Enhanced Knowledge Distillation for Advanced Recognition of Chinese Herbal Medicine

The identification and classification of traditional Chinese herbal medicines demand significant time and expertise. We propose the dual-teacher supervised decay (DTSD) approach, an enhancement for Chinese herbal medicine recognition utilizing a refined knowledge distillation model. The DTSD method refines output soft labels, adapts attenuation parameters, and employs a dynamic combination loss in the teacher model. Implemented on the lightweight MobileNet_v3 network, the methodology is deployed successfully in a mobile application. Experimental results reveal that incorporating the exponential warmup learning rate reduction strategy during training optimizes the knowledge distillation model, achieving an average classification accuracy of 98.60% for 10 types of Chinese herbal medicine images. The model boasts an average detection time of 0.0172 s per image, with a compressed size of 10 MB. Comparative experiments demonstrate the superior performance of our refined model over DenseNet121, ResNet50_vd, Xception65, and EfficientNetB1. This refined model not only introduces an approach to Chinese herbal medicine image recognition but also provides a practical solution for lightweight models in mobile applications

NPY changes the PI3K-AKT and GSK signaling pathways in 3T3-L1 adipocytes via the NPY Y5 receptor.

<p>The differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes were pretreated with 100 μM L-152,804 or 100 μM BIBP3226 for 8 h, then subsequently treated with 100 nM NPY for 12 h and 100 nM insulin for 2 h. (A) WB of pGSK3α, pGSK3β, pPI3K p85, pAKT^Ser473, GSK3α, GSK3β, PI3K and AKT in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. (B) Relative protein expression intensity normalized to β-actin. Data are presented as means ± SEM, n = 3; *<i>P</i><0.5 vs. Con; ^#<i>P</i><0.05 vs. INS; ^∆<i>P</i><0.5 vs. NPY + INS.</p

Constitutive overexpression of NPY in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of rats.

<p>Eight weeks after the LV-Cherry (vehicle control) or LV-NPY-Cherry injection, the expression of the vectors was measured using immunofluorescence. 2 rats were excluded because of imprecise injection. (A) The lentiviral vectors LV-Cherry or LV-NPY-Cherry were injected vertically into the PVN (left panel). The arrow shows the direction of injection and the position of the PVN in the rat brain, and the blue immunofluorescence indicate nucleus. Expression of the reporter protein Cherry (red) in PVN after injection of LV-Cherry (right panel). The arrow indicates Cherry expression in neurons. 3V: the third ventricle of cerebrum (amplification: 100x). (B) Photomicrographs of NPY and Cherry overexpression in PVN after lentivirus injection. blue immunofluorescence for nucleus, green for NPY, red for cherry, and yellow for co-localization of NPY and cherry (amplification: 400x). The arrows indicate NPY and/or Cherry expression in a single neuron of the PVN. (C) The representative images of NPY overexpression from LFD (top left), HFD (top right), LFD+NPY (left bottom) and HFD+NPY (right bottom) groups, and quantification data is shown in the bottom (n = 8) (amplification: 400x). Data are presented as means ± SEM, *<i>P</i><0.5 vs. LFD; ^#<i>P</i><0.5 vs. HFD.</p

Controlling Helix Sense at N- and C‑Termini in Quinoline Oligoamide Foldamers by β‑Pinene-Derived Pyridyl Moieties

A series of quinoline oligoamide foldamers bearing a β-pinene-derived pyridyl group at the N-terminus or the C-terminus were synthesized, and the efficiencies of chiral inductions have been evaluated by ¹H NMR and CD spectra. The chiral inductions were quantitative when chiral pyridyl acid was appended at the N-terminus, but were inferior when chiral pyridyl amine was appended at the C-terminus. Unexpectedly, N-oxidation on the pyridine ring at the C-terminus does not notably enhance the chiral induction efficiency in spite of the presence of three-center hydrogen bonds

Overexpression of NPY contributes to insulin resistance in rats.

<p>Eight weeks after dietary and lentiviral intervention, insulin resistance was evaluated. (A) Average glucose infusion rate (GIR_60-120) of the four groups (LFD, HFD, LFD+NPY, HFD+NPY) in euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamps (n = 3). (B) Total area under curve (AUC) of plasma glucose and (C) total area under curve (AUC) of plasma insulin during a 120 min intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) in the four groups (n = 4). (D) Fasting blood glucose, (E) fasting plasma insulin, and (F) homeostasis model-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (n = 8), in the four groups. HOMA-IR was calculated according to the formula: fasting insulin (μU/mL) × fasting glucose (mM) / 22.5. Data are presented as means ± SEM, *<i>P</i><0.5 vs. LFD; ^#<i>P</i><0.5 vs. HFD.</p

NPY inhibits glucose consumption and 2-[³H] DG uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes via the NPY Y5 receptor.

<p>(A) The effect of NPY on basal glucose consumption of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes were incubated with DMEM containing 0.2% BSA for 12 h and then treated with 1–100 nM NPY for 12 h or 100 nM insulin (INS) for 2 h to detect basal glucose consumption. Insulin was used as a positive control. The amount of glucose that disappeared in the medium was determined as the amount of glucose consumption. (B) The effect of Y1 receptor antagonist BIBP-3226 on insulin-stimulated glucose consumption in 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with NPY. Cells were pre-treated with 1–100 μM BIBP-3226 for 8 h, then subsequently treated with 100 nM NPY for 12 h with 100 nM insulin for 2 h to detect insulin-stimulated glucose consumption. (C) The effect of Y5 receptor antagonist L-152,804 (1–100 μM) on insulin-stimulated glucose consumption of 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with NPY. The cells were treated as described above. Data are presented as means ± SEM, n = 6; *<i>P</i><0.5 vs. basal; ^#<i>P</i><0.05 vs. INS alone; ^∆<i>P</i><0.5 vs. NPY+INS. (D) The effect of Y1 receptor antagonist BIBP-3226 and Y5 receptor antagonist L-152,804 on insulin-stimulated 2-[³H] DG uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with NPY. The differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes were pre-treated with 1 μM L-152,804 or 1 μM BIBP-3226 for 8 h and then treated with 100 nM NPY for 12 h and 100 nM insulin for 20 min in KRH buffer. The cells were subsequently incubated with 0.1 mM 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) and 0.5 μCi/ml 2-[³H] DG for 10 min. Radioactivity of 2-[³H] DG of the whole cell lysates was measured. Data are presented as means ± SEM, n = 3; ^#<i>P</i><0.05 vs. INS alone; ^∆<i>P</i><0.5 vs. NPY +INS.</p

Effect of grain refiner-modifier interaction on the performance of A356.2 alloy

L'affinage de grain et la modification sont deux traitements communs du métal liquide appliqués aux alliages de fonderie Al-Si. La modification est effectuée au moyen d'additions d'éléments tels que le Na, le Sr ou le Sb dans le but de changer la morphologie du silicium eutectique d'aciculaire à la forme fine et fibreuse, et améliorer de ce fait la ductilité de l'alliage. Une structure de grain fine et équiaxe améliorera également les propriétés mécaniques; ceci est réalisé par le processus de raffinement de grain, où l'addition d'éléments tels que le Ti et le B à l'aluminium liquide - habituellement présentés sous forme d'alliage mère d'aluminium - fournissent des noyaux nécessaires pour la formation d'un grand nombre de grains, et par conséquent une structure de grain fine est réalisée. L'utilisation d'une combinaison d'un affineur de grain et d'un modificateur pour certains alliages hypoeutectiques de fonderie Al-Si a démontrée qu'il causait un certain degré d'empoisonnement en termes de réduction du niveau de la modification des particules de silicium et de l'affinage de grain. Le présent travail vise l'étude de l'influence de l'addition du Ti et du B sous forme de cinq alliages mères différents (affineurs de grain), à savoir, Al-lQ%Ti, Al-5%Ti-l %B, Al-2.5%Ti-2.5%B, Al-1.7%Ti-1.4%B et A1-4%B en combinaison avec le Sr comme modificateur sous forme d'Al-10%Sr dans l'alliage A356.2. L'affinement de grain de l'alliage A356.2 avec des additions de Ti et de B dans des gammes allant de 0.02 à 0.5% et 0.01 à 0.5%, respectivement, a été examiné en utilisant ces différents types d'affineurs de grain. Des additions de strontium ont été réalisées à deux niveaux de 30 et 200 ppm. L'occurrence de toutes les interactions probables de Sr-Ti et/ou de B-Sr a été étudiée en utilisant l'analyse par la microsonde et les techniques métallographiques. Tous les alliages ont subi un traitement thermique de type T6 avant l'essai mécanique. Des essais de traction et de resilience ont été effectués pour évaluer l'influence de l'interaction entre F affineur de grain et le modificateur sur les propriétés mécaniques. Les propriétés ont été déterminées pour les alliages tels que coulés et pour ceux traités thermiquement. Des techniques thermiques d'analyse ont également été employées pour évaluer les interactions entre le Sr et le B, aussi bien que celles entre le Sr et le Ti. L'analyse à l'aide de la microsonde électronique a indiqué que l'ajout de B > 0.1% à l'alliage A356.2 peut mener à la formation des particules contenant principalement le B et Sr, avec une composition approchant SrBô. Aucune interaction significative entre le Sr et le Ti n'a été observée dans le contexte de l'effet sur les caractéristiques eutectiques des particules de silicium. Les mesures quantitatives des microstructures prouvent que la morphologie des particules eutectiques de silicium est soumise à un retour important à une forme brute et aciculaire. La recherche a également montré que l'interaction B-Sr peut retarder raffinement des grains de l'alliage A356.2 contenant 0.02-0.1%B. Cette interaction peut diminuer considérablement les propriétés mécaniques de l'alliage, en particulier, dans la condition telle que coulée. Ainsi, le contenu en B de l'alliage devrait être considéré en tant qu'un des paramètres qui affectent raffinement de grain et la modification des alliages A356.2

Overexpression of NPY induces obesity and decreases glucose utilization in adipose tissue.

<p>(A) Effects of HFD and NPY overexpression in PVN on body weight (n = 8), (B) food intake per day (n = 4), and (C) body temperature (n = 4). Time = 0 indicates the time of surgery. Data are presented as means ± SEM. *<i>P</i><0.05, LFD vs. HFD; ^#<i>P</i><0.05, LFD vs. LFD+NPY; ^∆<i>P</i><0.05, LFD vs. HFD+NPY; ^§<i>P</i><0.05, HFD vs. HFD+NPY across the weeks denoted by the horizontal bar. (D) Effects of HFD and NPY overexpression in PVN on serum HbA1c concentration, (E) serum triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol concentration (CHO) concentration adipose tissue, and (F) relative weight calculated as the ratio of adipose tissue and muscle weight to body weight (F), n = 8. (G) Effects of HFD and NPY overexpression in PVN on Lee index, a normal index to assess obesity, which was calculated as the ratio between the cube root of the body weight (g) and the naso-anal length (cm) of the animals multiplied by 10, n = 8. (H) glucose utilization index (Rg’) of adipose tissue and muscle, an estimate of tissue glucose utilization, n = 3. Data are presented as means ± SEM, *<i>P</i><0.5 vs. LFD; ^#<i>P</i><0.05 vs. HFD; ^∆<i>P</i><0.5 vs. LFD + NPY group.</p

Prediction results of different methods on 1000 eukaryotic genes.

<p>Prediction results of different methods on 1000 eukaryotic genes.</p

Prediction results of different methods on 2000 mixed prokaryotic and eukaryotic genes (%).

<p>Prediction results of different methods on 2000 mixed prokaryotic and eukaryotic genes (%).</p