The scientificalness of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is often doubted and criticized for the record in Huangdi Neijing that the liver is located in the left of the human body. The most popular explanation of this criticism is that the conception of zang-fu viscera in TCM is quite different from which defined in Western medicine. It means that the zang-fu viscera in TCM are not exactly the corresponding anatomical organs in modern human anatomy but reflect the functions of some systems in human body. According to the classical theories of TCM in Huangdi Neijing, we consider that the record of liver located in the left of the human body is based on the Ba Gua (Eight Diagrams) of traditional Chinese philosophy, not the human anatomy. In brief, the conception of zang-fu viscera is initially a gross anatomical conception, and in a sense the anatomic sites and functions of which are mostly similar to those described in Western medicine.

Background: Postoperative gastroparesis syndrome (PGS) is a common complication after abdominal surgery in patients with primary liver cancer. However, surgeons usually do not have effective treatment for them. Objective: To explore the effects of acupuncture applied to Zusanli and other acupoints on PGS in patients after abdominal surgery. Design, setting, participants and interventions: Sixty-three PGS patients of abdominal surgery, from Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgical Hospital, were randomized into acupuncture group (32 cases) and metoclopramide group (31 cases). The patients in acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture applied to Zusanli and other acupoints once a day, while the patients in metoclopramide group were intramuscularly injected 20 mg metoclopramide three times a day. Main outcome measures: Volume of gastric drainage, number of treatment and cure rate in the two groups were measured and evaluated. Results: Acupuncture and metoclopramide could significantly reduce gastric drainage volume. In acupuncture group, the cure rate was 90.6% and the number of treatment was 6.58+/-4.26, while in metoclopramide group, the cure rate and the number of treatment were 32.3% and 10.13+/-3.60 respectively. There were significant differences in gastric drainage volume, cure rate and number of treatment between the two groups (P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusion: Acupuncture is a good treatment for PGS, with fewer treatments, high cure rate and rapid effect.

Objective To compare efficacy of two intensive therapies:continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion(CSⅡ) and multiple subcutaneous insulin infusion (MSⅡ) for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods 60 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomly divided into 2 groups. Patients in CSⅡ group were treated by insulin (Novolin R) through a infusion pump. Patients in MSⅡ group were treated by Novolin R before meals (3 times a day) and Novolin N at bedtime. Blood glucose was monitored the whole day before and after treatment. Time required for blood glucose to reach the standard level, insulin dosage and hypoglycemia incidence were compared between the 2 groups before and after treatment. Results Both of the 2 therapeutic methods effectively controlled blood glucose (P＜0.05). However, the 2 groups had significant difference in terms of the time required for blood glucose to reach the standard level ( 3.6 ± 1.2 d vs. 9.4 ± 3.2 d, P ＜ 0. 01 ), daily insulin consumption (35.2 ± 8.5 u vs. 43.2 ± 10. 1 u, P ＜0. 01 ) and hypoglycemia incidence (2. 1% vs.9.7%, P ＜0.01 ). Conclusions CSⅡ and MSⅡ are effective for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. CSⅡ is superior to MSⅡ due to its advantages of quick response, safety, and less insulin consumption.

AIM: To investigate the effects of Yiqi Huoxue prescription and Bushen Shengsui prescription on the expression of Notch-1 and Jagged1 protein in ischemic penumbra after local cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in intraluminal thread occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO) rats. METHODS: The local cerebral ischemia/reperfusion model was established by intraluminal thread occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. The animals were randomly divided into pseudo surgery group (sham group), model (MCAO) group, Yiqi Huoxue prescription (MCAO+Yiqi Huoxue) and Bushen Shengsui prescription (MCAO+Bushen Shengsui) groups. Using the techniques of immuno-histochemical staining, the expression of Notch-1 and Jagged1 was observed at 1, 2 and 3 weeks in ischemic penumbra of the cortex of frontal and parietal lobe. RESULTS: A value and positive unit of Notch-1 and Jagged1 protein expression in model group were higher than those in sham in ischemic penumbra of the cortex of frontal or parietal lobe after local cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in MCAO rats (P<0.05 or P<0.01). A value and/or positive unit of the expression in Yiqi Huoxue prescription and Bushen Shengsui prescription groups were lower than those in model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Yiqi Huoxue prescription and Bushen Shengsui prescription affect the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells, depress Notch signal transduction after local cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in MCAO rats by inhibiting the expression of Notch-1and Jagged1 protein.

A novel method for simultaneous determination of 3 rat poisons ( tetramine, bromadiolone, brodifacoum) and 5 toxic alkaloids ( hyoscyamine, scopolamine, gelsemine, strychnine, brucine ) in toxic samples by dispersive liquid-liquid micro-extraction ( DLLME ) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was established. A mixture extractant containing 100 μL trichloromethane and 600 μL methanol was injected into the prepared sample to form an emulsion and the extraction process was accomplished. After centrifuged at 8000 r/min for 5 min, the settled drop of trichloromethane solvent was transferred to a conical insert within a GC autosampler vessel, and analyzed by GC-MS. Factors affecting extraction efficiency such as the type and volume of extractant, dispersive agent, extraction time, pH value and salt concentration of extraction system were studied. The limits of detection(LODs) were from 0. 003 to 1 μg/L in water sample, urine sample and rice wine sample. LODs were from 0. 002 to 0. 2 μg/kg in rice sample. The recoveries of toxic samples were in the range of 81. 0%-110%. The relative standard deviations( RSDs) were lower than 7%. The proposed method was sensitive, effective, and suitable for the simultaneous determination of toxic alkaloids and rat poisons in food poisoning sample.

OBJECTIVE: To find out some evidence that may indicate the theory of voice pitch of the five tones being correlated with the five zang viscera in Huangdi Neijing, which was lost 2 000 years. METHODS: Eight-four healthy females were divided into younger group (<34 years old) and older group (> or =34 years old) according to their ages. The pronunciations of these females were examined by sono-frequency analysis facility. RESULTS: The frequency of Jiao tone was much higher than those of the other tones in both groups (P<0.01) and the frequency of Jiao tone increased as aging. The frequency of Zhi tone in the younger group was higher than that in the older group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of higher frequency of Jiao tone in females is in accordance with the theory put forward by Ye Gui (a famous doctor in Qing Dynasty of China) that the liver is the congenital base of female life. In traditional Chinese medicine, Jiao tone is correlated with the liver, and Zhi tone is correlated with the heart. The high frequency of Zhi tone in younger females implies that regulating the Small Intestine Meridian of Hand-Taiyang and Heart Meridian of Hand-Shaoyin may be beneficial to the health maintenance of younger female.

Objective: To observe the effect of moxibustion on the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and nuclear transcription factor kappa B (NF-κB) proteins in ankle joints of rats with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to explore the anti-inflammatory mechanism of moxibustion in the treatment of RA.Methods: Adjuvant arthritis (AA) rat models were induced and used as rat models of RA. Rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a moxibustion group and a saline group. Rats in the normal and model groups were not treated; rats in the moxibustion group accepted treatment by moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36) and Shenshu (BL 23) after modeling; rats in the saline group were injected with 0.15 mL saline to the bottom of the left hind paw and had no other treatments. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the histopathological changes of rats' ankle joints under light microscope. Immunohistochemistry was used to observe the expressions of TNF-α and NF-κB in ankle joints of rats.Results: Compared with the normal group, the rats' ankle joints in the model group showed disorganization, joint surface defect, and significantly increased mean optical density (MOD) of TNF-α and NF-κB (allP<0.05). After moxibustion treatment, rats in the moxibustion group showed repaired ankle tissues, smooth joint surface without defects, decreased MOD of TNF-α and NF-κB than those in the model group (allP<0.05). Rats in the saline group had no damage to ankle joints, while TNF-α and NF-κB were significantly different from those in the model group (P<0.05).Conclusion: Moxibustion could down-regulate the expressions of NF-κB and TNF-α protein in ankle joints of RA rats, and produce an anti-inflammatory effect to promote tissue repair.

Objective To investigate the effects of liraglutide on gene expression related to cholesterol metabolism in ApoE-/-mice with adiponectin deficiency. Methods Thirty six ApoE-/-mice fed with the high-fat diet were subdivided into four groups. One group was given 100 μl(1×109PFU) of adenoviral pAd-U6-GFP(GFP group, n=6). The second group received 100 μl of adenoviral pAd-U6-Acrp30(ADI group, n=10). The third group was given 100 μl of adenoviral pAd-U6-Acrp30 and liraglutide(HEA group, n=10) and the fourth group was given only 100 μl sterile saline(HF group, n=10). Insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism were assessed by the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp technique using 3-[3H] glucose as a tracer. Plasma adiponectin level was evaluated using a commercially available ELISA kit. The mRNA expressions of genes involved in cholesterol metabolism were measured by quantitative realtime PCR. Results Fasting blood glucose(FBG), free fatty acids(FFA), total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, adiponectin, and fasting plasma insulin(FINS) in ADI mice were significantly higher than those in the other groups(P＜0.01), while high density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly lower(P＜0.05). During the clamp, glucose infusion rate(GIR) in ADI group was significantly lower than the other groups(P＜0.01), and hepatic glucose production(HGP) significantly higher in ADI group(P＜0.01). The mRNA expressions of INSIG2 and LDLR in ADI group were significantly down-regulated in HEA group(P＜0.01 or P＜0.05), while HMGCR and SREBP-2 were significantly up-regulated in HEA group(P＜0.01 or P＜0.05). Conclusions Liraglutide regulates a number of genes involved in cholesterol metabolism and ameliorates hypercholesterolemia by elevating plasma adiponectin level.

Objective: To compare amplification refractory mutation system(ARMS) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) in the detection of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to investigate the clinical value of ddPCR. Methods: A total of 79 specimens of NSCLC, including 22 cases of cell block, 18 cases of surgical specimens, 12 cases of biopsy specimens and 27 cases of plasma samples, were analyzed for the mutation status of EGFR gene by ARMS and droplet digital PCR method. Results: In 18 cases of surgical specimens and 12 cases of biopsy specimens, the detection results by the two methods were identical with positive rates of 9/18 and 5/12, respectively. In 22 cases of effusion cell blocks, ARMS detected 19-del and L858R of EGFR gene in two cases, in which droplet digital PCR detected 19-del+ T790M mutations in one case and L858R+ T790M mutation in another. L858R mutation was detected by droplet digital PCR in one case but ARMS assay was negative. The remaining 19 cases were consistent by the two methods. In blood samples, the positive rate was 33.3%(9/27) by ARMS and 37.0%(10/27) by droplet digital PCR. Two cases showed L858R and 19-del+ T790M mutation by droplet digital PCR but ARMS assay detected only 19-del. The remaining 25 cases were consistent by the two methods. Conclusion Droplet digital PCR method is more sensitive and accurate than ARMS for the detection of EGFR mutations in pleural fluid and blood samples, can be used in clinical test.