of single-photons and chiral phonons in atomically thin WSe2_2

Quantum entanglement is a fundamental phenomenon which, on the one hand, reveals deep connections between quantum mechanics, gravity and the space-time; on the other hand, has practical applications as a key resource in quantum information processing. While it is routinely achieved in photon-atom ensembles, entanglement involving the solid-state or macroscopic objects remains challenging albeit promising for both fundamental physics and technological applications. Here, we report entanglement between collective, chiral vibrations in two-dimensional (2D) WSe$_2$ host --- chiral phonons (CPs) --- and single-photons emitted from quantum dots (QDs) present in it. CPs which carry angular momentum were recently observed in WSe$_2$ and are a distinguishing feature of the underlying honeycomb lattice. The entanglement results from a "which-way" scattering process, involving an optical excitation in a QD and doubly-degenerate CPs, which takes place via two indistinguishable paths. Our unveiling of entanglement involving a macroscopic, collective excitation together with strong interaction between CPs and QDs in 2D materials opens up ways for phonon-driven entanglement of QDs and engineering chiral or non-reciprocal interactions at the single-photon level

Bioactive proteins and peptides isolated from Chinese medicines with pharmaceutical potential.

Some protein pharmaceuticals from Chinese medicine have been developed to treat cardiovascular diseases, genetic diseases, and cancer. Bioactive proteins with various pharmacological properties have been successfully isolated from animals such as Hirudo medicinalis (medicinal leech), Eisenia fetida (earthworm), and Mesobuthus martensii (Chinese scorpion), and from herbal medicines derived from species such as Cordyceps militaris, Ganoderma, Momordica cochinchinensis, Viscum album, Poria cocos, Senna obtusifolia, Panax notoginseng, Smilax glabra, Ginkgo biloba, Dioscorea batatas, and Trichosanthes kirilowii. This article reviews the isolation methods, molecular characteristics, bioactivities, pharmacological properties, and potential uses of bioactive proteins originating from these Chinese medicines.published_or_final_versio

Field Effect Transistors for Terahertz Detection: Physics and First Imaging Applications

Resonant frequencies of the two-dimensional plasma in FETs increase with the reduction of the channel dimensions and can reach the THz range for sub-micron gate lengths. Nonlinear properties of the electron plasma in the transistor channel can be used for the detection and mixing of THz frequencies. At cryogenic temperatures resonant and gate voltage tunable detection related to plasma waves resonances, is observed. At room temperature, when plasma oscillations are overdamped, the FET can operate as an efficient broadband THz detector. We present the main theoretical and experimental results on THz detection by FETs in the context of their possible application for THz imaging.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figures, review pape