The main difficulties and disputable problems on develping the national standard Standardized Manipulation of Acupuncture and Moribustion, Part 3: Auricular Acupuncture are debated in this paper from the three aspects of its meaning, scientific basis and key point. The difficult points mainly include manipulation standandization of auricular acupuncture, basis and science of the standards stipulated, selection of technical terms and definition, and why only the four kinds of manipulations are used for auricular acupuncture. Finally, the authors suggest that the Standardized Manipulation of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Part 3: Auricular Acupuncture needs further to be studied and improved.
Acupuncture ; methods ; standards ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture, Ear ; methods ; standards ; China ; Moxibustion ; methods ; standards

This article mainly summarise the results of the chemical compositions and their pharmacological activities of Arnebiae Radix since 1966. The chemistry components isolated from Arnebiae Radix are mainly naphthoquinone, monoterpene phenol and quinone, phenolic acids and their salts, alkaloids, aliphatic and esters. Pharmacological results showed that the chemical compositions and the extracts of Arnebiae Radix have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, hepatoprotection, antioxidant, anti-tumor and immune function and other activities. This article hopefully to provide a reference for further research, development and utilization of Arnebiae Radix.
Animals ; Boraginaceae ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Roots ; chemistry

BackgroundResearches found that the posterior capsular opacification (PCO) after lensextraction is associated with the elevation of the transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β).To seek the drug for inhibitingproliferation of lens epithelial cells (LECs) is crucial in the treatment and prevention of PCO.ObjectiveThisstudy was to investigate the preventing effects of decorin on the proliferation of LECs.MethodsRabbit LECs wascultured and passaged.The LECs in growth phase were incubated in 96 well plate at the density of 8×106/L.Decorinwith the concentrations 0.1,1.0,10.0 mg/L was added into the medium for 24,48 and 72 hours respectively.0.1％DMSO was used at the same way as positive control group,and the regular cultured cells worked as blank controlgroup.The inhibitory rates of different concentrations of decorin on the growth of LECs were detected by MTT at 24,48and 72 hours after addition of decorin.The percentage of LECs in different cell cycles in various groups was assayedusing flow cytometry.TGF-β level in medium suspension was detected using ELISA.The expression of TGF-β mRNA in LECs was checked by RT-PCR,and α-SMA expression in LECs was determined using immunochemistry.Results ELISA assay showed a statistical difference in the TGF-β levels of different groups (F=39.24,P=0.03 ).The TGF-β levels in 1.0,10.0 mg/L decorin groups were significantly decreased in comparison with blank control group (P＜0.01) and 0.1 mg/L decorin group (P＜0.05 ).The inhibitory rates of decorin in the concentrations of ≥ 1.0 mg/L on the growth of LECs were higher than the blank control group,and those in various concentrations of decorin groups were considerably lower in 24 hours compared with 48 and 72 hours ( P＜0.05 ) and so was the 48 hours compared with 72 hours (P＜0.05 ).The percentages of LECs in G0/G1 phase were ascent in 0.1,1.0 and 10.0 mg/L decorin groups in comparison with G2/M and S phase (P＜0.05).Immunochemistry revealed the weak expression of α-SMA in various decorin groups in comparison with control group. Conclusions Decorin can effectively inhibit LECs growth and induce LECs apoptosis in concentration- and time-dependent manner.It is suggested that decorin can be used in the prevention and treatment of after cataract.

The characteristics of Japanese collateral puncture are expounded from history evolution and technical feature. The position of pricking blood and blood-letting volume for the three Japanese collateral puncture, Japanese collateral puncture at Jing-well points, at fine collaterals and at the skin are emphatically discussed and briefly compared with Chinese pricking blood therapy, so as to better develop the collateral puncture therapy.
Acupuncture Points ; Humans ; Japan ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; Meridians ; Phlebotomy ; methods ; Punctures

Main difficulties and problems in working out the national standard Manipulation Standardization of Acupuncture and Moribustion Techniques for Three-edged Needle are discussed. The difficult points include selection of technical terms; standardization and characteristics of Chinese medicine; quantification of bleeding amount in three-edged needle therapy; basis and science of the standards stipulated. The problems that need further be studied and perfected for Manipulation Standardization of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Techniques for Three-edged Needle are put forward in the present paper.
Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; standards ; China ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; methods ; standards

OBJECTIVETo understand the situation of studies and development of international acupuncture and moxibustion in 2006 by analysis on the acupuncture-related articles embodied in Medline data-base in 2006.

METHODSA total of 881 articles in Medline data-base of the ISI knowledge Web were retrieved by "acupuncture", "moxibustion", "acupressure" and "cupping" as key words, then 761 articles excluding unrelated 120 ones were analyzed and concluded for distribution of the article sources, periodicals source, type, research contents and methods.

RESULTSMost of the articles are from China, Britain and America. The journal of the highest impact factor of 25.8 is Lancet. Acupuncture and moxibustion can treat various diseases, but primarily for relieving pain.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture and moxibustion are still a part of CAM for clinical practice abroad. Most of the experiments confirm the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion, but there are some different views on some diseases. And various countries make a lot work about mechanism research of acupuncture effect, showing the feature of large range.

To set standards for histomorphological studies on Lysimachia fortunei, an efficacious and widely applied folk medicine in this study, in order to develop its resources. Its species were identified by observing plant morphology and herbs appearance characters, preparing slices with routine methods and defining structural characters. According to the results of morphologic observation, leaves, stamen and pistil of this plant were different from the descriptions in Flora of China. The whole herb can be used in medicines, mainly including rhizomes, stems and leaves. According to the findings in the first study on microscopic structures, its rhizomes, stems and leaves were characteristic and worth identifying. The transaction tissue structures of rhizomes and stems were under developed and contained endodermis, secretory structures; Stems had sclerenchymata of different shapes of sclereids; Leaves were bifacial and had vascular bundles under midribs, which were surrounded by parenchymal sheathes. On the surface of leaves, stomata, glandular hairs and keratin lines were morphologically different in upper and lower epidermis. The herbal power had glandular hairs, sclereids and vessels. In conclusion, herbs of L. fortunei can be identified by the above histomorphological characteristics, which lays a foundation for further development and application of L. fortunei.
Medicine, Traditional ; Plant Leaves ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Plant Stems ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Primulaceae ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development

Objective To survey and analyze characteristics of brucellosis epidemic in Weinan city of Shaanxi province for the purpose of setting up prevention and control measures for the disease. Methods According to "The Executing Plan for the Work of Surveying Brucellosis Disease in Shaanxi Province", 35 villages(towns) of designated monitoring locations and 24 villages (towns) of randomized monitoring locations in five countries of Weinan were chosen to survey brucellosis disease. The five countries were Chengcheng, Dali, Heyang, Tongguan and Hancheng. High risk populations with a history of contacting livestock and livestock products aged between 7 and 60 underwent clinical and serology examination[rose bengal plate agglutination test(RBPT) and standard tube agglutination test(SAT)]. All manipulation methods and judging standards were in accord with the "Diagnostic Standard for Brucellosis" (WS 269-2007). Results In the designated monitoring location, a total of 8664 people at high risk were investigated, among whom 1407 people were tested by RBPT test and 27 people were positive,the positive rate was 1.92%(27/1407); 27 people were tested by SAT test and 27 people were positive, the positive rate was 100% (27/27); 25 people were diagnosed and the diagnosis rate was 92.59%(25/27). In the randomized monitoring location, a total of 3464 people at high risk were investigated, among whom 411 people were tested by RBPT test and 3 people were positive, the positive rate was 0.73%(3/411 ), 3 people were tested by SAT test which were all positive and made a definite diagnosis. Twenty-eight new cases were made a definite diagnosis and its incidence was 2.06 in a hundred thousand(28/1 361 618). Conclusions The infection of human brucellosis in Weinan city stays at higher level. The governments should increase input for the monitoring,investigating and disinfecting to prevent the disease from increasing and outspreading.

Apyrase activities in some tissues and cells, such as peripheral vascular endothelial cells, have been reported, but these in endocardium endothelial cells have not been reported. The present study was to characterise the properties of bovine endocardium endothelial cells (BEEC)-associated apyrase. Apyrase activity was assayed by inorganic phosphate release, which could be inhibited concentration-dependently by NaN3, an apyrase inhibitor. NaF (20 mmol/L), another inhibitor of apyrase, also markedly inhibited the activity. EDTA or EGTA (1 mmol/L) could also inhibit the activity completely. However, the inhibitor for Na+/K+-ATPase, ouabain (3 mmol/L) did not affect the enzyme activity. BEEC apyrase activity was dependent on divalent cations (Ca2+ or Mg2+) and pH value.

In order to establish a new more rapid, safe and sensitive colorimetric assay for the proliferation of leukemic cells, MTS/pms has been developed. This automated colorimetric assay is based on the characteristic of viable and metabolically active leukemic cells to cleave MTS/pms into a water-soluble product whose optical density is determined at 492 nm by an automated microtiter-plate reader photometer. The results indicated that only active leukemic cells cleaved MTS/pms into product measured, and dead cells did not reduce MTS/pms. A linear relations hip were found between the viable cell number and optical density of MTS/pms cleaved by HL-60 and K562 cell (r = 0.963). Compared with MTT and INT assays, the reduced product of MTS/pms is water-soluble. It is concluded that MTS/pms colorimetric assay is more rapid, accurate and sensitive for the bioassay of proliferation of leukemic cells.
Cell Division ; Colorimetry ; methods ; Formazans ; metabolism ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Leukemia ; pathology ; Methylphenazonium Methosulfate ; metabolism ; Tetrazolium Salts ; metabolism ; Thiazoles ; metabolism