Objective:To observe any effect of electroacupuncture applied to the Jialianquan points in treating post-stroke oropharyngeal dysphagia.Methods:Forty-five stroke survivors with oropharyngeal dysphagia were randomly divided into an electroacupuncture group ( n=15), a neuromuscular electrical stimulation group ( n=15) and a control group ( n=15). All groups received 30 minutes of routine swallowing function training 5 times a week for 3 weeks. The electroacupuncture group was additionally provided with 30 minutes of electroacupuncture applied to the Jialianquan (CV23) points, and the neuromuscular electrical stimulation group instead received 30 minutes of neuromuscular electrical stimulation over the bilateral submental muscles. Videofluoroscopic swallowing studies were performed before and after the 3 weeks of treatment. Standardized swallowing assessment was conducted producing functional oral intake scale ratings, modified barium swallow impairment profiles and the penetration-aspiration scale scores. Surface electromyography was also employed to evaluate submental muscle functioning through measuring the swallowing time, average EMG (AEMG) value and peak amplitude. Results:After the treatment, significant improvement was observed in all of the evaluations with both groups, but the average scores were significantly better in the electroacupuncture and neuromuscular electrical stimulation groups compared with the control group and significantly better in the electroacupuncture group than in the neuromuscular electrical stimulation group.Conclusion:Electroacupuncture at the Jialianquan point can significantly improve the swallowing of stroke survivors with oropharyngeal dysphagia. It is more effective than neuromuscular electric stimulation.

Aging, a complex and multisystem process, has increasingly become a hot issue of global concern. Traditional Chinese medicine has accumulated rich understanding of aging during thousands of years of development, which provides valuable references for the in-depth study of overall aging. According to the Qi-collateral theory in traditional Chinese medicine, essence is the origin of life; Qi is the driving force of life; and spirit is the embodiment of life. This theory interprets key scientific issues such as the formation of life, the driving force of life, the function of Zang-Fu organs, and the spirit and consciousness. Furthermore, it reveals the key mechanism of aging. That is, the deficiency of kidney essence is the root of aging; the loss of vitality is the key of aging; and the depletion of body and spirit is the manifestation of aging. Based on the experience of medical practitioners in the past dynasties, such as nourishing essence, black food tonifying the kidney, and supplementing essence with flesh-blood products, the treatment method of invigorating kidney and supplementing essence, harmonizing Yin and Yang, reinforcing the vitality, and nourishing the body and spirit was proposed. Furthermore, an innovative Chinese patent medicine, Bazi Bushen capsules, is developed, which exerts the antiaging effect by replenishing Qi, invigorating the spirit, and nourishing the body and spirit. Pharmacological and clinical studies have confirmed that this preparation has antiaging effects and are effective in the prevention and treatment of age-related diseases. Experimental studies have shown that Bazi Bushen capsules can delay the overall aging, reduce the DNA methylation and extend the healthy life of naturally aging mice, mitigate the age-related cognitive dysfunction, improve neurological function, maintain redox homeostasis and telomere integrity, and inhibit apoptosis. Moreover, Bazi Bushen capsules can increase the dermal thickness and the collagen fiber and elastic fiber content to prevent skin aging. In addition, Bazi Bushen capsules can correct the lipid metabolism disorders and ameliorate multisystem age-related diseases such as osteoporosis in surgically induced menopausal rats. This article discusses the pathogenesis, treatment, and prescription of aging and the antiaging theory, aiming to provide a basis for delaying aging and preventing related diseases.

Exosomes are membranous vesicles secreted by cells and can be widely involved in intercellular communication, anti-inflammation, immunoregulation, etc.Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC), regulatory T cell (Treg), immature dendritic cell (imDC) and myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) are the main ocular surface-related exosomes origins.Exosomes derived from different cells play their roles by delivering different biological molecules to recipient cells.Exosomes derived from MSC play a positive role in ocular surface inflammation and immune-related diseases by inhibiting T cell proliferation, transforming macrophage phenotype, regulating T helper (Th) cell differentiation and up-regulating Treg expression, reduce neovascularization and inflammation, and foster a microenvironment to promote corneal wound healing at the same time.Exosomes derived from Treg contain inducible NO synthase and microRNA (miRNA) including miR-503, miR-330 and miR-9, which can interfere with cell cycle progression, induce apoptosis, induce the differentiation of other T cells into Treg phenotype, inhibit T cell allograft rejection to induce immune tolerance.Exosomes derived from imDC inhibit corneal allograft rejection by delivering miR-682.MDSC-derived exosomes promote Treg expansion in vivo and in vitro, inhibit the proliferation and cytotoxicity of activated T cells, and express miR-29a-3p and miR-93-5p, which can inhibit the differentiation of Th1 and Th17 cells.Given the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects of exosomes, this paper reviewed the studies on ocular surface inflammation and immune-related diseases such as corneal injury, mucopolysaccharide storage disease, dry eye, Sj?gren syndrome and ocular graft-versus-host disease.

Interventional or thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction （AMI） has the effect of opening occluded coronary arteries. However， due to no myocardial regurgitation， ischemia/reperfusion injury and microvascular structure and function destruction， leading to myocardial fibrosis following AMI， ventricular remodeling， and even cardiac failure may occur. Collaterals doctrine is used to guide the investigation into traditional Chinese medicine pathogenesis and clinical treatment of myocardial fibrosis following AMI. Consequently， it proposes the pathogenesis characteristic of "Qi deficiency and blood stasis， collaterals obstruction" and medication principle of "dispersing and dredging"， to develop the formula of Tongxinluo. Fundamental and clinical researches have demonstrated it can effectively protect the structure and function of myocardial microvascular endothelial cells， improve no reflow and reperfusion injury， and inhibit myocardial fibrosis after AMI， which further supports scientific value of the collaterals doctrine.

Based on the syndrome and treatment system of collateral disease， and inheriting the development of the bloodline theory of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， academician WU Yi-ling systematically constructed the vessel-collateral theory of TCM and proposed that its core theory was the theory of Yingwei， that is， "Ying in the vein， and Wei outside the vein" （Huangdi Neijing·Lingshu·Yingwei Shenghui）， "obstructing of Yingwei， congelation of blood" （Treatise on Febrile Diseases· Pulse Differentiation Method）， "pathogen transferring through blood vessels， obstructed by blocking" （Jinkui Yaolue·Zangfu Jingluo Xianhou Bingmaizheng First）， and "damage of the heart， adjust its Yingwei". Based on the consistency of vessel-collateral as the channel of blood circulation in TCM with the blood vessels in western medicine， and guided by the Yingwei theory of vessel-collateral theory， the diagnostic criteria of syndrome differentiation of disease of vessel-collateral and vascular system represented by coronary heart disease， arrhythmia， heart failure and others was established to guide the prevention and treatment of vascular diseases. Based on the above analysis， guided by the Yingwei theory of vessel-collateral theory， and on the basis of related researches of vessel-collateral and vascular system， this paper discussed the etiology and pathogenesis of chronic coronary syndrome （CCS） in TCM. Taking useful collateral with unblocking as the treatment principle， the representative Tongluo prescription （Tongxinluo） was constructed， the research progress of Tongxinluo from various aspects such as animal experiment research， pharmacological research and clinical evidence-based research was summarized， a comprehensive system from etiology， pathogenesis， syndrome differentiation to treatment was formed， in order to provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of CCS.

The naphthaquinones are widely distributed in plants. They are usually in higher plants, but a few of them were also found in microorganisms. There is a lot of research showing that they had multiple pharmaco-activities such as cytotoxic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities, etc. In recent years, they have attracted extensive attention at home and abroad especially in terms of the anti-tumor activity. For further research, 69 new natural naphthoquinones reported in the last five years (2013-2017) were reviewed. They were divided into five major types: simple 1,4-naphthoquinones, furan and pyran naphthoquinones, 1,2-naphthoquinones, naphthohydroquinones and naphthoquinone polymers, which showed cytotoxic, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial biological activities, et al. The research of these compounds in the future was also proposed.

AIM: To study the mechanism of protective effect of exogenous carbon monoxide (CO) in the lung injury induced by ischemia-reperfusion (IR) of hind limbs in rats. METHODS: Thirty-two SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control, control+CO, IR and IR+CO. A rat model of ischemia in hind limbs and the reperfusion lung injury was made. The rats in IR+CO and control+CO groups were exposed to air containing 2.5?10~ -8 CO for 1 h before reperfusion or the corresponding control time point, while the other two groups were exposed to the routine air. The lung tissue structure, polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) count, wet-to-dry weight ratio (W/D), malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the animal survival rate were observed. The carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels in artery blood were detected with CO-oximeter and the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the lung was detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared to control, the animal mortality, lung PMNs number, W/D , MDA content and ICAM-1 expression were all significantly increased in IR group. Compared with the IR group, the blood COHb level was significantly increased and the animal mortality, lung PMNs number, W/D, MDA content and ICAM-1 expression were all significantly decreased in IR+CO group. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that exogenous CO attenuate limb IR- induced lung injury by down-regulatiny ICAM-1 expression and suppressing PMN sequestration in the lung following limb IR in rats.