God Moxibustion Statecraft (Shenjiujinglun) was written by Wu Yi-ding in the Qing Dynasty. This book comprehensively summarizes moxibustion experience before and during the Qing Dynasty, has a perfect system and informative contents and is a practical moxibustion monograph involving both principles and methods. It enjoys a certain status in the history of acupuncture development.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of relaxing needling plus joint needling from the Internal Medicine in treating post-stroke spastic hemiplegia.MethodTotally 121 eligible subjects were randomized intoan ordinary acupuncture group (61 cases) and a relaxing-joint needling group (60 cases). The two groups were treated for 2 weeks, 5 sessions each week. The spasm of the lower limb was evaluated by using Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale (FMA), modified AshworthScale (MAS), Tardieu Scale, and Activities of Daily Living (ADL) before and after treatment. Besides, 4 patients from each group were randomly selected for the three-dimensional gait analysis, and the dorsi-extension, range of motion (ROM) of ankle, strephenopodia, and heel-raising height were observed.Result and ConclusionRelaxing-joint needling and ordinary acupuncture both can produce significant efficacies in treating post-stroke spastic hemiplegia. The relaxing-joint needling produced more significant efficacies in improving the body balance, ROM, muscular tension, and lower limb spasticity compared to ordinary acupuncture. It’s plausible that relaxing-joint needling improves the strephenopodia and hemiplagia gait through renovating body balance, ROM, muscular tension, and lower limb spasticity. Since the three-dimensional gait analysis can analyze the dorsi-extension, strephenopodia, and heel-raising height, thus it can be used to evaluate the change of the spastic gait of post-stroke hemiplegia in amore objective, elaborate, and correct way.

For thousands of years, moxibustion has been used for various diseases in China and other Asian countries. Despite the recent surge in Chinese herbal studies, few randomized controlled trials have been conducted on this modality, possibly due to the lacking of suitable double blinding methodology. This is a review of extant sham moxa devices and an introduction to a recently developed device that needs further validation.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes of volt-ampere characteristics of Yuan-Primary acupoints in women before, during and after menstruation, and to find out the relationships between Qi-blood in human body and volt-ampere characteristics of acupoints, so as to develop a new method for quantitative analysis on changes of Qi-blood. METHODS: A high-sensitive detection system of volt-ampere characteristics of acupoint was applied to detecting the volt-ampere characteristics of Taiyuan (LU 9), Daling (PC 7) and Shenmen (HT 7) in healthy women before, during and after menstruation. RESULTS: The resistances on LU 9, PC 7 and HT 7 with some certain scan currents were quite different among the women before, during and after menstruation. For such changes, PC 7 was of the most obvious change, LU 9 was of the less and HT 7 was of the least. The total ratio of the scanning spots with significantly increasing changes of resistances on these three acupoints along with the menstrual process was 70.6%. CONCLUSION: The volt-ampere characteristics of acupoints vary with the menstrual process, which is of the acupoint specificity. The resistances on the acupoints increase with the menstrual process, and such results may be due to the blood loss during menstruation. The volt-ampere characteristics can be used as a quantitative index to study on the change of Qi and blood.

Superior mesenteric vein (SMV) thrombosis is a relatively rare disease. Most patients may be successfully treated with anti-coagulation alone. However, bowel stricture may develop due to intestinal ischemia which may require surgical treatment. This report describes a rare case of small bowel stricture occurring one month after successful treatment of SMV thrombosis. After segmental resection of strictured bowel, the patient's post-operative course was uneventful.

Objective:To observe the analgesia effect and of low-level combined- and single-laser irradiation on Zusanli (ST 36) in rats and the relationship between mast cell degranulation and laser acupuncture analgesia.Methods: A total of 66 Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned into normal control,model control,sham irradiation,10.6 μm laser (220 mW,40 Hz) 650nm laser(36mW,continuous),combined laser (10.6 μm+ 650 nm) groups.Arthritis mode 1 was established by injection of Complete Freund's Adjuvant (0.05 mL) into the left ankle joint.The paw withdrawal latency (PWL) was detected with a radiant heat algesimeter.Zusanli (ST 36) was irradiated with sham,single or combined laser for 30 min.After sacrifice under anesthesia (1% embutal),tissues of Zusanli (ST 36) area were sampled,sliced (5 μm) and stained with Toluidine Blue for skin for observing the mast cell degranulation.Results:Compared with model control and sham group,the pain threshold increased significantly in 650nm and combined laser groups (P＜0.01),while remained no significant difference in 10.6 μm group.Compared with model and sham group,the degranulation ratios of mast cells in 650nm and combined laser group were significantly higher (P＜0.001),while remained no significant difference in 10.6 μm group.The linear correlation coefficient between degranulation ratios of mast cells and PWL after laser acupuncture is 0.737 (P＜0.001).Conclusion:Both 650 nm and combined laser stimulation of Zusanli (ST 36) can effectively raise pain threshold,and enhance degranulation ratio of mast cells at the stimulated acupoint.The result also suggested a linear correlation between degranulation ratio of mast cell and analgesia effect.

Objective:To observe volt-ampere characteristic of Acupoint Neiguan (PC 6) on patients with hyper-thyroidism for probing into the actions of acupoints and change of qi and blood of human body as well as the relationship between the action of acupoint and the metabolism of energy. Methods:A self-made high-sensitive apparatus was applied to detect volt-ampere curves of Acupoint Neiguan(PC 6)and its control point on 33 patients with hyperthyroidism and 30 healthy people.Results:In patients,the volt-ampere areas (VAA)of both ampere.Increasing scan(AIS)and ampere—decreasing Scan(ADS)as well as the inertia areas (IS) of both side Neiguan(PC 6)were significantly smaller than the control points(P<0.05 or P<0.0 1).In healthy people.The VAA of the AIS/ADS of both side and me IA of right Neiguan(PC 6)were significantly smaller than those of the comparison points (P<0.05 or P<0.01).The comparison on volt-ampere characteristicsof the acupoints having same names on right and left side showed that the inertia areas ofNeiguan(PC 6)on patients with hyperthyroidism on the right side were significantly larger than those on the left side (P<0.05).There was no significant difference between the patients and healthy people on the VAA of both AIS/ADS/IA of the right and left Neiguan(PC 6)(P>0.05).Conclusion:The volt-ampere characteristics of theright and left Neiguan(PC 61 on patients with hyperthyroidism are in imbalance.Hyperthyroidism exerts certaininfluenceontheheartfunction.

Objective:To investigate the variations in infrared radiation at Taichong(LR3),Taixi(KI3),and control points before and after menstruation and to examine the infrared radiation patterns associated with Yuan-primordial points of Zang-Fu organs during the physiological menstrual cycle. Methods:Using a point infrared radiation spectrum detection system,we detected the infrared radiation spectra of Taichong(LR3),Taixi(KI3),and the control points located 1 cm away from the two points,in a range of 1.50-18.00 μm wavelengths during the premenstrual,menstrual,and postmenstrual phases in 32 healthy adult women.Subsequently,data mining and analysis were conducted. Results:Before,during,and after menstruation,the infrared spectral shapes of bilateral Taichong(LR3),Taixi(KI3),and their control points were generally consistent,with characteristic infrared spectral wavelengths located at 11.25 μm.Prior to menstruation,the total intensity of infrared radiation at the right Taixi(KI3)was significantly lower than that at the control point(P<0.05),and that at the left Taichong(LR3)was significantly lower than that at the control point(P<0.01).During and after menstruation,the total infrared radiation intensity at both Taixi(KI3)was significantly lower than that of the control point(P<0.05).The wavelength points exhibiting significant differences in the infrared radiation intensity between points and control points were concentrated at the primary peak of 7.50-14.25 μm and the secondary peak of 15.00-17.25 μm. Conclusion:During different menstrual phases,the infrared radiation spectra of Taichong(LR3)and Taixi(KI3)exhibited distinct point specificity,mainly evident in the infrared radiation intensity and wavelength.

OBJECTIVETo clone and sequence the open reading frame of beta-amyrin synthase (bAS) from Glycyrrhiza uralensis.

METHODThe primers were designed according to the cDNA sequence of beta-amyrin synthase from G. glabra reported by Hiroaki HAYASHI, and the open reading frame of beta-amyrin synthase was cloned by RT-PCR strategy with the template of total RNA extracted from roots of G. uralensis.

RESULTThe GubAS (GenBank Accession number: FJ627179) was 2 289 bp in length encoding one pelypeptide of 762 amino acid. Deduced amino acid sequence had 99%, 92%, 90%, 90% and 89% homology to the amino acid sequence of G. glabra, Lotus japonicus, Pisum sativum, Medicago truncatula, Glycine max, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe open reading frame of bAS from G. uralensis is cloned and reported for the first time. The conclusion will provide a foundation for exploring the mechanism of triterpenes biosynthesis.

Cloning, Molecular ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; classification ; enzymology ; genetics ; Intramolecular Transferases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Open Reading Frames ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plants ; classification ; genetics

We have analysed the significance of acupoint resistance and some probable problems in its measurement according to biophysics theories and we believe that the skin resistance plays an important role in acupoint resistance. The Volt-ampere curve should be used to describe acupoint resistance, and only when the measurements are under the same condition should the results be compared, because acupoint resistance is nonlinear. The acupoint resistance could be detected only in vivo. In this paper is presented a simple and easy method with which we can connect acupoint into electric circle. Also reported here is how to control the circumstance condition while measurements are taken.
Acupuncture Points ; Electrophysiology ; Galvanic Skin Response ; physiology ; Humans