Search results for "Chinese"

Exploring the nature of the ‘subject’-preference: Evidence from the online comprehension of simple sentences in Mandarin Chinese

2009

In two visual ERP studies, we investigated whether Mandarin Chinese shows a subject-preference in spite of the controversial status of grammatical relations in this language. We compared ERP responses at the position of the verb and the second NP in object-verb-subject (OVS) and subject-verb-object (SVO) structures. While SVO is the basic word order in Chinese and OV with subject-drop is possible, OVS is strongly dispreferred. At the position of the verb, which disambiguated towards an object or a subject reading of NP1, Experiment 1 revealed an N400 for both subject-initial control conditions in comparison with the critical object-initial condition. Experiment 2 showed that this result was…

An international genome-wide meta-analysis of primary biliary cholangitis: Novel risk loci and candidate drugs.

2021

[BACKGROUND & AIMS] Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic liver disease in which autoimmune destruction of the small intra-hepatic bile ducts eventually leads to cirrhosis. Many patients have inadequate response to licensed medications, motivating the search for novel therapies. Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and meta-analyses (GWMA) of PBC have identified numerous risk loci for this condition, providing insight into its aetiology. We undertook the largest GWMA of PBC to date, aiming to identify additional risk loci and prioritise candidate genes for in silico drug efficacy screening. [METHODS] We combined new and existing genotype data for 10, 516 cases and 20, 77…

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for fibrotic liver disease: Hope and hype

2014

Acylated triterpene saponins from Silene jenisseensis

1995

Abstract From the roots of Silene jenisseensis a new trans-p-methoxycinnamoyl triterpene saponin has been isolated along with its cis-p-methoxycinnamoyl isomer as an inseparable mixture. Their structures were established by chemical means and spectroscopic methods including 1D- and 2D-homonuclear and heteronuclear correlation NMR spectroscopy as 3-O-[β- d -galactopyranosyl -(1 → 2)-β- d -glucuronopyranosyl ]-28-O-[β- d -glucopyranosyl -(1 → 2)-α- l - rhamnopyranosyl -(1 → 2)-β- d -4-O-trans-p- methoxycinnamoyl-fucopyranosyl ] quillaic acid and its cis-isomer, respectively. They did not show any activity in the in vitro chemoluminescence granulocytes assay, but exhibited only a weak inhibito…

Jenisseensosides C and D, biologically active acylated triterpene saponins from Silene jenisseensis

1997

Abstract We previously reported the isolation and structure elucidation of a new trans - p -methoxycinnamoyl triterpene-saponin along with its cis - p -methoxycinnamoyl isomer as an inseparable mixture from the roots of Silene jenisseensis . In a continuing study on this plant, two additional new acylated triterpene-saponins were obtained as an inseparable mixture. Their structures have been established by chemical means and spectroscopic methods including 1D and 2D homonuclear and heteronuclear correlation NMR spectroscopy as 3- O -[β- d -galactopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β- d -glucuronopyranosyl]-28- O -[{α- l -rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)}- {4- O - trans - p -methoxycinnamoyl}-β- d -fucopyranosyl] qui…

Bubbles in China

2010

This study examines rational bubbles in Chinese stock markets and China-related share indices in Hong Kong. A duration dependence test is employed for both monthly and weekly abnormal market returns of the Shanghai and Shenzhen A- and B-markets, as well as for the Hong Kong China Enterprises and China Affiliated Corporations indices. The test results are mixed, as weekly data demonstrate bubbles for all of the Mainland Chinese stock markets, but monthly data do not show bubbles for any of the examined markets. Neither of the datasets indicates bubbles in the Hong Kong markets. Results indicate that, in terms of bubbles, segmentation does not play a significant role in bubble existence and t…

Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance Across Gender Groups of the 15-Item Geriatric Depression Scale Among Chinese Elders

2019

The 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) is widely used to screen depression among elders. But the factor structure of the Chinese version GDS-15 remains unclear. This study was conducted to determine the best-fit factor structure of GDS-15 and to assess measurement invariance across gender groups in a sample of Chinese elders recruited from Mainland China (final sample N = 2428). The best-fit factor structure was examined by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Multigroup CFA was utilized to test the measurement invariance across genders of the factor structure. The results of CFA revealed that a three-factor model, including life satisfaction (four items), general depressive affect …

Involvement of Bax and Bcl-2 in induction of apoptosis by essential oils of three Lebanese Salvia species in human prostate cancer cells

2018

Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in men, and research to find more effective and less toxic drugs has become necessary. In the frame of our ongoing program on traditionally used Salvia species from the Mediterranean Area, here we report the biological activities of Salvia aurea, S. judaica and S. viscosa essential oils against human prostate cancer cells (DU-145). The cell viability was measured by 3(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) test and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release was used to quantify necrosis cell death. Genomic DNA, caspase-3 activity, expression of cleaved caspase-9, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2 associated X (Ba…

Relaxant activity of three aporphine alkaloids from Annona cherimolia on isolated aorta of rat.

1995

Abstract In the present study we tested the relaxant effect of three aporphine alkaloids—roemerine, anonaine and dehydroroemerine—isolated from the roots of Annona cherimolia, on isolated strips of rat thoracic aorta. All compounds completely relaxed KCl- and noradrenaline-induced contractions with different potencies depending on their structural characteristics. The experiments, carried out in Ca2+-free medium using two different agonists (noradrenaline and caffeine) which mobilize calcium intracellularly by different mechanisms of action, showed that the alkaloids made no contribution to intracellular calcium processes. The present study provides evidence that the relaxant effects produc…

Metabolic Activation of the (+)-S,S- and (−)-R,R-Enantiomers of trans-11,12-Dihydroxy-11,12-dihydrodibenzo[a,l]pyrene:  Stereoselectivity, DNA Adduct…

1997

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons require metabolic activation in order to exert their biological activity initiated by DNA binding. The metabolic pathway leading to bay or fjord region dihydrodiol epoxides as ultimate mutagenic and/or carcinogenic metabolites is thought to play a dominant role. For dibenzo[a,l]pyrene, considered as the most potent carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, the formation of the fjord region syn- and/or anti-11,12-dihydrodiol 13,-14-epoxide (DB[a,l]PDE) diastereomers has been found to be the principal metabolic activation pathway in cell cultures leading to DNA adducts. In order to further elucidate the stereoselectivity involved in this activation pathway…