OBJECTIVETo explore the original meaning of concept of shichen in acupoint selection according to time of "needling methods of midnight-noon ebb-flow (Ziwu Liuzhu)" and "eight methods of the intelligent turtle (Linggui Bafa)", so as to provide more scientific and accurate calculating method for acupoint selection according to time in clinical acupuncture and moxibustion.

METHODSBased on the theory of "Heaven-people corresponding", use modern calculating time method to return to the ancient traditional concept of shichen. Compared ancient and modern calculating time methods of shichen and referred to sundial time-calculating method, in combination with changes of day and night time in 24 solar terms, use modern time-calculating method to calculate, so as to deny the mechanical time-calculating method of heavenly stems and earthly branches, in which each shichen is equal to 2 hours and it has been used from the last stage of the Ming dynasty and the initial stage of the Qing dynasty up to now.

RESULTSReturn to the original meaning of shichen in acupoint selection according to time, and time of each shichen should change along with changes of day and night time in the four seasons of one year.

CONCLUSIONThe concrete calculating method of shichen for different stages of four seasons in one year should be different.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Seasons ; Time Factors

To explore the connotation and essence of treatment of winter diseases in summer with analysis and deduction. Treating winter diseases in summer is the concrete embodiment and application of taking advantage of "recuperating yang in spring and summer". Winter diseases are formed by compound factors with deficiency of yangqi as the prerequisite and yin as well as cold as the predominant pathogens. Its pathological characteristic rests with stagnation in meri-dians and collaterals. Aiming at curing chronic diseases, reinforcing yangqi and removing stagnation in meridians and collaterals, treatment in summer is a treating strategy focused on proper opportunity of treatment, which is expected to yield twice the result with half the effort. To select the suitable indications is taken as the core of this treating strategy. And at the same time, blind expansion without careful consideration is not suggested.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Disease ; classification ; Humans ; Seasons ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo compare the pharmacokinetics of cisatracurium between normal weight patients and morbidly obese patients.

METHODSTwelve obese ASA I-II patients (BMI≥35 kg/m) undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and 12 normal weight ASA I-II patients (BMI of 18.5-24 kg/m) undergoing laparoscopic surgery were enrolled. The obese patients were given a cisatracurium dose of 0.15 mg/kg according to the fat-free mass (FFM), and the non-obese patients received a dose of 0.15 mg/kg according to the total body weight. Plasma concentrations of cisatracurium was monitored in the patients with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) before anesthetic induction and at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, and 20 min after cisatracurium administration and the pharmacokinetic parameters were computed. SBP, DBP, HR, MAP, SpOand PetCOwere recorded before anesthetic induction (T) and at 1 min (T), 2 min (T), 4 min (T) after cisatracurium administration.

RESULTSCompared with those measured at T, SBP, DBP and MAP in the 2 groups were significantly decreased at the time points of T(P<0.05). Compared with the non-obese patients, the obese patients showed significantly increased Hct level (P<0.05). The total clearance, apparent volume of distribution, and distribution and elimination half-life of the drug were similar between the 2 groups (P>0.05). The plasma concentration of cisatracurium at Twas significantly decreased in the obese patients compared with that in the non-obese patients (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONCisatracurium doses according to fat-free mass is clinically reasonable for inducing anesthesia in morbidly obese patients, but due to a prolonged muscle relax onset time, the timing of tracheal intubation should be delayed by 1-2 min.

Anesthesia ; Atracurium ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacokinetics ; Gastric Bypass ; Half-Life ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Obesity, Morbid ; blood ; Time Factors

In South Korea, the north border area has been under vivax malaria epidemic since 1993. However, Jeollabuk-do, which is about 300 kms from the border, has not experienced the same epidemic. I investigated a total of 58 notified cases of malaria in Jeollabuk-do in the year 2000. All of the cases had an exposure history in the epidemic area. Among them were 49 ex-soldiers, 3 soldiers who served near the border area and 6 civilians who traveled there. The causal agent of all cases was Plasmodium vivax. Except the civilians, the soldiers and ex-soldiers were aged in their twenties. In the present study, the incubation period was from 6 to 520 days with a median of 157 days, and the latent onset type (92%) was more prevalent than the early onset type. Illness onset of most cases (86%) peaked during the summer season (June to September) despite of variable incubation periods. The time lag for diagnosis ranged from 2 to 42 days with a median of 11 days. Jeollabuk-do has not been an area of epidemic until now, but incidences have been increasing annually since 1996. In Jeollabuk-do, early diagnosis and treatment can be a feasible disease control measure to prevent spreading from the epidemic area.
Human ; Incidence ; Korea/epidemiology ; Malaria/diagnosis/*epidemiology/prevention & control ; Seasons ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo summarize and analyze the epidemic situation of human rabies from 1984 to 2002 in China, and to explore the possible factors causing the increase of cases so as to provide evidence for preventive and control measures.

METHODNational and some provincial data on the prevalence of rabies during 1984 to 2002 were collected and analyzed.

RESULTSFrom 1984 to 1989, the annual reported cases were between 4 000 and 6 000 but decreased after 1990. In 1996, the reported cases decreased to the lowest level from 3 520 in 1990 to 159. However, number of reported cases has been continuously increasing since 1998 which reached 1 122 in 2002, a 7.06 times increase as compared to the number in 1996. The epidemic areas were mainly located in the southeast and southwest parts of the country, such as Sichuan, Hunan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Anhui, Fujian, etc. Furthermore, there was no significant seasonal distribution as it showed before.

CONCLUSIONSuch facts as the increasing numbers of dogs, low inoculation rate to dogs, poor control on the quality of rabies vaccine, mistreatment to the wounds, and lacking good cooperation between different official departments regarding rabies control might serve as important factors responsible for the recurrence of rabies. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on the above mentioned points and to take comprehensive preventive measures to bring down the prevalence of rabies in China.

Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Dogs ; Humans ; Rabies ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Rabies Vaccines ; standards ; Seasons ; Time Factors

BACKGROUNDThe time of onset of myocardial infarction shows seasonal and daily variation. We aimed to investigate whether the number of hours with daylight has an effect on the seasonal variation of heart attack, and whether the time of sunrise has an effect on the diurnal rhythm of myocardial infarction.

METHODSWe carried out a retrospective database study covering all patients admitted to any acute care hospital with the diagnosis of myocardial infarction in Hungary between January 2004 and December 2005 (n = 32 329). Data were collected from the National Health Insurance Fund Administration (OEP) according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD I21, I22) and National Meteorology Service (OMSZ). In case of patients who occurred in the database several times the events have been considered as a separate case.

RESULTSWith consideration to seasonal variation, the peak period of heart attack was found in the spring, with the lowest number of events in the summer. The number of hours with daylight showed a weak negative correlation with the occurrence of myocardial infarction (r = -0.108, P < 0.05). With respect to diurnal variation, the peak period of daily events was between 6-12 in the morning (35.57%). We have found a positive correlation between the time of sunrise and sunset and the occurrence of myocardial infarction (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONBased on our findings, the number of hours with daylight and the time of sunrise may be connected with the chances of having heart attack; however other factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or smoking may also have an influence.

Circadian Rhythm ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; epidemiology ; Seasons ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo study the suitable growth density and the optimal harvest time of Tribulus terrestris.

METHODFour growth densities were set with 60 cm breadth ridge and individual distance of 10, 20, 30 and 50 cm. The yield per individual and per unit area under the different growth densities were determined. Using yam saponin as a standard substance, the total saponin of T. terrestris was determined by UV spectrophotometry.

RESULTThe individual yield decreased with the density increase, but the difference between 30 cm and 50 cm individual distance was not substantial. The yield per unit area increased with density increase, and the difference between all densities was significant. The yield peak was in the last ten-day of August. The best leaves area index was 1.4 at the growth peak time. The total saponins content reached peaks respectively in the last ten-day of June and August, but the peak in last ten-day of August was consistent with the one of yield per unit area, and the total ashes content was the lowest at the same time.

CONCLUSIONThe suitable growth density is 10 cm individual distance on the 60 cm breadth ridge. The optimal harvest time is in the last ten-day of August. The yield per unit area is 1 400 - 2 000 kg x hm(-2).

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Saponins ; analysis ; Seasons ; Time Factors ; Tribulus ; chemistry ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo reveal the breeding system and endangered mechanism of Dendrobium officinale in Danxia landform.

METHODThe habitat, growth traits, floral phenology, propagation characteristic and status of resource destruction of D. officinale in Danxia landform were investigated.

RESULTThe results showed that D. officinale grew in poor condition and the growth summit appeared in spring; its two- or three-years-old stems could be bloomed; higher seed-setting rate would be obtained when pollinated in time; the ovary began swelling after pollinated four or five days, until about 185 days later, the fruit matured; the seed-setting rate was very low (0.31%) in natural environment; only one clone was generated from one stem in a clump in annual.

CONCLUSIOND. officinale mainly reproduces by clonal propagation; over-collection is key factor which leads D. officinale to be in endangered status at present in this region.

Conservation of Natural Resources ; Dendrobium ; growth & development ; physiology ; Ecosystem ; Flowers ; growth & development ; Geography ; Reproduction ; Seasons ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVE: In order to determine the major species of sarcosaphagous flies and their regular activity on carcass in Hohhot district. METHODS: Six rabbits were killed and placed outdoors at different time from July to October in Hohhot district. Some species of sarcosaphagous flies that appeared the cadavers were observed and identified. RESULTS: It showed that there are 10 main spieces belonging to 3 families and 8 genera were from Diptera, including Musa domestica domestica Linnaeus, Musa domestica vicina Maequart, Ophyra capensis (Wiedemann), Hydrotaea armipes (Fall.), Muscina stabulans (Fall.) from Museidae; Lucilia sericata (Meigen), Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius), Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann) from Calliphoridae; Boettcherisca peregrina (Robineau-Desvoiy), Parascarcophaga crassipalpis (Maequart) from Sacrophagidae. Besides, it showed obvious regulations that different species of sarcosaphagous flies appeared on carcass at different postmortem interval and the first part of carcass that sarcosaphagous flies appeared on. CONCLUSION It may be useful for estimating postmortem interval in Hohhot district.
Animals ; China ; Diptera/physiology* ; Larva/growth & development* ; Postmortem Changes ; Rabbits ; Seasons ; Species Specificity ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the method of reducing error in estimating postmortem interval (PMI). METHODS: Two hundred and fifty-six solved murder cases from 2003 January to 2013 January in Changzhou and Nanjing City were collected, The PMI of all cases was estimated by traditional method and then compared with the real PMI obtained after the cases were solved. The cases were grouped according to the PMI, the accuracy was calculated, and the reasons of suboptimal PMI were analyzed. RESULTS: The accuracies of early PMI (less than 12h and 13-24 h) were 90% and 89%, respectively; while the accuracies of late PMI (1-7 d, 1-2 weeks, 3-4 weeks, 1-6 months, 7-12 months and 1-5 years) decreased over time, being 79%, 76%, 83%, 79%, 60% and 50%, respectively. The common reasons of estimating error included improper inference methods, water submerged body, extreme temperature, lack of objective evidence, intentionally abandoned body, and changed or destroyed scene, etc. CONCLUSION The multiple index data can reduce the error in estimating PMI.
Autopsy ; Cause of Death ; Forensic Pathology/methods* ; Homicide ; Humans ; Postmortem Changes ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons ; Temperature ; Time Factors