Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric validation of the Chinese version of career success in nursing scale (CSNS).

OBJECTIVE: To translate the career success in nursing scale (CSNS) into Chinese and evaluate its psychometric properties. BACKGROUND: A lower sense of career success seriously affects the enthusiasm of nurses and increases their turnover rate. Therefore, an accurate assessment of the career success level of nurses is necessary. However, China does not have a professional tool for assessing the career success of nurses. METHODS: The stratified sampling method was used to recruit participants from 22 hospitals of different grades in 5 cities in China. A total of 650 and 348 subjects were selected for item analysis and reliability and validity tests, respectively, of the translated initial scale. RESULTS: The Chinese version of the CSNS (C-CSNS) with 33 items had good psychometric properties. Cronbach's α was 0.960, split-half reliability was 0.893, and ICC within two weeks was 0.981. Exploratory factor analysis extracted 5 common factors that explained 63.73% of the total variance, and confirmatory factor analysis supported acceptable construct validity. CONCLUSION: The C-CSNS has adequate construct validity and excellent psychometric properties and can be used for accurate assessment of nurses' career success. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: A new tool that is more suitable for the Chinese hospital nursing context is available for evaluating Chinese clinical nurses' career success. Nursing managers can formulate appropriate management strategies according to the evaluation results to assist nurses in career development planning, thereby improving their career success level.

Pelvic floor dysfunction and its influencing factors during radiotherapy in cervical cancer survivors: A cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Radiotherapy can negatively affect the pelvic floor function of patients with cervical cancer; however, the impact of different radiotherapy times and other related factors on pelvic floor function in cervical cancer survivors during radiotherapy remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the status of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) in cervical cancer survivors during radiotherapy and to analyze the factors influencing PFD. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sampling method was used to recruit cervical cancer survivors undergoing radiotherapy from January 2022 to July 2022 at a tertiary first-class hospital located in northeastern China. The Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-Short Form 20 was used for participants' self-report of their PFD during radiotherapy. RESULTS: Data from 120 cervical cancer survivors were included in this study. The results showed that the mean PFDI-20 total score was 32.69 ± 7.76. Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis showed that 56.9% of the variance in PFD was explained by age (ß = 0.25, p < 0.001), body mass index (ß = 0.32, p < 0.001), recurrence (ß = 0.29, p < 0.001), number of radiotherapy sessions (ß = 0.39, p < 0.001), and number of deliveries (ß = 0.35, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: It is important to pay more attention to the PFD status of cervical cancer survivors receiving radiotherapy. Future therapeutic approaches should involve early identification of relevant risk factors early to provide patients with personalized care at different stages of radiotherapy for reducing their discomfort and improving their health-related quality of life.

[Analysis on the gastrointestinal motility disorder of gastroesophageal reflux disease and the mechanism of acupuncture-moxibustion from the perspective of autonomic nervous system].

From the perspective of autonomic nervous system, this paper analyzes the mechanism, current western medicine treatment methods and acupuncture-moxibustion treatment mechanism of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It is believed that the main cause of GERD is that the gastric acid goes to the wrong place due to gastrointestinal motility disorder, which belongs to "acid dislocation". At present, western medical treatment cannot effectively target the pathogenesis of the disease, and its effect is limited. Acupuncture-moxibustion could regulate the neuroendocrine immune network to regulate the function of autonomic nerve, restore the power of digestive tract to treat GERD, which is worthy of further research.

[Professor BAI Xing-hua's concept and experience in the diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease].

In view of the five major misunderstandings in the clinical understanding of gastroesophageal reflux disease in traditional Chinese medicine, that is, wrong main symptoms, wrong position of the disease, wrong character of the disease, treating acid with acid, and attaching importance to drugs and neglecting acupuncture-moxibustion in treatment, Professor BAI Xing-hua has proposed the corresponding solving strategies, which includes grasping the main disease, carefully examining the disease position, distinguishing the character of disease, and no acid suppression for acid regurgitation. In addition, Professor BAI highly values the external treatment of traditional Chinese medicine. In particular, the acupuncture therapy of "Tongdu Jiangni (promote the circulation of the governor vessel and reduce the reversed qi)" based on many years of clinical experience provides new ideas and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease in traditional Chinese medicine.

[Clinical observation on gastroesophageal reflux asthma treated with tongdu jiangni needling technique].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical effect on gastroesophageal reflux asthma between the tongdu jiangni needling technique of acupuncture (acupuncture for promoting the circulation of the governor vessel and reducing the reversed qi) and omeprazole enteric capsules (OME). METHODS: A total of 60 patients with gastroesophageal reflux asthma were randomized into an acupuncture group and a western medication group, 30 cases in each one. The basic treatment for anti-bronchial asthma was provided in both of the groups. Additionally, OME was prescribed for oral administration in the western medication group, twice a day, 20 mg each time, for 8 weeks. In the acupuncture group, the tongdu jiangni needling technique of acupuncture was added. The needles were inserted at the sites inferior to the spinous processes of T3 to T12. Acupuncture was given once in the morning on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday respectively, totally for 8 weeks. Separately, before and after treatment, the score of reflux disease diagnostic questionnaire (RDQ), the score of asthma control test (ACT) and the tenderness threshold at the sites inferior to the spinous processes of T3 to T12 were observed and the clinical effect was evaluated in the two groups. RESULTS: ①The remarkably effective and curative rate was 46.7% (14/30) in the acupuncture group, higher than 3.3% (1/30) in the western medication group (P<0.01). The asthma control rate was 66.7% (20/30) in the acupuncture group, higher than 13.3% (4/30) in the western medication group (P<0.01). ②RDQ score after treatment was lower than that before treatment in either group (P<0.05). The decrease range of RDQ score in the acupuncture group was larger than that of the western medication group (P<0.05). After treatment, ACT score was increased as compared with that before treatment in either group (P<0.05) and the increase range of ACT score in the acupuncture group was larger than that of the western medication group (P<0.05). ③The tenderness thresholds at the sites inferior to the spinous processes of T3 to T8 and T10 to T12 were all increased after treatment as compared with those before treatment in the acupuncture group separately (P<0.05). In the western medication group, the thresholds were only increased at the sites inferior to the spinous processes of T6, T7 and T9 after treatment as compared with those before treatment separately (P<0.05). After treatment, the tenderness thresholds at T6 to T8 in the acupuncture group were all higher than the western medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The tongdu jiangni needling technique of acupuncture effectively relieves the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux asthma and improves the quality of life in the patients and its effect is better than omeprazole enteric capsules.

Comparison between Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy and Three-Dimensional Conformal Radiotherapy for Their Effectiveness in Esophageal Cancer Treatment: A Retrospective Single Institution Study.

Although a large number of influential studies that have been conducted worldwide on locally advanced esophageal cancer (EC) have employed the treatment modality of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT), an advanced as well as highly conformal technology known as intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has attracted increasing attention from the radiotherapy research community. This is because of the clear advantages of IMRT, including decrease in radiation dose that reaches critical cardiopulmonary organs. These two treatment modalities need to be investigated with regard to their effect on local control rate and patient survival. In addition, related clinical factors also need to be explored. Data from a total of 431 patients with locally advanced EC, who underwent radiation therapy between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2013, were included in the present study. Two hundred and ninety-three patients received 3D-CRT, while 138 patients received IMRT. We constructed propensity score matches to make the two groups be comparable (136 patients in 3D-CRT group and 138 patients in IMRT group. Kaplan-Meier analysis was conducted to evaluate the endpoint of overall survival (OS). A Cox proportional hazards model was employed to analyze the relationship between the associated factors and the outcomes via univariate and multivariate approaches. The mean follow-up period was 36.2 months, and the median follow-up period was 23 months. For the IMRT group, the median OS was 31 months, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 70.3%, 50.0%, and 42.8%, respectively, while for the 3D-CRT group, the median OS was 22 months, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 63.2%, 41.0%, and 35.4%, respectively (p < 0.05). The univariate analysis revealed that quit drinking, chemotherapy, and concurrent chemotherapy were significant risk factors for the prognosis of EC (p < 0.05), as well as the radiation therapy technique used (p=0.052). The multivariate analysis indicated that chemotherapy and quit drinking were independent predictive factors for OS. OS is found to be significantly better in the IMRT group, compared with that of the 3D-CRT group. Even though these outcomes need further validation, IMRT should be considered preferentially as a therapeutic option for EC, in combination with chemotherapy and persuading patients to quit drinking.

[Acupoint selection rules in treating gastroesophageal reflux disease with acupuncture in China based on data mining].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the rules of acupoint selection in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease in China using data mining technology. METHODS: The published literature of treating gastroesophageal reflux disease with acupuncture was retrieved from electronic databases from January 1, 1983 to December 1, 2019, including SinoMed, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP database. Acupuncture prescription database was established, and the rules of acupoint selection were explored by statistical software SPSS 20.0 and SPSS Modeler 18.0. RESULTS: A total of 92 articles were included into this analysis, involving 92 acupuncture prescriptions, 76 acupoints. The total frequency of using these acupoints reached 549 times. Zhongwan (CV 12) was the most frequently used acupoint; the often selected meridians were conception vessel, stomach meridian, governor vessel, bladder meridian; the acupoints located at the abdomen, lower limbs and back were commonly selected; crossing points in the specific acupoints were commonly selected; the most frequently used group was Zusanli (ST 36)-Zhongwan (CV 12) and Neiguan (PC 6). CONCLUSION: Treating gastroesophageal reflux disease by acupuncture in China is dominated by shu-mu point combination, supplemented by mu-he point combination; yin meridians are emphasized as much as yang meridians; using specific acupoints is advocated, especially the crossing points.

Prevalence of perinatal depression among HIV-positive women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Increasing attention has been paid to differences in the prevalence of perinatal depression by HIV status, although inconsistent results have been reported. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the relationship between perinatal depression and HIV infection. A comprehensive meta-analysis of comparative studies comparing the prevalence of antenatal or postnatal depression between HIV-infected women and HIV-negative controls was conducted. METHODS: Studies were identified through PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase and PsycINFO, and the reading of complementary references in August 2019. Subgroup analyses were performed for anticipated explanation of heterogeneity using methodological quality and pre-defined study characteristics, including study design, geographical location and depression screening tools for depression. The overall odds ratio (OR) and mean prevalence of each group were calculated. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies (from 21 publications), thirteen regarding antenatal depression and ten regarding postnatal depression were included, comprising 3165 subjects with HIV infection and 6518 controls. The mean prevalence of antenatal depressive symptoms in thirteen included studies was 36% (95% CI: 27, 45%) in the HIV-positive group and 26% (95% CI: 20, 32%) in the control group. The mean prevalence of postnatal depressive symptoms in ten included studies was 21% (95% CI: 14, 27%) in the HIV-positive group and 16% (95% CI: 10, 22%) in the control group. Women living with HIV have higher odds of antenatal (OR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.80) and postnatal depressive symptoms (OR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.32) compared with controls. Publication bias and moderate heterogeneity existed in the overall meta-analysis, and heterogeneity was partly explained by the subgroup analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Women with HIV infection exhibit a significantly higher OR of antenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms compared with controls. For the health of both mother and child, clinicians should be aware of the significance of depression screening before and after delivery in this particular population and take effective measures to address depression among these women.

Distribution of geographical scale, data aggregation unit and period in the correlation analysis between temperature and incidence of HFRS in mainland China: A systematic review of 27 ecological studies.

BACKGROUND: Changes in climate and environmental conditions could be the driving factors for the transmission of hantavirus. Thus, a thorough collection and analysis of data related to the epidemic status of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and the association between HFRS incidence and meteorological factors, such as air temperature, is necessary for the disease control and prevention. METHODS: Journal articles and theses in both English and Chinese from Jan 2014 to Feb 2019 were identified from PubMed, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data and VIP Info. All identified studies were subject to the six criteria established to ensure the consistency with research objectives, (i) they provided the data of the incidence of HFRS in mainland China; (ii) they provided the type of air temperature indexes; (iii) they indicated the underlying geographical scale information, temporal data aggregation unit, and the data sources; (iv) they provided the statistical analysis method that had been used; (v) from peer-reviewed journals or dissertation; (vi) the time range for the inclusion of data exceeded two consecutive calendar years. RESULTS: A total of 27 publications were included in the systematic review, among them, the correlation between HFRS activity and air temperature was explored in 12 provinces and autonomous regions and also at national level. The study period ranged from 3 years to 54 years with a median of 10 years, 70.4% of the studies were based on the monthly HFRS incidence data, 21 studies considered the lagged effect of air temperature factors on the HFRS activity and the longest lag period considered in the included studies was 34 weeks. The correlation between HFRS activity and air temperature varied widely, and the effect of temperature on the HFRS epidemic was seasonal. CONCLUSIONS: The present systematic review described the heterogeneity of geographical scale, data aggregation unit and study period chosen in the ecological studies that seeking the correlation between air temperature indexes and the incidence of HFRS in mainland China during the period from January 2014 to February 2019. The appropriate adoption of geographical scale, data aggregation unit, the length of lag period and the length of incidence collection period should be considered when exploring the relationship between HFRS incidence and meteorological factors such as air temperature. Further investigation is warranted to detect the thresholds of meteorological factors for the HFRS early warning purposes, to measure the duration of lagged effects and determine the timing of maximum effects for reducing the effects of meteorological factors on HFRS via continuous interventions and to identify the vulnerable populations for target protection.

Prevention effect of low-temperature atomization inhalation for radiation induced oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy.

Purpose: To investigate the prevention effect of low-temperature atomization inhalation for radiation induced oral mucositis (OM) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) undergoing radiotherapy. Patients and methods: A total of 68 patients with HNC (including nasopharyngeal cancer) undergoing radiotherapy were divided into an intervention group (33 cases) and a control group (35 cases). During radiotherapy, the intervention group received low-temperature (between 4°C and 8°C) atomization inhalation; while the control group received normal temperature (between 18°C and 24°C) atomization inhalation. Atomization inhalation was performed twice a day, 20 minutes per time, using distilled water. The incidence and severity of OM was evaluated every week during radiotherapy. The comparation was made between the two groups. Results: The two groups were comparable among age, sex, Eastern Cooperative Oncology group (ECOG) score, body mass index (BMI) before radiotherapy, BMI loss during radiotherapy, original tumor site, pathological type, TNM stage, and mean oral cavity irradiated dose. There was a significant difference in the incidence of OM between the two groups (P<0.05). There were fewer patients with severe OM in the intervention group compared to the control group (P<0.05). The onset time of OM in the intervention group was delayed by about 4 days compared to that in the control group (P<0.05). Low-temperature atomization inhalation helped to avoid radiotherapy interruption in the intervention group. No patient in the intervention group suffered any adverse reaction for low-temperature atomization inhalation treatment. Conclusions: Low-temperature atomization inhalation can reduce the incidence and severity of OM, and slow down the progression process of it. It can be used as a new prevention method during radiotherapy, and should be promoted in clinical practice.

[Clinical trial of acupuncture treatment of gastroesophageal reflux cough by needling dorsal segment of the Governor Vessel].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the curative effect of acupuncture stimulation of the back segment (10 spots below the spinous processes from T3 to T12) of the Governor Vessel in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux cough (GERC). METHODS: A total of 60 cases of GERC patients were randomly divided into acupuncture and medication groups (n＝30 in each). For patients of the acupuncture group, the depression spots below the spinous processes from T3 to T12, including acupoints Shenzhu (GV12), Shendao (GV11), Lingtai (GV10), Zhiyang (GV9), Jinsuo (GV8) and non-acupoints (T4, T8, T12) were punctured with filiform needles, once every other day for 8 weeks. Patients of the medication group were ordered to take omeprazole capsules (20 mg/time), twice a day for 8 weeks. The therapeutic effect was assessed by using "Reflux Diagnostic Questionnaire"(RDQ, scores of symptoms of heartburn, retrosternal pain, acid regurgitation and food regurgitation, 0－40 points), cough symptom score (0－3 points) and "Leicester Cough Questionnaire" (LCQ, scores of physiological, psychological and social functions, 0－21 points), respectively. RESULTS: Following the treatment, RDQ score and cough symptom scores during both daytime and night were significantly decreased in both groups (P<0.05)，and the scores of physiological status, psychological health and social function of LCQ were significantly increased in both acupuncture and medication groups in comparison with their own pre-treatment (P<0.05). The therapeutic effect of acupuncture was markedly superior to that of medication in lowering RDQ score and cough symptom scores of daytime and night, and in raising LCQ scores of the physiological status, psychological health and social function (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture stimulation of the dorsal segment of the Governor Vessel is effective in improving clinical symptoms and living quality of GERC patients.

[Clinical Trial of Acupuncture Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Accompanied with Somnipathy at Acupoints of Governor Vessel at Back Segment].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the curative effect of needling stimulation of the back segment (10 spots below the spinous processes from T 3 to T 12)of the Governor Vessel in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD)accompanied with somnipathy. METHODS: A total of 58 patients of GERD accompanied with somnipathy were randomly divided into acupuncture group (n＝28) and medication group (n＝30)according to random number table method. For patients of the acupuncture group, the spots below the spinous processes from T 3 to T 12, including acupoints Shenzhu (GV 12), Shendao (GV 11), Lingtai (GV 10), Zhiyang (GV 9), Jinsuo (GV 8), Zhongshu (GV 7) and non-acupoints (T 4, T 8, T 12) were punctured with filiform needles, once every other day for 8 weeks. Patients of the medication group were ordered to take Omeprazole capsules (20 mg/time), twice a day for 8 weeks. The therapeutic effect was assessed by "Reflux Diagnostic Questionnaire" (RDQ，scores of symptoms of heartburn, retrosternal pain, acid regurgitation and food regurgitation, 0－40 points), GERD symptom scale (scores of symptoms of the digestive system, five-sense organs, cardiovascular system, etc., 0－84 points) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI, scores of sleep quality, fall asleep time, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, etc., 0－21 points), respectively. RESULTS: After the treatment, RDQ score, GERD symptom scale score and PSQI score were significantly decreased in both acupuncture and medication groups compared with their own pre-treatment(P<0.01), and the decreased scores of RDQ, GERD scale and PSQI were significantly lower in the acupuncture group than in the medication group (P<0.01). The cured plus markedly effective rates for RDQ in the two groups were 43.3% (13/30) and 71.4% (20/28), respectively, and the effective rates of the medication and acupuncture groups were 56.7% (17/30) and 89.3% (25/28) for GERD scale, and 60.0% (18/30) and 92.9% (26/28) for PSQI, respectively. The cured plus markedly effective rate for RDQ, and the effective rates for GERD scale and PSQI were signi-ficantly higher in the acupuncture group than in the medication group respectively (P<0.05，P<0.01)．. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture stimulation of acupoints of Governor Vessel at the back segment is effective in improving symptoms of GERD patients with somnipathy.

[Clinical Trial of Acupuncture Treatment of Gastro-esophageal Reflex Disease by Needling Dorsal Segment of the Governor Vessel].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the curative effect of needling stimulation of the dorsal segment (7 spots below the spinous processes from T3 to T9) of the Governor Vessel for gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). METHODS: A total of 60 cases of GERD patients were randomly divided into acupuncture group and medication group (n = 30 in each group). For patients of the acupuncture group, the depression spots below the spinous processes from T3 to T9, including both acupoints [Shenzhu (GV 12), Shendao (GV 11), Lingtai (GV 10), Zhiyang (GV 9), Jinsuo (GV 8)] and non-acupoints (T4, T8) were punctured with filiform needles, once every other day for 8 weeks. Patients of the medication group were asked to take Omeprazole capsules (20 mg/time) twice a day for 8 weeks. The curative effects were assessed by "Reflux Disease Questionnaire" score (RDQ score of heartburn, retrosternal pain, acid regurgitation and food regurgitation, 0-40 points, the "Guidelines for Clinical Research on Chinese New Herbal Drugs" (GRED symptom scale scores about the 38 symptoms of the digestive system, respiratory system, five-sense organs, cardiovascular system, back-pain, sleep, headache, daily life activity, etc. 0-114 points, 0-3 scales), and "the Consensus about Diagnosis and Treatment of GERD of Traditional Chinese Medicine", respectively. RESULTS: Following the treatment, both RDQ score and GERD symptom scale score were significantly decreased in patients of the acupuncture and medication groups (P<0.05), and the effect of acupuncture was markedly superior to that of the medication in lowering RDQ and GERD scale scores (P<0.05). The cured plus markedly effective rate for RDQ score and the effective rate for GERD scale score were 70.0% (21/30) and 93.3% (28/30) respectively in the acupuncture group, being significantly higher than those [43.3% (13/30) and 66.7% (20/30)] in the medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture stimulation of the dorsal segment

[Response rules of pressing pain on back section in Governor Vessel in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease].

The response rules of pressing pain on the back section in the Governor Vessel in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) were studied to provide references for the diagnosis and treatment of GERD. Seventy-six cases of GERD were included into an observation group while 30 healthy volunteers were recruited into a control group. A mechanical measurement device of pressing pain that could measure the pain threshold was adapted to observe the pressing pain on the back section in the Governor Vessel in GERD patients and healthy volunteers. The test area is from spinous process of the 1st thoracic vertebra to that of the 12th thoracic vertebra (T1 -T12), including acupoints and non-acupoints on the Governor Vessel. As a result, in the observation group the pain threshold of T5-T7 spinous process clearance, which was the location of Shendao (GV 11), Lingtai (GV 10) and Zhiyang (GV 9), was lower than that in the control group (all P < 0.05). This result indicated that there was significant pressing pain in T5-T7 spinous process clearance in patients with GERD, which could be taken as an important auxiliary diagnosis and a new thinking method in the treatment of GERD with acupuncture.

[Periodization of international spread of acupuncture-moxibustion and their characteristics at each period].

The history of international spread of Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion is divided into three sta ges in this paper, and the spreading characteristics are analyzed. The first stage is approximately from the 6th century to the end of the 15th century, during which acupuncture and moxibustion were spread to neighboring countries by personnel exchanges; the spread towards Korean peninsula, Japan and Vietnam was considered the most successful communication. The second stage lasts from the beginning of 16th century to 1970. At the early time of this stage, the employees of the Dutch East Indian Company introduced acupuncture and moxibustion to European countries through Indonesia and Japan, leading to a short and small fashion; also the United States and Australia were involved. At the late time of this stage, by medical aid teams dispatched by China government, acupuncture and moxibustion were introduced to African countries. The third stage starts from 1971. With the establishment of Sino-US diplomatic relations as an opportunity, acupuncture and moxibustion were being spread rapidly to the world through radio, TV and internet. So far it has been introduced to more than 140 countries and areas. Performing serious studies on the spreading characteristics of three stages will promote the international communication of acupuncture and moxibustion, by which the world will have a better understanding onthe broad and profound traditional cultures of China.

[Restore of the ancient "moxibustion the pulse" method].

The manipulation of ancient "moxibustion the pulse" method are replicated and discussed through literature review. It turned out that the old year moxa was the best material for moxibustion in ancient times because of its mild heat power and uninjurious to the skin or blood and vessels; it was believed by the ancient people that the ideal fire to light moxa which could play the curative effect best was "sunfire" (lighted through the bronze concave mirror focussing) while the prohibited were "eight kinds of wood fire"; the moxibustion area were the convergence of the pulse on limb ends. The way to determine the time and amount of moxibustion were various, but in general the moxa amount was larger; still after moxibustion, proper exercise and diet were recommended, the nursing methods of the moxibustion sore were recorded. In ancient times, moxibustion was not only a treatment method but also an unique culture carrier to reflect the faith and worship.

A comparison of two intravenous infusion devices in lung carcinoma patients receiving combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical effects of intravenous (IV) devices in the patients with lung cancer undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 128 patients were divided into two groups : t0 hose who received chemotherapy through a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC group; n = 64), and those who received therapy through an IV remaining needle (n = 64). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Patient characteristics and complication rates were compared using Fisher's exact tests or the χ2 test. During the treatment times, the time and the average nursing costs for both infusion methods and their complications were compared using the student's t -test. Data is presented as mean ± SEM 0 P value <0.05 was considered significant. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS V.12.0 for Windows (SPSS, Inc.). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The non-retention type venous detaining needle appears to be the preferred patient choice for those undergoing combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

[Original relations of acupoints with channels-collaterals and acupuncture therapy].

With analysis and systematization of ancient medical books being unearthed Mazoangdui tomb and other literatures, it is found that ancient names and meanings of moxibustion and acupuncture parts passed the courses from Mai to Maikou, the place and region above Mai, then to acupoints on the body surface showing channels, gi and blood. This change trace reveals original relationship acupoints with channels-collaterals, and acupuncture therapy. The acupoint is a point and channels-collaterals are lines, except a less acupoints which located by obvious anatomic markers, most of are special parts on the channels and collaterals, are not a isolated point. The acupoint is the gate of needle inserting the human body, proposal of this concept and increase of the number of acopoints are closely related with invention, popularity and spreading of acupuncture therapy.