Yu, Siu Lung. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-124). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgements --- p.i / Abstract --- p.ii / Chinese Abstract --- p.iv / Table of Contents --- p.v / List of Figures --- p.viii / List of Tables --- p.x / List of Abbreviations --- p.xi / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- General introduction of sleep --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Sleep disorders --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Classification systems for sleep disorders --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2 --- Insomnia --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Definition --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Consequences of insomnia --- p.6 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Prevalence --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.4 --- Subtypes of insomnia --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.5 --- Causes --- p.12 / Chapter 1.2.6 --- Treatment of insomnia --- p.13 / Chapter 1.2.6.1 --- Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia --- p.14 / Chapter 1.2.6.2 --- Pharmacological treatment for insomnia --- p.17 / Chapter 1.3 --- Traditional Chinese medicine and herbs in SD formula --- p.22 / Chapter 1.4 --- Drosophila model for studying sleep --- p.25 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Drosophila as a disease model --- p.25 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Drosophila Sleep --- p.26 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- Similarity of Drosophila and mammalian sleep --- p.26 / Chapter 1.4.4 --- Methods for measuring Drosophila sleep --- p.29 / Chapter 1.4.4.1 --- Surrogate measurement of sleep in Drosophila --- p.31 / Chapter 1.5 --- Objectives of study --- p.33 / Chapter 2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.35 / Chapter 2.1 --- Preparation of the Sleep Disorder (SD) extract --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2 --- Establishment of the Drosophila sleep model --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Drosophila culture --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2.1.1 --- Fly stock --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2.1.2 --- Fly food --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2.1.3 --- Culture environment --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Preparation of flies for experiments --- p.39 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Agar food and drug preparation --- p.39 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Measurement of activity and sleep in fly --- p.40 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Determining the effects of SD extract on Drosophila sleep --- p.40 / Chapter 2.2.5.1 --- Data analysis --- p.41 / Chapter 2.2.6 --- Test of amount of food intake for different dosages of SD using food dye --- p.41 / Chapter 2.2.7 --- Survival test --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3 --- Establishment of the Drosophila caffeine-induced insomnia model --- p.43 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Determining the effects of caffeine on the Drosophila sleep --- p.43 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Determining the effects of SD extract on the Drosophila caffeine-induced insomnia model --- p.43 / Chapter 2.3.2.1 --- HPLC determination of caffeine intake in Drosophila --- p.44 / Chapter 2.3.2.2 --- "Spectrophotometric measurement of caffeine, SD and caffeine-SD solutions" --- p.45 / Chapter 2.4 --- "Expression of Cyp6a8, Djun and Dfos in drug-treated Drosophila heads" --- p.46 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Drug treatment and collection of fly head samples --- p.46 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Total RNA extraction from fly heads --- p.46 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis --- p.48 / Chapter 2.5 --- Determining the effects of SD formula on short-sleep mutants --- p.51 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- Fly stocks --- p.51 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Experimental design --- p.51 / Chapter 3. --- Results --- p.53 / Chapter 3.1 --- Establishment of the Drosophila sleep model --- p.53 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Baseline activity and sleep --- p.53 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Effect of SD on Drosophila sleep --- p.55 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Amount of food intake for different dosages of SD --- p.57 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Effect of SD on the survival of wide-type (CSI) flies --- p.59 / Chapter 3.2 --- Establishment of the caffeine-induced insomnia model in Drosophila --- p.61 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Effect of Caffeine on Drosophila sleep --- p.61 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Effect of the SD on the caffeine-induced wakefulness --- p.64 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Validation of caffeine intake by HPLC --- p.68 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- "Spectra of caffeine, SD and caffeine-SD solutions" --- p.72 / Chapter 3.3 --- Effect of SD on the sleep of short-sleep mutants --- p.74 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- fumin mutant --- p.74 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- minisleep mutant --- p.78 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- HkY fly --- p.82 / Chapter 3.4 --- Effect of the SD and caffeine on gene expression --- p.86 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Effect of the SD and caffeine on Cyp6a8 mRNA expression --- p.86 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Effect of the SD and caffeine on Djun mRNA expression --- p.89 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Effect of the SD and caffeine on Dfos mRNA expression --- p.91 / Chapter 4. --- Discussion --- p.93 / Chapter 4.1 --- Rationales for evaluating the effect of SD formula in Drosophila model --- p.94 / Chapter 4.2 --- Establishment of the Drosophila Sleep model --- p.96 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Hypnotic effect of SD in Drosophila --- p.97 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Toxicity of SD extract in fly --- p.98 / Chapter 4.3 --- Effect of SD on Drosophila caffeine-induced insomnia model --- p.100 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Drug administration in Drosophila --- p.102 / Chapter 4.4 --- Effect of SD on Short-sleep mutant --- p.105 / Chapter 4.5 --- Study of gene expression by SD --- p.108 / Chapter 4.6 --- Limitations of the model --- p.112 / Chapter 5. --- Conclusion and Future Prospects --- p.115 / Chapter 5.1 --- Conclusion --- p.115 / Chapter 5.2 --- Future prospects --- p.115 / References --- p.117

La gravité est un facteur environnemental majeur. C’est cette force qui a façonné la vie et le fonctionnement de notre organisme est intimement lié à la gravité. Pour rester en bonne santé, nous devons bénéficier de l’influence quotidienne de la gravité et d’un apport alimentaire adapté à notre activité physique. L’objectif de ce travail de thèse est d’étudier le remodelage vasculaire et la dysfonction endothéliale dans des modèles de sédentarité et de troubles métaboliques ainsi que d’explorer des moyens de contre mesures. Un alitement de 60 jours chez des sujets sains masculins induit un remodelage de la macrocirculation au niveau de l’artère fémorale ainsi qu’une dysfonction endothéliale au niveau de la microcirculation. La prise quotidienne d’extraits végétaux complexes issus de la médecine traditionnelle chinoise (Taikong Yangxin) a permis de prévenir l’atteinte endothéliale.Dans un modèle de rat diabétique avec atteinte vasculaire (rats GK),nous avons testé le salidroside, important composé issus du Taikong Yangxin. Bien qu’il n’ait pas d’effets sur le diabète, cecomposé a montré un effet bénéfique sur la vasodilatation endothéliale -dépendante et -indépendante. Dans une dernière partie nous avons étudié chez la souris l’implication du récepteur de type 2 à l’angiotensine et des récepteurs aux estrogènes dans les dysfonctions cardiovasculaires induite par une alimentation hypercalorique. L’inactivité physique induit un remodelage morphologique et fonctionnel au niveau de l’arbre vasculaire ce qui en fait un facteur de risque majeur et indépendant des maladies cardio-vasculaires. Des extraits végétaux simples ou complexes ont des effets bénéfiques sur les fonctions endothéliales. Le récepteur de type 2 à l’angiotensine et ses interactions possibles avec le récepteur aux oestrogènes pourrait être une cible pharmacologique comme contre mesure des atteintes vasculaires liées à l’environnement. / Gravity is a major environmental factor. This force that shaped the life and the functioning of our body is closely related to gravity. To remain healthy, we should benefit from the daily influence of gravity and a food intake adapted to our physical activity. The objective of this thesis is to study vascular remodeling and endothelial dysfunction in sedentary models and metabolic disorders and to explore ways of countermeasures. 60 days of head down bed rest in healthy male induce a macrocirculation remodeling at the femoral artery and an endothelial dysfunction at the microcirculation level. Daily intake of complex plant extracts from traditional Chinese medicine (Taikong Yangxin) helped to prevent endothelial dysfunction. In a diabetic rat model with vascular dysfunction (GK rats), we tested the salidroside, an important compound from the Taikong Yangxin. Although it has no effect on diabetes, this compound showed a beneficial effect on endothelial -dependent and -independent vasodilation. In the last part of our work, we studied the involvement of type 2 angiotensin receptor and estrogen receptor in cardiovascular dysfunction induced by a high calorie diet in mice. Physical inactivity induces morphological and functional remodeling in the vascular tree, making it a major risk factor independent of cardiovascular diseases. Simple or complex plant extracts have beneficial effects on endothelial function. Angiotensin type 2 receptor and its interaction with the estrogen receptor could be a pharmacological target as a countermeasure against vascular damage related to the environment.

Today in the United States, herbal supplements are growing increasingly popular, however, little is known about the safety and efficacy of these products. This study contributes to the growing body of information about the prevalence of herbal supplement use among young adults (18 to 24 years) and the beliefs young adults hold about herbal supplements in relation to their dietary attitudes and behaviors. A self-administered, four-part questionnaire was mailed to a geographically representative sample of 298 young adults (18 to 24 years) residing in Oregon; 205 questionnaires were usable (69% response rate). There was an equal ratio of male and female respondents, half students and half non-students, the majority being Caucasian (93%), with a mean age of 21.5 years. Nearly 60% of the sample reported using herbal supplements (n=122). Thirty-seven percent were sometime users (less than weekly) and 22% were regular users (at least weekly). More female respondents reported using herbal supplements (69%) than did male respondents (49%). Respondents who were White or Asian/Pacific Islander were the only ethnic groups that reported using herbal supplements regularly. Users were more educated than non-users, however use was very similar among students and non-students. Herbal supplement use also was very similar between respondents having different residencies. Familiarity with different herbs was positively related to level of herbal supplement use. Regular users were familiar with the greatest number of herbs, followed by sometime users. Herbal supplement users tended to have more healthful lifestyle characteristics than non-users. Frequency of fast food patronage was negatively related to level of herbal supplement use. The median number of times a fast food restaurant was patronized was lower among regular users of herbal supplements than among those who did not use supplements or used them less often. The median number of times breakfast was eaten also seemed to be slightly higher among regular users than other groups. Other healthful lifestyle characteristics, such as BMI and drinking in moderation, did not tend to be more healthful among herbal supplement users. The results were mixed on smoking behavior. Regular users of herbal supplements were no more or less likely than non-users to smoke, but non-users were less likely than sometime users to smoke. Regular users of herbal supplements tended to think herbal supplements are useful for certain health parameters more often than sometime users and non-users. Most regular users of herbal supplements agreed herbs are useful for maintaining good health (89%) and preventing/treating common illnesses like colds (85%). Almost two-thirds also thought herbs are useful for preventing serious chronic illnesses (61%) and insuring a well-balanced diet (65%). Attitudes toward the effectiveness, convenience, and expense of taking herbal supplements in comparison to eating a balanced diet as ways of staying healthy were related to herbal supplement use. Herbal supplement users did not appear to have positive attitudes towards herbs when comparing herbs to a well-balanced diet. Only 11% of users thought that herbs are more effective than diet as ways to stay healthy, and users were more likely than non-users to think herbs are more expensive ways to stay healthy. However, both levels of users were more likely to think herbal supplements are more convenient than diet. Attitudes about the effectiveness, safety, expense, naturalness, potency, and personal control of taking herbal supplements in comparison to prescription medications was related to level of herbal supplement use. In general the trend was for users to be more likely to have positive attitudes toward herbs and less likely to give a "don't know" answer. Eating the recommended number of food guide pyramid servings of fruits and vegetables as well as eating a greater number of nutrient rich vegetables was not related to herbal supplement use. However, a somewhat higher percentage of herbal supplement users tended to meet the fruit and vegetable recommendations than nonusers of herbal supplements. Stage of change in relation to vegetable intake was related to herbal supplement use. As respondents' herbal supplement use increased, so did the likelihood of classifying themselves into one of the action stages of change for vegetable consumption. Stage of change for fruit consumption was not related to herbal supplement use. Choice to stop using herbs if they were pronounced unsafe by a governmental agency was not related to level of herbal supplement use. However, 17% of sometime users and 16% of regular users reported that they would continue to use herbs even after they were pronounced unsafe by a governmental agency. The results of this study clearly show that there is a high prevalence of herbal supplement use among young adults in Oregon, and those who are using herbal supplements seem to have a strong belief in the herbs they are taking. With the limited knowledge on herbs' safety and efficacy, young adults need to be educated about the herbs they are using. Hopefully, the information from this study can help health professionals identify which young adults might be using herbal supplements in order to educate them on making smart choices about herbs, and smart choices about their overall health. To inform young adults about the herbs they are using, additional research on herbal supplements' potential benefits and harmful side effects is needed. / Graduation date: 2002

University of Macau / Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences

University of Macau / Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences

University of Macau / Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences

University of Macau / Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences

This thesis presents a single witness edition of The Knowing of Woman’s Kind in Childing, which is a 14th century vernacular obstetrical and gynaecological treatise found in British Library MS Additional 12195. Purported to be emulating medical texts of French and Latin origin, The Knowing of Woman's Kind in Childing is “a novel fusing of several different texts and theoretical traditions into a single work” (Green, “Obstetrical” 64). The Knowing of Woman’s Kind in Childing is an important and significant medieval medical text because it has a self-identified female audience and a female-orientated medical focus. Accompanying notes and emendations from the four other extant witnesses are also presented: Oxford Bodley MS Douce 37 (SC 21611), Oxford MS Bodley 483 (SC 2062), Cambridge University Library MS Ii. 6. 33, and British Library MS Sloane 421A. This thesis explores the folklore of the traditional herbs, medicinals, and compounds used in the treatise. A comparison of the material appended to all five of the extant witnesses is presented in Appendix A; Appendix B lists the incidence of rubrication found in this edition; originating source material for the Knowing of Woman’s Kind in Childing is presented in Appendix C; and an alphabetical catalogue of medicinals, in four tables, can be found in Appendix D.

Thesis (M.A. (Hons.)) -- University of Western Sydney, 2003. / "A thesis presented to the University of Western Sydney in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Honours) Creative Arts, December 2003" Includes bibliography.

Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2018-05-02T12:49:32Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Carlos Eduardo Silva Sena - 2018.pdf: 4213255 bytes, checksum: 7e77275e41eeaea368f385135a4ce1d9 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2018-05-02T13:01:36Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Carlos Eduardo Silva Sena - 2018.pdf: 4213255 bytes, checksum: 7e77275e41eeaea368f385135a4ce1d9 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-05-02T13:01:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Carlos Eduardo Silva Sena - 2018.pdf: 4213255 bytes, checksum: 7e77275e41eeaea368f385135a4ce1d9 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-21 / Outro / Medicinal herbs are important natural riches to several cultures, mostly because of their phytotherapic use originated from traditional knoledge aqcired through direct contact with nature. Given that relevance, to secure products’ quality and to boost the sector’s progress, a group of institutions developed themselves attending to the Política Nacional de Plantas Medicinais e Fitoterápicos (PNPMF), however, contradictorily, they stablish barriers to the production chain base constituted by strategic agents to the sector’s consolidation in Brazil. Besides, added to these barriers, when it comes to brazilian biomes, specially Cerrado, despite it’s composition by an abundant floristic diversity, that biome faces a scenario of land occupation due to agriculture advent, what sugests that services of medicinal herbs provision might be threatened. Therefore, this work highlights the value of the phytotherapy performed by Grupo Espírita da Paz as a critical point of sucsess on developing medicinal herbs production chain from income generation, cultural recognition and conservation of biomes that provide genetical resourses to phytotherapic herbs production, proposing a strategic guideline to the institutional improvement of the sector from this perspective. / As plantas medicinais são bens naturais importantes para diversos povos, principalmente devido seu uso na fitoterapia, fruto do conhecimento tradicional adquirido pelo contato direto com a natureza. Frente a esta relevância, e a fim de assegurar a qualidade dos produtos e impulsionar o avanço do setor, um conjunto de instituições se desenvolvem a partir da Política Nacional de Plantas Medicinais e Fitoterápicos (PNPMF), entretanto, contraditoriamente, tal conjunto estabelece entraves à base da cadeia de produção, constituída por agentes estratégicos à consolidação deste setor no Brasil. Além disso, somados a esses entraves, em se tratando dos biomas brasileiros, especialmente o Cerrado, apesar de compor uma diversidade florística abundante, este bioma defronta com um cenário de ocupação de terras destacado pela expansão da agropecuária, sugerindo que o serviço de provisão de plantas medicinais possa estar cada vez mais ameaçado de se extinguir. Nesse sentido, este trabalho, estudando o caso do Grupo Espírita da Paz, destaca o valor da fitoterapia de base tradicional como ponto crítico de sucesso no desenvolvimento da produção de plantas medicinais, por meio do cultivo, extração sustentável e fonte de recursos informacionais à prospecção farmacológica, favorecendo a conservação de biomas, provedores de recursos genéticos à produção de fitoterápicos.