[Three-dimensional reconstruction of the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin with continuous thin-section CT image].

OBJECTIVE: To explore anatomical material basis of the lung meridian and its three-dimensional position in vivo. METHODS: Continuous thin-section CT image sets were collected from a normal adult female volunteer's left upper extremity after she was acupunctured at 8 acupoints in Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin (LU). The connective tissue around the needle-tip of LU acupoints in continuous thin-section CT image sets was observed. The LU acupoints and part of the meridian were three-dimensional reconstructed in vivo and displayed with digital medical technology based on the CT-scan data. Then, the images were compared with traditional meridian records. RESULTS: The connective tissue structure around the needle-tip of the eight LU acupoints was observed as follows: 5 acupoints were closely related to periosteum and 3 of them were closely related to blood vessels and nerve sheath. Three-dimensional reconstruction of anatomical position of the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin was successfully completed in vivo, and the traveling course of meridian was similar to classical meridian illustration in traditional Chinese medicine. CONCLUSION: There is no specific entity of anatomical structure of LU acupoints and the meridian. The fascia and connective tissue may be the anatomical basis of meridian.

Impacts of sanitation improvement on reduction of nitrogen discharges entering the environment from human excreta in China.

Identifying the sanitation efficacy in reducing contaminations entering the environment is an important step for water pollution controls and developing management strategies to further improve sanitation conditions. With continuous efforts in sanitation improvement during the past decade, reductions in discharges of aquatic nutrients are expected in China. In this study, we estimated the aquatic nitrogen discharges from human excreta in 31 provinces in China during 2006-2014. The results indicated that the nitrogen discharges entering the environment from human excreta are largely determined by both local population and sanitation conditions. In 2014, the nitrogen discharges from human excreta in the rural areas (2118(1219-3140) Gg per year) (median and 95% confidence interval) are higher than those in the urban areas (1485(626-2495) Gg per year). The significant relationship (R2=0.38, n=29) between the total nitrogen concentrations in lakes and corresponding local nitrogen discharges indicated that, the lakes might be potentially affected by the contaminant inputs from human excreta. The further calculations under two policy scenarios showed that through sanitation improvement, further reduction of nitrogen discharges from human excreta in the developed regions might be limited. The sanitation improvement in the less-developed regions, such as Tibet, Qinghai, and Ningxia, should be considered a priority due to the larger reduction potentials.