The Channel Branches & Network Vessels on the Tianhui Lacquered Meridian Figurine——Taking the Heart-Regulated Channel as an Example

Along with the surge of unearthed medical literature and cultural relics in recent years,a network of channels in the system of medical conduit vessels(meridians) during the early Western Han dynasty has become much clearer gradually.In it,the increasing number of channel branches,network vessels and needle insertion holes(acupoints) is an important feature of the development of channel medicine during the Western Han dynasty.This is not only a reflection of the expanding requirements of the theoretical system of the main trunk channels and other vessels,but also an inevitable result of the continuous enrichment and accumulation of clinical experience.This article integrates the information about channel branches,network vessels,inscriptions,dots and further relics on the Tianhui(天回) Lacquered Meridian Figurine to compare the unearthed literature of the channel genre with the transmitted classical literature about acupuncture.The “Heart-Regulated Channel” in Medical Manuscripts on Bamboo Slips from Tianhui(《天回医简》) serves as an example to explain the occurrence,development and changes of the channel branches and network vessels in the early system of medical channels.

Progress of International Meridian Circle Program

In 2024,the Chinese Meridian Project(CMP)completed its construction,deploying 282 instruments across 31 stations.This achievement not only provides a robust foundation but also serves as a reference template for the International Meridian Circle Program(IMCP).The IMCP aims to integrate and establish a comprehensive network of ground-based monitoring stations designed to track the propagation of space weather events from the Sun to Earth.Additionally,it monitors various disturbances generated within the Earth system that impact geospace.Over the past two years,significant progress has been made on the IMCP.In particular,the second phase of construction for the China-Brazil Joint Laboratory for Space Weather has been completed,and the North Pole and Southeast Asia networks are under active construction.The 2024 IMCP joint observation campaign was successfully conducted.To facilitate these developments,the scientific program committee of IMCP was established,following the success of 2023 IMCP workshop and the space weather school,which was co-hosted with the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization(APSCO)and sponsored by Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS)and Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics(SCOSTEP).Preparations are now underway for the 2024 workshop in collaboration with the National Institute for Space Research(INPE)in Brazil.

Construction and Research Progress of the Chinese Meridian Project in 2022–2023

The Chinese Meridian Project(CMP)is a major national science and technology infrastructure constructed in two steps.The first phase of the CMP has been operating for more than a solar cycle.From 2022 to 2023,utilizing the monitoring data collected by the CMP,scientists made major breakthroughs in fields of ionosphere,middle and upper atmosphere,and coupling between layers.The construction of the second phase of the CMP is nearly finished,and the project is expected to operate as a whole in 2025 after national acceptance of the second phase.The whole project was built in an architecture of so-called“One Chain,Three Networks and Four Focuses”.It is promising to make a three-dimensional observation of the whole solar-terrestrial space.The science community is looking forward to the great contribution of the CMP to space weather and space physics research.

Scientific exploration and hypotheses concerning the meridian system in traditional Chinese medicine

The meridian theory is an important component of traditional Chinese medicine,playing a crucial role in disease diagnosis,treatment,and health preservation.Serving as the media for the effects of acupuncture,moxibustion,herbal medicine,and acupressure massage,meridians exert undeniable impact on the human body.However,the essence of meridians remains a topic of debate.Recent research has primarily focused on their anatomical structures,leading to numerous hypotheses.Simultaneously,other researchers have approached this subject from an energetic perspective,discovering information interactions within the meridian system.These findings suggest that meridians possess both physical and information dimensions,indicating that a singular approach to their study is insufficient.To bridge this gap,a shift from purely structural research toward an exploration of the information aspects of meridians is necessary.By integrating this information approach with traditional meridian theory,it may be possible to develop a new,modernized meridian theory that is aligned with contemporary concepts,making it more accessible and applicable in clinical settings.

Based on the Advantages of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Therapy, the Multiple Exploration of the Correlation between the Meridians and the Circulatory System of the Nervous System

The meridians,nervous system,and circulatory system are important components of tra‐ditional Chinese medicine and modern medicine.The meridians have a high degree of consistency with the distribution of the nervous and circulatory systems in modern medi‐cine,and are closely related in the process of disease treatment.Therefore,people often confuse the three.Based on the great advantages of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of nervous system and circulatory system diseases,the author has made diver‐sified exploration on its relevance in terms of origin,physiological anatomy,physiological function and clinical application.It is believed that meridians have their relative indepen‐dence,and the nervous and circulatory systems cannot completely replace meridians.However,meridians are closely related to the nervous and circulatory systems,and in clinical practice,meridians can be combined with the nervous and circulatory systems to guide the treatment of diseases.

Effect of electroacupuncture at pericardium meridian on D‑ser and NMDAR in acute phase of MCAO rats

Objective :To observe the effect of electroacupuncture at pericardium meridian on neurological deficit, D-serine ( D-Ser ) content and NMDAR expression in ischemic brain tissue of rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion ( MCAO ). Methods:A total of 36 SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, sham operation group, model group, EA pericardium meridian group, model+D-Ser group,and EA pericardium meridian+D-Ser group. The MCAO model was prepared by Zea Longa method. The model+D-Ser group and the EA pericardium meridian+D-Ser group were given exogenous D-Ser reagent(160 mg/kg i.p.) 30 minutes after the success of the insertion of the suture. EA pericardium meridian group and EA pericardium meridian+D-Ser group were treated with electroacupuncture for 30 min on the next day. The remaining groups were only bound for 30 min.Behavioral evaluation was performed at 6 h after successful modeling and 2 d after intervention, and then the rats were sacrificed. The content of D-Ser in ischemic brain tissue was measured by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, and the protein expression of NR1, NR2A and NR2B was detected by Western Blot. Results : Before treatment, compared with the normal group and the sham operation group, the behavioral scores of each group increased after modeling (P<0.05 );Compared with the model group, the behavioral scores of the model+D-Ser group and the EA pericardium meridian+D-Ser group were increased (P<0.05).After treatment, compared with the model group, there was no significant difference in the EA pericardium meridian group (P>0.05),The behavioral scores of the model+D-Ser group and the EA pericardium meridian+D-Ser group were still increased (P<0.05);Compared with the model+D-Ser group, the behavioral score of the EA pericardium meridian+D-Ser group was not statistically significant (P>0.05).Comparison before and after treatment in the group,except for the normal group and the sham operation group, the behavioral scores of each group were slightly increased, and the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05).Compared with the model group, the content of D-Ser and the protein expression of NR1, NR2A and NR2B in the brain tissue of the model+D-Ser group were significantly increased (P<0.05);The protein expression of NR1, NR2A and NR2B decreased in EA pericardium meridian group (P<0.05);Compared with the model+ D-Ser group, the D-Ser content and the protein expression of NR1, NR2A and NR2B in the EA pericardium meridian+D-Ser group were decreased (P<0.05). Conclusion : EA at pericardium meridian points can reduce the D-Ser content in brain tissue of rats with acute MCAO, regulate the decrease of NR1, NR2A and NR2B protein expression, inhibit the NMDA receptor activity, and play a neuroprotective role.

Clinical Observation on Treating Primary Blepharospasm with Acupuncture at Yinqiao and Yangqiao Meridians as Main Treatment Method

[Objectives]To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture on blepharospasm.[Methods]72 patients were randomly divided into treatment group and control group with 36 cases in each group.In the treatment group,Shenmai,Zhaohai,Fengchi,Taichong,Fuyang,Jiaoxin and Jingming were selected as the main acupoints,while in the control group,routine acupoints were selected.With 4 weeks as a course of treatment,the two groups were compared after a course of treatment.The clinical effect of primary blepharospasm,blepharospasm intensity and scores of Hamilton Depression Scale were compared between the two groups before and after treatment.[Results]After treatment,the clinical efficacy of the two groups were significantly improved compared with that before treatment,the effective rate of the control group was 75.00%,the effective rate of the treatment group was 88.89%,indicating that the effective rate of control group was lower than that of the treatment group(P<0.05);after treatment,the degree of blepharospasm in both groups was significantly lower than that before treatment(P<0.05),and the treatment group had better effect in improving primary blepharospasm;the score of Hamilton depression scale in control group was lower than that in observation group(P<0.05).[Conclusions]The clinical curative effect of acupuncture at Yinqiao and Yangqiao meridians was better than that of conventional acupoints selected in relieving mild and moderate blepharospasm;it could definitely reduce the intensity of blepharospasm and relieve anxiety and depression of patients,so it is worthy of clinical promotion.

Alpha稳态噪声下基于Meridian范数的全变分图像去噪算法

在实际应用中,噪声不可避免,因此,图像去噪一直是图像处理领域研究的重点,并且近年来受到越来越多的研究者的青睐。该文首先基于Meridian分布和全变分(Total Variational,TV)的统计特性,提出一种全变分模型来复原alpha稳态噪声环境下的含噪声图像。此外,为了保证模型解的唯一性,对提出的全变分模型添加了一个二次惩罚项,得到一个严格凸的全变分模型,然后,使用原始-对偶算法对提出的全变分模型进行求解,并证明了该算法的收敛性。最后,进行了仿真实验,并对实验结果进行了分析,实验结果验证了提出模型的可行性与有效性。

银翘的本草考证

银翘是金银花和连翘的合称。两者都是清热解毒药物,相须为用起到协同作用,提高疗效。作者通过对历代古籍及权威药学专著的收集、整理、比较、分析,分别对连翘和金银花的名称、性味归经、功效主治以及用药部位进行考证,结果发现历代本草著作对连翘、金银花记载不尽相同。连翘早期名为异翘,性味由“苦、平”转为“味苦性寒或微寒”,用药部位由根部发展为全叶,具有消肿排脓、清热解毒、疏散风热的功效。忍冬为金银花早期用名,只采用茎叶作为用药部位到茎、叶、花均可入药,属“寒”性药物,具有清热解毒之功效。考证结果可为今后成方制剂开发及临床应用提供重要参考。

RELATIONSHIP OF ACUPOINTS AND MERIDIANS TO CONNEXIN 43

Objective To explore the relationship between connexin 43 and acupoints and meridians. Methods we detected one major skin gap junction connexin （connexin43, Cx43） in meridians and acupoints, and studied the expression of Cx43 in Zusanli （足三里 ST 36） acupoints compared with control non-acupoint regions in rats after acupuncture treatments. The expression of Cx43 was detected by using immunohisto- chemistry, immunoblotting, and RT-PCR for Cx43 protein and mRNA level. Results The results showed much more abundant Cx43 expression in some cells in the skin and subcutaneous tissue of rat at ST 36 acupoints and bladder and kidney meridians than that of in the controls. The mRNA and protein levels of Cx43 in acupoints were significantly higher than those of in the control points in non-acupuncture groups and even more so after acupuncture treatments. Conclusion Our research implied that connexins and gap junctions could have a close relationship to acupoints and meridians, and gap junctional intercellular communication might play an important role in the effect of acupuncture.

ACUPOINT-LIKE STRUCTURE AND MERIDIAN-LIKE DISTRIBUTION ON THE BODY SURFACE OF PLATYFISH

Objective To probe into whether an acupoint-like and meridian-like structure was existed in platyfish. Methods Adult platyfish was put in 30 μM 4-Di-2-ASP water solution for 3 h, then, in pipe water for 20min, afterward, the fish was anesthetized in 10% aether water solution, and the fluorescent labeling was observed under fluorescent microscope with B-3A combination filter. Results The labels observed under the microscope were in round bright dot, a majority of dots were distributed separately and a part of them was in cluster （2- 5 dots/cluster） on various parts of the body in regular arrangement. The labels on the head were circularly distributed around the eye and two arches were formed posterior to the eye and in the inferior 3/4 quadrant. These two arches joined one arch in the anterior superior 1/4 quadrant. On the fish trunk, it was observed that the labels were distributed from the back to the abdomen along the longitudinal axis of the trunk, forming 6 lines, located on No. 2, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 scale rows successively on the dorsal part of fish. Each line was composed of 7 to 22 label clusters and 1 -5 labels were counted in each cluster. The labels were arranged as 3-4 lines on the tail. Conclusion 1） Acupoint-like and meridian-like structure was existed in platyfish. 2）The skin sensory organs of animal were not distributed evenly all over the body. Instead, a number of sensory organs were put together in cluster and a number of them were in linear distribution regularly along the long axis of the trunk, which was similar to the distribution of traditional meridians and acupoints.

任脉名称刍议

历代医家关于任脉名称的解释大致可分为三类:“任”通“妊”,意为妊娠,表明任脉与妇女妊娠关系密切;“任”通“衽”,表明任脉脉行腹中;“任”意为“任维、任养”,表明任脉可任维诸脉。“任”通“妊”,意为妊娠,此说法的不足是经络通常被认为是一种不分性别的生理性存在,而此假说只强调了任脉对于女性的重要性,从《黄帝内经》原文可以看出,任脉应男女均有,不独存于女性,故此种说法在任脉的起点和任脉对于男子的作用等方面存疑。“任”通“衽”,意为“衣服前襟”,表任脉脉行腹中,此说法缺乏古文字学方面的依据。从古文字学角度,“任”确有担任,任养之意。任脉有“血气盛则充肤热肉,血独盛者澹渗皮肤”的功能,也可体现了其为“经络海”,有任维诸脉,进而任养肌肉、皮肤,生胡须的重要作用。任脉冲脉为气血运行的通道,并非独见于女性,而是因为其与女性月经关系密切,故《素问·上古天真论》在论述女子生理功能时独重冲任。故任脉之任的初始含义应为“任维,任养”之意,表明任脉为“经络海”,可统任、濡养诸经脉,进而任养胎儿、肌肉皮肤等。

Electroacupuncture improves myocardial fibrosis in heart failure rats by attenuating ECM collagen deposition through modulation of TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway

Background: To explore the effects of electroacupuncture on cardiac function and myocardial fibrosis in rat models of heart failure, and to elucidate the underlying mechanism of electroacupuncture in heart failure treatment. Methods: Healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated into three groups: Sham group, Model group, and electroacupuncture (Model + EA) group, with each group comprising 8 rats. The model underwent a procedure involving the ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery to induce a model of heart failure. The Model + EA group was used for 7 consecutive days for electroacupuncture of bilateral Shenmen (HT7) and Tongli (HT5), once a day for 30 min each time. Left ventricular parameters in rats were assessed using a small-animal ultrasound machine to analyze changes in left ventricular end-diastolic volume, left ventricular end-systolic volume, left ventricular ejection fraction, and left ventricular fractional shortening. Serum interleukin-1β (IL-1β), cardiac troponin (cTn), and N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide precursor levels were measured using ELISA. Histopathological changes in rat myocardium were observed through HE staining, while collagen deposition in rat myocardial tissue was assessed using the Masson staining method. Picro sirius red staining, immunohistochemical staining, and RT-qPCR were utilized to distinguish between the various types of collagen deposition. The expression level of TGF-β1 and SMAD2/3/4/7 mRNA in rat myocardial tissues was determined using RT-qPCR. Additionally, western blot analysis was conducted to assess the protein expression levels of TGF-β1, SMAD3/7, and p-SMAD3 in rat myocardial tissues. Results: Compared with the Sham group, the left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular fractional shortening values of the Model group were significantly decreased (P < 0.01);the left ventricular end-diastolic volume and left ventricular end-systolic volume values were remarkably increased (P < 0.01);serum N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide precursor content was increased (P < 0.01);serum IL-1β and cTn levels were increased (P < 0.01);myocardial collagen volume fraction were increased (P < 0.01);and those of the expression of TGF-β1 and SMAD2/3/4 mRNA was increased (P < 0.01);the expression of SMAD7 mRNA was decreased (P < 0.01);the protein expression levels of TGF-β1, SMAD3, and p-Smad3 were increased (P < 0.01);the protein expression level of SMAD7 was decreased (P < 0.01) in the Model group. Compared to the Model group, the expression levels of the proteins TGF-β1, SMAD3, and p-Smad3 in myocardial tissue were found to be decreased (P < 0.01), and the expression level of the protein SMAD7 was found to be increased (P < 0.01) in the Model + EA group;the collagen volume fraction and deposition of type Ⅰ /Ⅲ collagen were decreased (P < 0.01) in the Model + EA group. Conclusion: Electroacupuncture alleviates myocardial fibrosis in rats with heart failure, and this effect is likely due to attributed to the modulation of the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway, which helps reduce collagen deposition in the extracellular matrix.

MERIDIAN图像分析系统的特点及在遥感图像产品制作中的应用

ＭＥＲＩＤＩＡＮＩＡＳ是加拿大ＭＤＡ公司开发的一套基子ＶＡＸ／ＶＭＳ环境下的图像分析系统。对该系统的硬件环境、一般特点、特殊的几个作业及系统在遥感图像产品制作中的应用作了介绍。

任、督、冲脉“一源三歧”“异名同体”探析

任、督、冲脉理论为奇经八脉理论的重要内容。王冰提出任、督、冲脉“一源三歧”“异名同体”学说,体现三脉之间的密切联系。以《黄帝内经》《难经》《脉经》《针灸甲乙经》为基础,分析以上两种认识。认为“一源三歧”为任、督、冲脉同起于小腹深处肾下胞中,三脉浅出体表位置不同,受《针灸甲乙经》影响,针灸学教材认为三脉同出于会阴。《黄帝内经》认为任脉上循脊里、督脉少腹直上,故王冰认为任脉、督脉命名实为区别腹背阴阳,但冲脉与任脉、督脉循行并未重合。任、督、冲脉“异名同体”包含任、督脉的循行重合与冲、督脉生理病理密切联系两层含义。

Effect of acupuncture at Foot-Yangming Meridian on gastric mucosal blood flow, gastric motiiity and brain-gut peptide

AIM： To observe the effect of acupuncture at Foot- Yangming Meridian on gastric mucosal blood flow （GMBF）, gastric motility and brain-gut peptide. METHODS： Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups： normal control group, model group （group with gastric mucosal damage, GMD）, Sibai group （with acupuncture at Sibai point ＋ GMD）, Tianshu group （with acupuncture at Tianshu point ＋ GMD）, Zusanli group （with acupuncture at Zusanli point ＋ GMD） and non-acupoint group （with acupuncture at non-acupoint ＋ GMD）. The GMD model group was induced by infusing pure alcohol into gastric cavity. H2 Gas Clearance Test （HGCT） was used to measure GMBF, the frequency and amplitude of gastric motility were measured by the method of aerocyst, the content of brain-gut peptide in sinus ventriculi and bulbus medullae were detected by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS： Inhibitory effect of the frequency and amplitude of gastric motility were shown in model group, and the rates of frequency and amplitude changes were remarkably different from the normal control group （-19.41 ± 17.21 vs-4.71 ± 10.32, P 〈 0.05; -51.61 ± 29.02 vs 1.81 ± 14.12, P 〈 0.01）. In comparison with control group, the GMBF was 0.52 ± 0.161 mL vs 1.03 ± 0.255 mL per 100g tissue/min, P 〈 0.01, the content of motilin in sinus ventriculi and bulbus medullae was 63.04 ± 7.77 pg/mL vs 72.91 ± 8.42 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05 and 50.96 ± 8.77 pg/mL vs 60.76 ± 8.05 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05, but the content of somatostatin in sinus ventriculi and bulbus medullae was 179.85 ± 43.13 ng/g vs 90.54 ± 40.42 ng/g, P 〈 0.01 and 532.86 ± 122.58 ng/g vs 370.91 ± 76.29 ng/g, P 〈 0.05,respectively. In comparison with model group, the amplitude of gastric motility was 1.52 ± 20.13, -6.52 ± 23.31, 6.92 ± 25.21 vs -51.61 ± 29.02, P 〈 0.01 and GMBF was 0.694 ± 0.160 mL vs 0.893 ± 0.210 mL, 1.038 ± 0.301 mL vs 0.52 ± 0.161 mL per 100g tissue/rain, P 〈 0.01, respectively in Tianshu, Sibai and Zusanli groups, the content of motilin in sinus ventriculi and bulbus medullae was 71.64 ± 9.35 pg/mL vs 63.04 ± 7.77 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05; 58.96 ± 6.69 pg/mL vs 50.96 ± 8.77 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05 in Zusanli group and 72.84 ± 8.62 pg/mL vs 63.04 ± 7.77 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05 in Sibai group, while the content of somatostatin in bulbus medullae in Tianshu, Sibai and Zusanli groups was 480.62 ± 151.69 ng/g, 388.53 ± 155.04 ng/g, 365.76 ± 143.93 ng/g vs 532.86 ± 122.58 ng/g, P 〈 0.05, respectively. CONCLUSION： Electro-acupuncture at acupoints of Foot-Yangming Meridian could enhance the gastric motility, improve GMBF, and regulate the content of motUin and somatostatin in sinus ventriculi and bulbus. The effects of acupuncture on GMBF and gastric motility may be related to the content of brain-gut peptide.

Effect of electro-acupuncture at Foot-Yangming Meridian on somatostatin and expression of somatostatin receptor genes in rabbits with gastric ulcer

AIM： To discuss the protective effect of electroacupuncture at the Foot-Yangming Meridian on gastric mucosal lesion, somatostatin （SS） and the expression of SS receptor genes （SSR1mRNA） in rabbits with gastric ulcer and to further explore the relative specificity of meridians and viscera at gene expression level. METHODS： Forty rabbits were randomly divided into control group （A）, gastric ulcer model group （B）, FootYangming Meridian group （C）, Foot-Shaoyang Meridian group （D） and Foot-Taiyang Meridian group （E）. The gastric ulcer model was prepared by infusing alcohol into stomach. Groups C-E were treated with electroacupuncture at points along the above meridians using meridian stimulating instruments for 7 days respectively. By the end of treatment, the index of gastric ulcer was determined, the amount of epidermal growth factor（EGF） and somatostatin was measured by radioimmunoassay （PJA）. SS-R1mRNA expression in gastric mucosa was determined by RT-PCR. RESULTS： The value of EGF in model group was obviously lower（73.6±14.8 vs 91.3±14.9 pg/mL, P〈 0.01） than that in control group. The index of gastric ulcer, content of SS and expression of SSRtmRNA in gastric mucosa were significantly higher than those in control group （24.88 ± 6.29 vs 8.50 ± 2.98 scores, P〈 0.01; 2978.6 ± 587.6 vs 1852.4 ± 361.7 mIU/mL, P〈 0.01; 2.56±0.25 vs 1.04±0.36, P〈0.01） . The value of EGF in Foot-Yangming Meridian group was higher than that in model group（92.2±6.7 vs 73.6±14.8 pg/mL, P〈 0.01）. The index of gastric ulcer, content of SS and expression of SS-R1mRNA in gastric mucosa were significantlylower than those in control group（10.88±3.23 vs 24.88±6.29 scores, P〈0.01; 1800.2±488 vs 2978.6±587.6 mIU/mL, P 〈 0.01; 1.07±0.08 vs 2.56±0.25mIU/mL, P〈0.01）. Compared to the model group, the content of SS and expression of SSRlmRNA in gastric mucosa in Foot-Shaoyang Meridian group decreased （2441.0±488. vs 2978.6± 587.6 mIU/mL, P〈 0.05; 1.73±0.16 vs 2.56±0.25 mIU/mL, P〈0.01）. But the above parameters in Foot-Taiyang Meridian group did not improve and were significantly different from those in Footoyangming Meridian group （P〈0.05） CONCLUSION： Electro-acupuncture at Foot-Yangming Meridian can protect gastric mocusa against injury. The mechanism may be releted to the regulation of brain-gut peptides and the expression of SSRtmRNA.

Enhanced expression of epidermal growth factor receptor gene in gastric mucosal cells by the serum derived from rats treated with electroacupuncture at stomach meridian acupoints

AIM: To investigate the effect of serum derived from rats treated with electroacupuncture at stomach meridian acupoints on the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene in gastric mucosal cells. METHODS: The stress-induced gastric mucosal injury in rat model was established by water-immersion and restrained stress methods. 52 rats were randomly divided into: normal group (n = 8), model group (n = 8), model serum group (n = 12), stomach serum group (n = 12), and gallbladder serum group (n = 12). The gastric mucosal cells were separated by pronase-EDTA digestion method and incubated with serum. The EGFR gene expression in gastric mucosal cells was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. RESULTS: Compared with normal group (0.6860 ± 0.0594), the serum derived from rats of the stomach group (1.2272 ± 0.0813, P = 0.00 < 0.01) and gallbladder group (0.9640 ± 0.0387, P = 0.00 < 0.01) had a tendency to enhance the EGFR gene expression in gastric mucosal cells. Such tendency existed in the model group (0.7104 ± 0.0457) but with no signifi cant difference (P = 0.495 > 0.05) and in model serum group (0.8516 ± 0.0409) with an extremely obvious difference (P = 0.001 < 0.01). Furthermore, the EGFR gene expression in stomach serum group was significantly higher than that in gallbladder serum group (P = 0.00 < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The present study shows that serumderived from rats treated with electroacupuncture at stomach meridian acupoints can distinctly increase the EGFR gene expression of gastric mucosal cells. Therefore, there is certain meridian specificity in the serum, which could provide a proof for the TCM theory “particular relation between meridian and internal organ”.

Effect of acupuncture at different meridian acupoints on changes of related factors for rabbit gastric mucosal injury

AIM： To explore the regularity of multi-meridians controlling a same viscus （MMCSV）. METHODS： The rabbit gastric ulcer model was established by ethanol intragastric instillation. Fifty-six rabbits were randomly divided into normal group, model group （MG）, model plus acupuncture at Foot Yangming Meridian group （YMG）, model plus acupuncture at Foot Taiyin Meridian group （TYG）, model plus acupuncture at Foot Shaoyang Meridian group （SYG）, model plus acupuncture at Foot Jueyin Meridian group （JYG）, model plus acupuncture at Foot Taiyang Meridian group （TYMG）, with eight rabbits in each group. Gastric mucosal nitric oxide （NO） and nitric oxide synthase （NOS） were assayed by the nitric acid reductase method, and prostaglandin E2 （PGE2） and epidermal growth factor （EGF） were measured by radioimmunoassay. The comprehensive effects were analyzed by weighing method. RESULTS： Compared to MG, SYG, JYG and TYMG, the rabbits gastric mucosal injury index （GMII） reduced very significantly in YMG （P〈0.01）. Compared to MG, the GMII also reduced significantly in TYG （P〈0.05）. NO, NOS, PGE2 and EGF increased very significantly in YMG （P〈0.01）. The EGF in YMG also increased significantly than that in TYG compared to those in MG, SYG, JYG and TYMG （P〈0.05）. The PGE2 and EGF also increased very significantly in TYG than those in MG, JYG and TYMG （P〈0.01）. While compared to SYG, the NOS increased significantly in TYG （P〈0.05）. NOS was the highest in YMG （P〈0.01）, and was higher in TYG than in MG （P〈0.01）. CONCLUSION： MMCSV is common. The Foot Yangming Meridian is most closely related to the stomach, followed by Foot Taiyin Meridian, Foot Shaoyang Meridian and Foot Jueyin Meridian. Foot Taiyang Meridian has no correlation with the stomach.

Introduction to Chinese Meridian Project-PhaseⅡ

The Chinese Meridian Project is a ground-based space environment monitoring network,which is constructed in two steps.The first step(Phase I)of the project consists of 15 observation stations located roughly along 120°E longitude and 30°N latitude.The second step(Phase II)of the project will additionally deploy 16 stations to better cover China’s territory,and build a stereo monitoring capability to monitor the cause and effect of the space weather chain in the solar terrestrial system.Based on the existing two monitoring chains in Phase I,two more chains will be established along 100°E longitude and 40°N latitude,respectively,forming a double-cross network configuration.After the two-step construction,the whole project will run nearly 300 instruments deployed at 31 stations.Aside from standard instruments,quite a few innovative and powerful instruments will be developed,such as radioheliographs with a very wide frequency band,a 3-station incoherent scattering radar to make a 3D measurement of the ionosphere,and a helium lidar to measure atmosphere density up to an altitude of 1000 km.