The history of international spread of Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion is divided into three sta ges in this paper, and the spreading characteristics are analyzed. The first stage is approximately from the 6th century to the end of the 15th century, during which acupuncture and moxibustion were spread to neighboring countries by personnel exchanges; the spread towards Korean peninsula, Japan and Vietnam was considered the most successful communication. The second stage lasts from the beginning of 16th century to 1970. At the early time of this stage, the employees of the Dutch East Indian Company introduced acupuncture and moxibustion to European countries through Indonesia and Japan, leading to a short and small fashion; also the United States and Australia were involved. At the late time of this stage, by medical aid teams dispatched by China government, acupuncture and moxibustion were introduced to African countries. The third stage starts from 1971. With the establishment of Sino-US diplomatic relations as an opportunity, acupuncture and moxibustion were being spread rapidly to the world through radio, TV and internet. So far it has been introduced to more than 140 countries and areas. Performing serious studies on the spreading characteristics of three stages will promote the international communication of acupuncture and moxibustion, by which the world will have a better understanding onthe broad and profound traditional cultures of China.
Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; China ; Europe ; History, 15th Century ; History, 16th Century ; History, 17th Century ; History, 18th Century ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, Ancient ; History, Medieval ; Humans ; Internationality ; Japan ; Moxibustion ; history ; United States

Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; instrumentation ; China ; History, Ancient ; Medicine in Literature ; Needles ; history

? The choroidal vasculature provides oxygen and nutrients to the outer retina, and is responsible for maintaining the highly metabolically active photoreceptor cells. The normal structure and function of its vascular system is very important for the retina. So it is more meaningful to observe the choroid morphology for tracking pathological changes in diabetic retinopathy. With the application of the high resolution optical coherence tomography ( OCT ) technology, spectral -domain optical coherence tomography ( SD - OCT ) enhanced depth imaging technology can be used to measure the choroidal thickness quantitatively, which provides a new idea for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy. Therefore, the research and progress of choroidal thickness on diabetic retinopathy by OCT are summarized as follows.

BACKGROUND: Angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ) can induce cardiac hypertrophy and platelet-derived growth factor(PDGF) also stimulates cardiac hypertrophy. Is AngⅡ responsible for the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy by inducing PDGF receptor expression?OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) on the role of cardiac hypertrophy induced by Ang Ⅱ in cardiac myocytes so as to provide theoretical basis for clinical prevention and cure of cardiac hypertrophy.DESIGN: Controlled experimental study taking cardiac myocytes of cultured neonatal rats as subjects.SETTING: Department of pathophysiology in a university.MATERIALS: The experiment was completed in the Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College of Peking University. A total of 80 Wistar rats of either gender, aged 1 - 3 days, were provided by the Animal Center of Medical College, Peking University. Their hearts were removed for myocyte culture in the Cell Culture Laboratory.INTERVENTIONS: The cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes treated with 10-7mol/L Ang Ⅱ were Ang Ⅱ group, and those preincubated with 10-5mol/L PD98059(an antagonist of MAPK) for 30 minutes and then treated with Ang Ⅱ were PD98059 group. Cardiac myocytes of normal neonatal rats were as control group. The expression of PDGF-β was detected by western blot at 24 hours.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Content of PDGF-β receptor in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes.RESULTS: The expression of PDGF-β receptor induced by Ang Ⅱ at neonatal rat cardiac myocytes markedly increased at 24 hours (432.41 ± 54.08) compared with that of control group(197.65 ± 44. 10) ( q = 6.77, P< 0.01 ). PDGF-β receptor expression of PD98059 group(317.2 ± 21.12) decreased compared with that of Ang Ⅱ group(q = 3.91, P < 0.05) .However, the expression did not return to the level of control group, and there was significant difference between PD98059 group and control group( q= 3.85, P <0.05).CONCLUSION: The results indicate that angiotensin Ⅱ promotes cardiac hypertrophy through inducing expression of PDGF receptor, in which mitogen activated protein kinase participates in. Maybe it is another important mechanism for Ang Ⅱ -induced cardiac hypertrophy. The results can provide experimental data for the primary and secondary prevention in heart rehabilitation.

AIM: To investigate the crosstalk between angiotensin Ⅱ (AngⅡ)-mediated and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-mediated signal transduction in vascular smooth muscle proliferation.METHODS: A model of renal hypertension was made by two kidney/one-clip operation. Level of PDGF receptor β subunit of aorta was measured by Western Blot analysis. The effect of Ang Ⅱ on PDGF receptor β subunit expression was investigated in culture rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC).RESULTS: Systolic blood pressure obviously increased at 8th week after operation, whereas the level of PDGF receptor β subunit of aorta significantly increased by 126.6% (P＜0.05) in 2K1C rats compared with control group. The expression of PDGF receptor β subunit in cultured VSMC stimulated by AngⅡ was higher than that of control by 192.74%(P＜0.01). The effect of AngⅡ was inhibited remarkably by pretreated with losartan, a kind of specific AngⅡ receptor 1 (AT1) subtype antagonist and U73122, a kind of phospholipase C inhibitor. The effect was partly blocked by PD98059, which inhibit the activity of mitogen-activated, ERK-activating kinase (MEK).CONCLUSION: AngⅡ-induced PDGF receptor β subunit expression is regulated by the AT1 and its downstream signal molecule-PLC and ERK, might participate in the intracellular signal transduction pathway.

AIM: To investigate the crosstalk between angiotensin Ⅱ (AngⅡ)-mediated and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-mediated signal transduction in vascular smooth muscle proliferation.METHODS: A model of renal hypertension was made by two kidney/one-clip operation. Level of PDGF receptor ? subunit of aorta was measured by Western Blot analysis. The effect of Ang Ⅱ on PDGF receptor ? subunit expression was investigated in culture rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC).RESULTS: Systolic blood pressure obviously increased at 8th week after operation, whereas the level of PDGF receptor ? subunit of aorta significantly increased by 126.6% ( P

AIM: To investigate the role of G?q/11-mediated signal transduction pathway in cardiac hypertrophy induced by angiotensin II (AngII). METHODS: Renal hypertension was performed by placing a sliver clip around the left renal artery(2K1C). Hemodynamic parameters, the ratio of left ventricular weight to body weight, the AngII contents and the activities of phospholipase C (PLC) in myocardium were measured at 1st, 2nd, 4th and 8th week after operation, respectively. The levels of G?q/11 were assayed by Western blot analysis. -leucine incorporation and levels of G?q/11 were measured in cultured neonatal rats ventricular myocyte after AngII stimulation. RESULTS: In 2K1C group, blood pressure and the ratio of left ventricle of heart to body weight were significantly increased compared with sham group between 2nd to 8th week. AngII content increased from 1st to 8th week after operation. Compared with the sham group, levels of G?q/11 in 2K1C group increased by 25.0% and 35.8% at 4th and 8th week( P

AIM: To investigate the changes of G?q/11 and phospholipase C(PLC) of the aorta and to evaluate the role of signal transduction pathway mediated by G?q/11 in the pathogenesis of spontaneous hypertension. METHODS: Blood pressure was measured by intubation of carotid, and the level of plasma angiotension Ⅱ was measured by radioimmunoassay. In addition, G?q/11 and PLC contents in aorta were determined by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Arterial blood pressure was not changed in 4-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR), but it was increased markedly in 12-week-old SHR. The G?q/11 expression of aorta in 4-week-old SHR was increased by 69 2%( P

Objective To probe into the social support, coping styles, and mental health status of medical staff in a tertiary hospital in Beijing, for identifying potential mental problems. Methods Such means as the Social Support Rating Sheet (SSRS), Simple Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), Symptom Checklist (SCL-90), and demographic characteristics questionnaire were called into play, to study 2460 medical staff in five tertiary hospitals in Beijing. Results Differences were identified among medical staff of different demographic characteristics, in terms of positive coping style and support dimensions. Analysis of the survey data indicates that the total SCL scores, total symptom problem index, positive symptom pain level, total average score of the factors, are positively related to passive coping style, as P<0. 01; and are negatively related to subjective/objective support, support utilization, and total support scores, as P<0. 01. Conclusions Hospital administration is expected to implement focused intervention to such medical staff as those under 40 years old, women, widows or divorcees, those with education lower than university degree, those with junior academic title or lower, those without titles, those in emergency departments and emergency intensive care units, doctors and nurses, frequent night-shift workers, those of excessively low self evaluation, and medical staff with chronic diseases. The purpose of this practice is to alleviate their mental stress.

With analysis and systematization of ancient medical books being unearthed Mazoangdui tomb and other literatures, it is found that ancient names and meanings of moxibustion and acupuncture parts passed the courses from Mai to Maikou, the place and region above Mai, then to acupoints on the body surface showing channels, gi and blood. This change trace reveals original relationship acupoints with channels-collaterals, and acupuncture therapy. The acupoint is a point and channels-collaterals are lines, except a less acupoints which located by obvious anatomic markers, most of are special parts on the channels and collaterals, are not a isolated point. The acupoint is the gate of needle inserting the human body, proposal of this concept and increase of the number of acopoints are closely related with invention, popularity and spreading of acupuncture therapy.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history ; Meridians