The scientific nature of traditional Chinese medicine in the post-modern era

There is a growing need to understand traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in modern scientific terms.TCM possesses the dual attributes of science and the humanities.At present,medical science and technology are progressing,while humanistic ethics are being neglected.TCM embodies the interaction between imagery and conceptual thinking,which can be explained from the following three aspects:imagery as an internal driving force for cultural rejuvenation,return to the true self and guarding of the root of life,and cosmology(harmony between man and nature).In the post-modern era,“people-oriented”medical values will lead to integrations between science and humanities,holism and reductionism,imagery-based thinking and conceptual thinking,systematic research and descriptive research,and evidence-based medicine and narrative medicine.

The development of traditional Chinese medicine

Similar to other medicines,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)originated from the need for various practical solutions to treat diseases.It is a knowledge system summarized and condensed by the Chinese nation in the health care practice for thousands of years.TCM continues to serve the health care system.This study summarized the history,health concept,main treatment strategies and methods,current development,and future perspectives of TCM.It may provide a more comprehensive image of the overall TCM system.

Screening of new non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors of HIV-1 based on traditional Chinese medicines database

HIV- 1 RT is an important target for the treatment of AIDS. There are two major classes of antiviral agents that inhibit HIV- 1 RT have been identified, nucleoside RT inhibitors （NRTIs） and non-nucleoside RT inhibitors （NNRTIs）. In this report, a noval class of non-nucleoside compound with potential RT inhibitory activity were found from the traditional Chinese medicines database （TCMD） using a combination of virtual screening, docking, molecular dynamic simulations, where results were ranked by scoring function of the docking tool. The result indicates that M4753 （a compound derived from TCMD） has not only the lowest bonding energy but also the best match in geometric conformation with the forthcoming NNRTIs. Accordingly M4753 might possibly become a promising lead compound of NNRTIs for AIDS therapy.

The Eastern Cultural Signature of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Empirical Evidence and Theoretical Perspectives

Background: Holistic thinking, which is rooted in Eastern culture, is assumed to be the core of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Recently, such holistic thinking has been proposed to be applicable to Western medicine practices for alleviating serious side effects;however, the obscure and often ill-defined terms of TCM, such as qi, yin yang, and wuxing, pose considerable obstacles for further understanding TCM. In the present study, we explored whether and how TCM is actually related to the scientific construct of holistic thinking, to elucidate the particular cultural signature of TCM. Methods: A random sample of 101 college students majoring in TCM and 93 non-medical college students was recruited for the study. Two psychological scales—the Chinese Holistic Thinking Scale and the TCM Competence Scale were used respectively to measure the holistic thinking and participants’ ability to apply the TCM in practice. Results: We found that individuals who thought more holistically were better at applying TCM to modern medical problems. Interestingly, TCM was associated with holistic thinking in both TCM and non-medical students, suggesting that this association is intrinsic. Further exploration revealed that the association and variability facets of Eastern holistic thinking—which emphasize that the world is interconnected and ever-changing, respectively—significantly accounted for the individual differences in competence in utilizing TCM in practice. Conclusion: In short, our study provides the first empirical evidence linking TCM to the Eastern holistic thinking style, which not only deepens the understanding of TCM from a scientific perspective but also promotes dialogue between TCM and Western medicine for building safer and more effective health care systems.

Machine learning models for stroke detection by observing the eye-movement features under five-color visual stimuli in traditional Chinese medicine

Objective:To develop a novel diagnostic modality to identify and diagnose stroke in daily life scenarios for improving the therapeutic effects and prognoses of patients.Methods:In this study,16 stroke patients and 24 age-matched healthy participants as controls were recruited for comparative analysis.Leveraging a portable eye-tracking device and integrating traditional Chinese medicine theory with modern color psychology principles,we recorded the eye movement signals and calculated eye movement features.Meanwhile,the stroke recognition models based on eye movement features were further trained by using random forest(RF),k-nearest neighbors(KNN),decision tree(DT),gradient boosting classifier(GBC),XGBoost,and CatBoost.Results:The stroke group and the healthy group showed significant differences in some eye movement features(P<.05).The models trained based on eye movement characteristics had good performances in recognizing stroke individuals,with accuracies ranging from 77.40%to 88.45%.Under the red stimulus,the eye movement model trained by RF became the best machine learning model with a recall of 84.65%,a precision of 86.48%,a F1 score of 85.47%.Among the six algorithms,RF and CatBoost performed better in classification.Conclusion:This study pioneers the application of traditional Chinese medicine's five-color stimuli to visual observation tasks.On the basis of the combined design,the eye-movement models can accurately identify stroke,and the developed high-performance models may be used in daily life scenarios.

Changes of mitochondrial dynamics during the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a review

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is a chronic liver disease closely related to metabolic disorders that pose a serious threat to human health.Currently,no specific drugs are available for treating the aetiology of NAFLD in clinical practice.Mitochondria have various biological functions inside the cell.Studies have found that mitochondrial fission and fusion are closely related to NAFLD.Therefore,identifying therapeutic targets for NAFLD through mitochondrial fission and fusion is crucial.Particularly in the field of traditional Chinese medicine,good therapeutic effects have been achieved in the treatment of NAFLD by protecting mitochondrial fusion and fission.Therefore,this article reviews the relationship between mitochondrial dynamics and NAFLD as well as the treatment of NAFLD through the regulation of mitochondrial fission and fusion with traditional Chinese medicine to provide a reference for the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine in regulating mitochondrial fission and fusion functions to treat NAFLD.

Applications of dynamical complexity theory in traditional Chinese medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has been gradually accepted by the world. Despite its widespread use in clinical settings, a major challenge in TCM is to study it scientifically. This difficulty arises from the fact that TCM views human body as a complex dynamical system, and focuses on the balance of the human body, both internally and with its external environment. As a result, conventional tools that are based on reductionist approach arc not adequate. Methods that can quantify the dynamics of complex integrative systems may bring new insights and utilities about the clinical practice and evaluation of efficacy of TCM. The dynamical complexity theory recently proposed and its computational algorithm, Multiscale Entropy （MSE） analysis, are consistent with TCM concepts. This new system level analysis has been successfully applied to many health and disease related topics in medicine. We believe that there could be many promising applications of this dynamical complexity concept in TCM. In this article, we propose some promising applications and research areas that TCM practitioners and researchers can pursue.

Cultural interpretation on Xiang thinking of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Though the analysis on the characteristics of Xiang thinking and the cultural background of its formation, it is believed that Xiang thinking is not only an art of logic and thinking with the natural holistic view but also represents the most important cognitive patterns concerning knowledge system of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and even it is the soul of Traditional Chinese Medicine culture. Therefore, a new viewpoint has been proposed that it is necessary to adhere to Xiang thinking with the study of Xiang as a core procedure and to seek for breakthrough for academic innovation in the cognitive process of Xiang with efforts.

Thinking on Treatment of Post-reperfusion Events in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease by Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine

In the 1970＇s, promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis （PCRS） was the main method in integrative traditional Chinese and Western medicine （ICWM） in treating acute myocardial infarction （AMI）. It decreased the case fatality rate of AMI from 30% to 13%-16% as compared with that treated by simple Western internal medical conservative treatment. Later in the 1980＇s, such therapeutic approaches as infarction related arterial revascularization, thrombolysis and percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI） became the most effective means in treating AMI, which could re-canalize the obstructed coronary vessels, recover the blood perfusion of myocardium, and thus to save the ischemic myocardium, diminute the infarcted size, preserve the ventricular function and improve the patient＇s near and long-term prognosis, with the fatality rate reduced by 5%-7%. Hence, the some-time superiority of ICWM in treating AMI was overshadowed with no more luster left.

Traditional Chinese medicine： potential approaches from modern dynamical complexity theories

Despite the widespread use of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in clinical settings, proving its effectiveness via scientific trials is still a challenge. TCM views the human body as a complex dynamical system, and focuses on the balance of the human body, both internally and with its external environment. Such fundamental concepts require investigations using system-level quantification approaches, which are beyond conventional reductionism. Only methods that quantify dynamical complexity can bring new insights into the evaluation of TCM. In a previous article, we briefly introduced the potential value of Multiscale Entropy （MSE） analysis in TCM. This article aims to explain the existing challenges in TCM quantification, to introduce the consistency of dynamical complexity theories and TCM theories, and to inspire future system-level research on health and disease.

Strategy for market expansion:medical services of Traditional Chinese Medicine

OBJECTIVE:To explore a possible strategy of market expansion for Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) medical services.METHODS:Based on literature study and the data collected through a survey with a specifically-designed questionnaire,a strategy was suggested for TCM medical services entities.RESULTS:The outcome of the survey showed that 87.50% of respondents held that TCM belonged to complementary and alternative medicine or traditional medicine.CONCULSION:TCM medical services entities should be considered as market stopgap in healthcare market and a strategy of market expansion for TCM medical services should be built for them accordingly.

中医经典实践技能实训教学模式探索

中医经典著作是中医学思想精华的集中呈现和整体学术发展的基石。在教学实践中针对首都医科大学中医学专业本科生经典教学过程中存在的问题,开设了中医经典实践技能实训创新课程,通过构建虚拟仿真平台、运用PBL教学、模拟标准患者诊疗等,线上线下多种教学方法并举开展教学,旨在培养学生中医思维,提高学生临床辨证综合能力、拓展临床思路。

中医思维培养在针灸对外教育中的重要性

文章讨论了针灸对外教育中面临的主要问题,涉及教材的选定、课程的设置、对外教育师资的建设、临床实习的安排等方面,强调了中医思维培养与这些问题之间的相关性,并且指出了中医思维培养是较高层次的要求,也是保障针灸对外教育质量的根本。要想解决上述问题,就要真正从根本上重视培养海外学生的中医思维能力这一教学目标,而也只有以此为长远目标,才能提高其针灸临床诊疗水平,推动针灸对外教育的发展,提高国内院校和相关机构的教学口碑。

中医临床思维决策虚拟仿真实训平台的构建及应用

目的构建并应用中医临床思维决策虚拟仿真实训平台,探讨临床真实典型案例式虚拟仿真在线训练对学生中医临床思辨能力的影响,为中医数字化教育提供新途径。方法运用自主构建的中医临床思维决策虚拟仿真实训平台,引导学生自主训练,并进行过程性评价和终结性评价。结果经过不同临床案例和反复多次有效的模拟训练,能够在一定程度上规范学生的问诊思路,学生平均练习成绩为(57.79±5.19)分、平均考试成绩为(69.70±7.40)分,各模块考试成绩较平时练习成绩均有提升。结论基于中医临床思维决策虚拟仿真实训平台的模拟训练可以明显提高学生对常见病、多发病的中医辨证思辨能力、培养其中医临床决策能力,有助于中医人才的岗位胜任力的提升。

基于培养学生中医思维目标的经典课程教学方法探讨

中医思维体现和影响着中医人的素质和修养,是成就高水平中医师的一个不可或缺的重要因素。在“健康中国”国家战略方针的指导之下,随着“新医科”的建设与实施,中医思维成为新时代中医学人才必备的关键能力。因此,如何培养和构建中医学生的中医思维能力成为中医药高等教育质量内涵建设的重要课题之一。基于此,文章将从渗透传统文化、“点破”思维方法、重视思维训练三个方面略谈在经典课程教学中的一些粗浅体会,以供同道参考。

在综合医院中医规培中加强中医经典教学的探索

中医住院医师规范化培训(以下简称“规培”)是中国住院知师培训的重要组成部分,同时也是医教协同深化中医学人才培养改革的关键环节,更是加强中医临床人才队伍建设的有效途径和加快构建具有中国特色医学人才培养体系的重要举措。中医经典理论是中医学术的灵魂,是数千年来中医实践的经验结晶,是培养中医临床思维,提升中医临床技能的重要途径。此文分析综合医院中医规培教学中经典教学的不足,提出相应对策,探讨加强中医规培经典教学、培养学员中医临床思维的方法。

文化融合与多重思维并行下的中医教学探索

思维方式是教育学中的重要概念。中医教学中的思维引导是实现教学目标的重要载体。随着中医全球化的发展,教学多语种的增加,中医教学逐渐成为世界多种文化碰撞与融合的过程。不同的思维方式产生不同的教学效果。以主观意识为主导的主体内向性思维是中式思维的特征;以形式逻辑为主导的思维方式是西方思维的主要特征。在中医教学过程中,中西方思维模式分别具备各自的优势和不足。基于中医药全球化的多重文化背景的中医教学,其未来发展应站在面向全球的高度。多重思维在中医教学中的建立,是中医教学自我提升、逐渐完善的重要探索,也是中医教育迈向全球化的重要组成部分,并成为不同文化背景思维方式的交流媒介。中西方不同文化背景下的思维方式在中医学中的交汇融合,促进中医教学的提升与完善,为中医教育领航世界提供新的发展路径。

人工智能工具促进分子生物学与中药专业有效融合的探索

分子生物学已成为中医药研究的重要方法,它与中药研究的有机结合是推动中药事业创新发展的关键。如何帮助学生更好地掌握分子生物学知识和技能,并与中药学科进行更有效的融合,文章提出可借助人工智能工具,辅助中药专业学生深入学习分子生物学知识。

基于互联网+的护理实习生中医临床思维训练

目的探讨基于“互联网+”,在护理实习生中医临床思维训练中应用“护理助手”平台的效果。方法将2021年10月—2022年5月在福州某三级甲等中医院实习的130名本、专科护理实习生按在读学历分为专科组、本科组,各组再应用随机数字表法分为研究组、对照组。研究组基于互联网+,应用护理助手平台+传统案例教学进行中医护理临床思维培训。对照组仅采用传统案例教学法开展中医护理临床思维培训。结果培训6个月和8个月后,研究组临床思维能力评分高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。培训3个月、6个月、8个月后,研究组考核成绩均明显高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论基于互联网+,应用护理助手平台对护理实习生进行中医临床思维训练,可有效提高其中医临床思维能力及考核成绩。

基于中医思维体现中医特色的核医学教学方法探索

核医学是研究核技术在医学中应用的学科,即利用放射性核素发射的核射线对疾病进行诊断、治疗和研究的学科,应用范围涉及医学的各个学科和专业,是现代医学的重要组成部分。国内中医高等院校开展系统、完整的核医学教学的单位为数不多,如何利用分子功能影像、放射性同位素示踪等技术研究中医基础理论、中医药临床疗效评价、中医学术思想影像学循证等,实现传统医学与核医学为代表的现代医学的融合教育,让广大中医学子更好地学习核医学的技术和方法,是目前广大中医院校亟需解决的问题。此团队探索基于中医思维、体现中医特色的核医学教学方法改革,在教学实践过程中取得了良好的效果。