[Apprenticeship system of American NCCAOM Certification of acupuncture and oriental medicine].

The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) is the only national institution for the accreditation of clinical practice of acupuncture and Oriental (Chinese) Medicine in the United States. Its qualification certificate or examination certificate is a mandatory document for 47 states and Washington, D.C. to issue the practice license. According to the latest information of the NCCAOM official website, this paper introduced the preceptor qualifications of the apprenticeship, studying hours, quality control, and the evaluation at the end of apprenticeship. The paper also discussed the enlightening and referential effects of the American system to apprenticeship policy in China.

[Discussion on several contents of textbook Acupuncture and Moxibustion (New Century 4th Edition)].

The textbook Acupuncture and Moxibustion (New Century 4th Edition) was published by China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine in August of 2016. The author proposed several discussions in the textbook. The information, including the issue date of China national standard Standardized Manipulations of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, the number of foreign countries where China medical teams were assigned, and the number of acupuncture indications recommended by WHO, was not accurate. The content, including several methods of acupoint location, specification of filiform needles, rotating angle of needle, disinfection of needles and skin, locations and indications of scalp acupuncture, etc. should be corrected. Besides, the writing of textbooks should follow national or industry standards.

[Acupuncture with Point Location-a mandatory examination for American NCCAOM certification of acupuncture and oriental medicine].

Acupuncture with Point Location is one of the mandatory examinations for the Diplomate of Oriental Medicine (Dipl.OM.) or Acupuncture (Dipl. Ac.) by American National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). In reference to NCCAOM Certification Handbook, Acupuncture with Point Location Expanded Content Outline, and Study Guide for Diplomates in Acupuncture Certification, the authors introduced the examination pattern and examination-related contents including such aspects as safety and professional responsibilities, treatment plan, and point location and discussed additionally the enlightening effects on acupuncture practice and examination in universities and international associations of Chinese medicine in our country.

[Recertification and continuing education of NCCAOM Diplomates of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine].

Diplomates certificated by National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) are needed to be recertified every four years. The certificate will be valid after 60 points of provided professional development activity (PDA). The different validity status of NCCAOM certificates, ways of participating continuing education and the requirements of PDA points including core competencies and professional enhancement (PE) are introduced in this paper.

[Supplementing the international acupuncture and moxibustion in bilingual teaching of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Science].

Bilingual teaching is a innovative method of higher education of China to gear the need of the world. Acupuncture and Moxibustion, a higher international TCM course, has been the model of bilingual teaching in many colleges and universities of TCM successively. To meet the aim and original intention of bilingual education in China, we have supplemented international acupuncture and moxibustion in teaching program for many years. The related contents about acupuncture and moxibustion of World Health Organization (WHO) and International Standardization Organization(ISO) have been added into the chapters of introduction, meridians and acupoints, the technology of acupuncture and moxibustion, the therapy of acupuncture and moxibustion. Teaching international acupuncture and moxibustion not only enlarges the international perspective of students, but also makes them more interested in learning Acupuncture and Moxibustion with a bigger sense of mission.

[Science of Acupuncture and Moxibustion should include standards related to acupuncture and moxibustion].

The development of Science of Acupuncture and Moxibustion should be in accord with the trend of standardization and internationalization of the science of acupuncture and moxibustion. Based on the arrangement of chapters and sections in the textbook, 29 national standards, 6 standards or guidelines made by World Health Or- ganization(WHO) and 1 standard out of International Standardization Organization (ISO) are classified and intro- duced. It is suggested that the above contents should be considered as the evidence when the textbook is reedited. Also, it is proposed that humanization should be supplemented and the newest research findings should be traced.

[Doubting the twirling angle of filiform needle in Science of Acupuncture and Moxibustion textbooks and National Standards].

In National Standards (GB) as well as the textbooks used in TCM universities, the twirling angles of acupuncture manipulation vary a lot. By reviewing the previous editions of textbooks from 3 publication houses and comparing the relevant contents, the author calculated the arc lengths of various twirling angles based on the specification of filiform needle in National Standards (GB) and International Standards (ISO). The conclusion is that the twirling angles mentioned in National Standards (GB) and textbooks are too small and not in compliance with the clinical practice. Hence, it is not advisable to propose a rigid specific provision of twirling angle in acupuncture manipulation.

[TCM/aciipuncture therapy and medical insurance support in Switzerland].

Based on the expeienes in th acdemic exchanges in Switzerland and relevant data, the development of TCM/acupuncture in Switzerland, Swiss medical insurance system and the acceptance to TCM/acupuncture were introduced in the paper. The case analysis was applied to explain the reimbursement, proportion and additional conditions of Obligatory Basic Insurance and Supplementary Alternative Insurance on TCM/acupuncture; Additionally, in the paper, the certification and registration from EMR, ASCA and NVS for the TCM physician were introduced, which is required to the recognition by insurance companies. All of these provide the guarantee for the positive development of TCM/acupuncture in Switzerland.

miR-25 promotes glioma cell proliferation by targeting CDKN1C.

MicroRNAs (miRNA) have oncogenic or tumor-suppressive roles in the development and growth of human glioma. Glioma development is also associated with alteration in the activities and expression of cell cycle regulators, and miRNAs are emerging as important regulators of cell cycle progression. Here, we show that miR-25 is overexpressed in 91% of examined human glioma tissues and 4 out of 6 human glioma cell lines. MiR-25 increases cell proliferation in two independent glioma cell lines. Ectopic expression of miR-25 was found to reduce CDKN1C protein levels by directly targeting its 3'-untranslated region (UTR). Notably, ablation of endogenous miR-25 rescued CDKN1C expression and significantly decreased glioma cell proliferation by facilitating normal cell cycle progression. Our clinical investigation found CDKN1C and miR-25 levels were inversely correlated. Lastly, downregulation of CDKN1 by siRNA blocked the activity of miR-25 on promoting glioma cell proliferation. Overall, our results for the first time show an oncogenic role of miR-25 in human glioma by targeting CDKN1C and that miR-25 could potentially be a therapeutic target for glioma intervention.

[U. S. acupuncturists qualification tests of clean needle technique (CNT) examination].

Clean needle technique (CNT) examination is required for all applicants seeking National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicines' (NCCAOM) certification. CNT examination is one of compulsory subjects of certification of professional competence to practice acupuncture safely and effectively for the sake of the health and safety of the public, which is developed by the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM). The uniform standard of practice for acupuncture, the content of CNT course, application procedure and the requirements of CNT examination are introduced in this paper.

[Current situation of acupuncture and bloodletting therapy in Saudi Arabia].

The article introduces the current situation of acupuncture and moxibustion in clinical practice and education in Saudi Arabia, as well as the acupuncture-related regulations by Saudi Arabia Health Ministry. In addition, the Arabian traditional therapy, copping-bloodletting (Hijamah), is briefly mentioned and compared with Chinese acupuncture bloodletting.

[Design and application of a cone-shaped warming-acupuncture-moxibustion apparatus].

To design a warming acupuncture-moxibustion apparatus suitable to warming acupuncture therapy and easily attaching to the filiform needle handle. The apparatus consists of a container for moxa, a tray and regulative clips. The container for moxa is for store of moxa-wool without bottom and it can prevent moxa fire and ash from dropping and burning the skin of the patient or the clothes; the tray with holes on it can serve as a support of the moxa in the container, and can control the moxa burning and heat radiation; the clips can adjust the distance between the cone and the skin. With the advantages of handy material, easy installation, lower cost, and convenient operation, the apparatus is worthy of clinical application and popularization.