Treatment based on meridian differentiation is a characteristic method in clinical acupuncture diagnosis and treatment. Accurately defining and explaining its main content and core concepts is essential for effective clinical guidance. This paper reviews the historical and contemporary understanding, concepts, and primary content of treatment based on meridian differentiation. It proposes a four-step process for clinical application: meridian examination, treatment based on meridian differentiation, acupoint selection, and appropriate treatment methods, with TCM syndrome differentiation applied throughout. Constructing a diagnostic and treatment system which is based on meridian differentiation and suited to clinical acupuncture is significant for enhancing therapeutic efficacy and maximizing the benefits of acupuncture in disease treatment.
Humans ; Meridians ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Acupuncture Points ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Objective:To explore the feasibility of preparing an iodine-coated titanium plate with potassium iodide and verify its antibacterial performance.Methods:Iodine was coated onto the surface of a titanium plate in electrolyte of potassium iodide using the electrophoretic deposition method. The signs and composition of the surface of the iodine-coated titanium plate were observed by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The experiment was conducted in a control group and 3 antibacterial test groups. The control group consisted of 10 titanium plates which had been pretreated but not loaded with iodine; the 3 experimental groups also had in each 10 titanium plates which had been pretreated and loaded with iodine in the electrolytes of concentrations of 1,000 mg/L, 2,000 mg/L and 4,000 mg/L, respectively. The antimicrobial tests in vitro were conducted with standard strains of staphylococcus aureus [1×10 6 Colony-Forming Units (CFU)/mL ATCC25923] to determine the antibacterial property of the plates. Results:The iodine-coated titanium plates appeared grey and their surface was evenly covered with a flat coating with no collapse. The scanning electron microscopy observed on the surface of the iodine-coated titanium plates an iodine coating with scattered irregular collapses in different sizes. The iodine content was 0 mass%, 5.10 mass%, 10.32 mass% and 15.05 mass%, respectively, in the control, 1,000 mg/L, 2,000 mg/L and 4 000 mg/L groups under the energy dispersive spectroscopy. Their counts of in vitro antibacterial colony were 56.00±5.09, 21.40±2.76, 9.10±2.51, and 2.00±1.88, respectively, showing significant differences between groups ( P< 0.05). Conclusions:A titanium plate with a steady and even iodine coating can be prepared by virtue of the electrophoretic deposition method in electrolyte of potassium iodide. The antibacterial property of an iodine-coated titanium plate is superior to that of a titanium plate without iodine coating.

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics of diabetic patients combined with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to compare the prognosis between diabetic and non- diabetic patients in 4-5 years after the onset of AMI. Methods: Followed the certain inclusive and exclusive criteria, a total of 420 patients with acute myocardial infarction were included and divided into diabetes group (group D) and non-diabetes group (group N) with numbers as 161 people and 259 respectively. Baseline data, clinical information, short-term outcome and long-term prognosis of the two groups were compared and analyzed. Results: Among the patients with diabetes, the average age was older (65.65±11.33 vs. 63.30±15.34), with fewer males (64.59% vs. 79.92%); and more likely to have other complications as hypertension (64.60% vs. 53.28%) or hyperlipidemia (42.24% vs. 26.25%). 59.29% of the patients in group D showed pathological changes in 3 major coronary arteries, which were significantly more than its counterpart (40.83%). The proportion of patients that had undergone the coronary artery bypass, grafting (11.11% vs. 5.31%) appeared also higher. There was no significant difference seen in the short-term outcomes between the two groups, but results from the long-term follow-up program showed that both the incidence of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE) (50.67% vs. 27.72%) and the all-cause mortality (20.00% vs. 9.90%) in group D were higher than those appeared in group N (27.72%). Conclusions Patients suffered from the combination of both diabetes and acute myocardial infarction appeared older in age, more in females, with more complications and the coronary artery lesions were more severe and wider. During hospitalization, no significant difference was seen regarding the short-term outcomes between the two groups but the results from long-term follow-up process showing that the risk of MACE events was significantly higher in patients with type2 diabetes.