Ancient DNA Reveals That the Genetic Structure of the Northern Han Chinese Was Shaped Prior to 3,000 Years Ago

PubMed Central

Zhang, Quan-Chao; Li, Hong-Jie; Cui, Ying-Qiu; Xu, Zhi; Jin, Li; Zhou, Hui; Zhu, Hong

2015-01-01

The Han Chinese are the largest ethnic group in the world, and their origins, development, and expansion are complex. Many genetic studies have shown that Han Chinese can be divided into two distinct groups: northern Han Chinese and southern Han Chinese. The genetic history of the southern Han Chinese has been well studied. However, the genetic history of the northern Han Chinese is still obscure. In order to gain insight into the genetic history of the northern Han Chinese, 89 human remains were sampled from the Hengbei site which is located in the Central Plain and dates back to a key transitional period during the rise of the Han Chinese (approximately 3,000 years ago). We used 64 authentic mtDNA data obtained in this study, 27 Y chromosome SNP data profiles from previously studied Hengbei samples, and genetic datasets of the current Chinese populations and two ancient northern Chinese populations to analyze the relationship between the ancient people of Hengbei and present-day northern Han Chinese. We used a wide range of population genetic analyses, including principal component analyses, shared mtDNA haplotype analyses, and geographic mapping of maternal genetic distances. The results show that the ancient people of Hengbei bore a strong genetic resemblance to present-day northern Han Chinese and were genetically distinct from other present-day Chinese populations and two ancient populations. These findings suggest that the genetic structure of northern Han Chinese was already shaped 3,000 years ago in the Central Plain area. PMID:25938511

[The significance of drawing on experience of experimental study on Chinese materia medica during the Republican period].

PubMed

Li, Nan; Wan, Fang

2015-05-01

During the period of the Republic of China, researches of experiments on Chinese materia medica developed extensively with the scientific process of Chinese medicine. Although the technology standard was relatively low and the reference value, limited. The experiences, positive or negative, obtained at that time still has reference significance to today's Chinese medicine scientific research. The notion that traditional Chinese medical and scientific research be conducted under the guidance of TCM theory; valuable experience contained in the ancient literature of traditional Chinese medicine be collected; and the transformation capacity of scientific research be elevated, has been accepted by modern TCM professionals. If you go back to the history, it can be seen that this notion was summarized through repeated practice during the critical moment of traditional Chinese medicine, which should be emphasized and its understanding deepened at any time.

[Medical exchanges among China and Asiana countries].

PubMed

Chen, H

1996-01-01

Among the issues of medical exchanges, medicaments are more often encountered than medical issues, based on ancient Chinese literatures, early in the Han-Jin Dynasties, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei had exchanges with China, also in Sui-Tang Dynasties. In the Song-Yuan Dynasties, ancient Singapore and the Philippines also incorporated in exchanges of medicament and goods. In the Ming-Qing dynasties, these 6 Asian countries had even more close contact with China, especially in trades and medical exchanges among the masses, carried out in a large scale thus, promoting the advent and development of TCM in Asiana Regions.

Ancient Records and Modern Research on the Mechanisms of Chinese Herbal Medicines in the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus

PubMed Central

Zhang, Hai-ming; Liang, Feng-xia

2015-01-01

Over the past decades, Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) have been extensively and intensively studied through from both clinical and experimental perspectives and CHM have been proved to be effective in the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM). This study, by searching ancient records and modern research papers, reviewed CHM in terms of their clinical application and principal mechanism in the treatment of DM. We summarized the use of CHM mentioned in 54 famous ancient materia medica monographs and searched papers on the hypoglycemic effect of several representative CHM. Main mechanisms and limitations of CHM and further research direction for DM were discussed. On the basis of the study, we were led to conclude that TCM, as a main form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), was well recorded in ancient literatures and has less adverse effects as shown by modern studies. The mechanisms of CHM treatment of DM are complex, multilink, and multitarget, so we should find main hypoglycemic mechanism through doing research on CHM monomer active constituents. Many CHM monomer constituents possess noteworthy hypoglycemic effects. Therefore, developing a novel natural product for DM and its complications is of much significance. It is strongly significant to pay close attention to CHM for treatment of DM and its complications. PMID:25815039

[Location information acquisition and sharing application design in national census of Chinese medicine resources].

PubMed

Zhang, Xiao-Bo; Li, Meng; Wang, Hui; Guo, Lan-Ping; Huang, Lu-Qi

2017-11-01

In literature, there are many information on the distribution of Chinese herbal medicine. Limited by the technical methods, the origin of Chinese herbal medicine or distribution of information in ancient literature were described roughly. It is one of the main objectives of the national census of Chinese medicine resources, which is the background information of the types and distribution of Chinese medicine resources in the region. According to the national Chinese medicine resource census technical specifications and pilot work experience, census team with "3S" technology, computer network technology, digital camera technology and other modern technology methods, can effectively collect the location information of traditional Chinese medicine resources. Detailed and specific location information, such as regional differences in resource endowment and similarity, biological characteristics and spatial distribution, the Chinese medicine resource census data access to the accuracy and objectivity evaluation work, provide technical support and data support. With the support of spatial information technology, based on location information, statistical summary and sharing of multi-source census data can be realized. The integration of traditional Chinese medicine resources and related basic data can be a spatial integration, aggregation and management of massive data, which can help for the scientific rules data mining of traditional Chinese medicine resources from the overall level and fully reveal its scientific connotation. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

[Literature study on species of honeysuckle flower].

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Huang, Lu-Qi; Li, Chao-Xia; Li, Jian; Zhang, Rui-Xian

2014-06-01

Honeysuckle flower is a traditional herbal medicine in China Through systemically sorting and studying literature of Chinese medicine, this article pointed out that leech used by the traditional Chinese medicine in ancient time has the features of twist vine, slight purple stem with clothing hair; opposite growing leaves, ovule shape with clothing hair on both side; two flowers growing from one pedicel, labiate corolla with 3.2 cm longth, flower grows from white color to yellow color, each branch axil grows only one pedicel, the involucre is ovoid shape, and the flower season is from mid-March to mid-May. Among all species of caprifoliaceae, only Lonicera japonica Thunb. meets these botanic features. Therefore, L. japonica Thunb. should be used as the orthodox species of herbal honeysuckle flower.

[The image of the ancient Indian pharmacists in the Chinese Buddhist scriptures].

PubMed

Wang, D W; Gao, Y X

2016-09-28

In the Chinese Buddhist Scriptures, there are many stories or topics about the ancient Indian pharmacist, however, they are not the Medicine Buddha as people knows, but real doctors. In the Chinese Buddhist Scriptures, the doctors gave the medical service to the monks and the laymen. Some of them are respected as the "miracle doctor" or the "king of doctor" , influencing the medicine of ancient East Asian.

The history of female ejaculation.

PubMed

Korda, Joanna B; Goldstein, Sue W; Sommer, Frank

2010-05-01

The existence of female ejaculation and the female prostate is controversial; however, most scientists are not aware that historians of medicine and psychology described the phenomenon of female ejaculation approximately 2,000 years ago. To review historical literature in which female ejaculation is described. A comprehensive systematic literature review. Emission of fluid at the acme of orgasm and/or sexual pleasure in females was considered as a description of female ejaculation and therefore all documents referring to this phenomenon are included. Physicians, anatomists, and psychologists in both eastern and western culture have described intellectual concepts of female ejaculation during orgasm. In ancient Asia female ejaculation was very well known and mentioned in several Chinese Taoist texts starting in the 4th century. The ancient Chinese concept of female ejaculation as independent of reproduction was supported by ancient Indian writings. First mentioned in a 7th century poem, female ejaculation and the Gräfenberg spot (G-spot) are described in detail in most works of the Kāmaśāstra. In ancient Western writings the emission of female fluid is mentioned even earlier, depicted about 300 B.C. by Aristotle and in the 2nd century by Galen. Reinjier De Graaf in the 16th century provided the first scientific description of female ejaculation and was the first to refer to the periurethral glands as the female prostate. This concept was held by other scientists during the following centuries through 1952 A.D. when Ernst Gräfenberg reported on "The role of the urethra in female orgasm. Current research provides insight into the anatomy of the female prostate and describes female ejaculation as one of its functions. Credible evidence exists among different cultures that the female prostate and female ejaculation have been discovered, described and then forgotten over the last 2,000 years.

Ancient Human Parasites in Ethnic Chinese Populations.

PubMed

Yeh, Hui-Yuan; Mitchell, Piers D

2016-10-01

Whilst archaeological evidence for many aspects of life in ancient China is well studied, there has been much less interest in ancient infectious diseases, such as intestinal parasites in past Chinese populations. Here, we bring together evidence from mummies, ancient latrines, and pelvic soil from burials, dating from the Neolithic Period to the Qing Dynasty, in order to better understand the health of the past inhabitants of China and the diseases endemic in the region. Seven species of intestinal parasite have been identified, namely roundworm, whipworm, Chinese liver fluke, oriental schistosome, pinworm, Taenia sp. tapeworm, and the intestinal fluke Fasciolopsis buski . It was found that in the past, roundworm, whipworm, and Chinese liver fluke appear to have been much more common than the other species. While roundworm and whipworm remained common into the late 20th century, Chinese liver fluke seems to have undergone a marked decline in its prevalence over time. The iconic transport route known as the Silk Road has been shown to have acted as a vector for the transmission of ancient diseases, highlighted by the discovery of Chinese liver fluke in a 2,000 year-old relay station in northwest China, 1,500 km outside its endemic range.

Connecting Heaven and Man: The role of astronomy in ancient Chinese society and culture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Xiaochun

2011-06-01

This paper reviews the history of Chinese astronomy from the perspective of the rôle it played in establishing the Heaven-Man relationship in ancient China, which was politically and morally significant, and which in turn gave Chinese astronomy its most important characteristics.

Investigation on maternal lineage of a Neolithic group from northern Shaanxi based on ancient DNA.

PubMed

Zhao, Jing; Liu, Fang-E; Lin, Song; Liu, Zhi-Zhen; Sun, Zhou-Yong; Wu, Xiao-Ming; Zhang, Hu-Qin

2017-09-01

A magnetic bead purification method was successfully used to extract ancient DNA from the skeletal remains of 10 specimens excavated from Wuzhuangguoliang (Wzhgl) site, which was located in northern Shaanxi. The multidimensional scaling (MDS) and analysis of molecular variance approach (AMOVA) revealed that ancient Wzhgl people bored a very high similarity to southern Han Chinese. By constructing the MJ-network of various modern people including Han Chinese and Japanese, the phylogenetic analysis indicated that the Wzhgl population had close maternal distance with ancient Shandong and Xinjiang people. These findings indicated that Wzhgl contributed to the gene pool of Han Chinese and modern Japanese. In addition, population migration and interflow between Wzhgl people and ancient Shandong or Xinjiang probably occurred in Neolithic period.

China: A Simulation of Ancient Chung Kuo, the World's Most Ancient Civilization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sargent, Marcia; Baral, Wanda

This simulation allows students to participate in the "ways" of ancient Chinese history and culture. The unit is organized into five major phases or "li's." Students may spend about one week on activities in each "li" which focuses on a major aspect of Chinese history, culture, or geography. In each "li"…

The teacher-disciple tradition and secret teaching in Chinese medicine.

PubMed

Solos, Ioannis; Liang, Yuan; Yue, Guang-xin

2014-01-01

The ancient teacher-disciple tradition is regarded as one of the most celebrated practices within the Chinese medicine world. Such traditions of secrecy, private wisdom and honor are deeply rooted in the theories of Confucianism. This paper only explores the surface of this ancient culture, by investigating relevant popular ancient texts and common Chinese proverbs, as well as utilizing personal experiences, in order to reflect on how the ancient Chinese perceived such practices within their own society and how secret teaching was passed on from teacher to student, including the revelation of secret formulas and their importance and how that tradition differs from our modern-day perspectives. Various rare manuscripts from the author's personal library are employed in order to provide relative examples of the importance of secret knowledge, and how these secrets applied in the traditional healing.

[Shushu (ancient Chinese numerology) in Lingshu: Gudu (Miraculous Pivot: Bone-Length Measurement)].

PubMed

Zhuo, Lian-Shi

2010-10-01

Lingshu: Gudu (Miraculous Pivot: Bone-Length Measurement) is compared with literatures concerning the Shushu (ancient Chinese numerology) of the Qin Dynasty (221 B. C. - 206 B. C. ) and the Han Dynasty (206 B. C.-220 A. D.) in this article. And it is discovered that "the number of heaven and earth" in Yijing (The Book of Change) was implied in the bone-length measurement. The theory of Shushu is hidden in the sized of head, neck, chest, abdomen, back and 4 extremities according to the measurement. The meaning of establishment of bone-length measurement, which is found to have universality, laid in setting down the measurement of meridians. And it is the origin of the proportional measurement of locating acupoints. Checked with the theory of Shushu, errors in the description of bone-length measurement could also be found in Lingshu: Gudu (Miraculous Pivot: Bone-Length Measurement) of the present edition, which is helpful for the modern study on the measurement.

[Design and establishment of modern literature database about acupuncture Deqi].

PubMed

Guo, Zheng-rong; Qian, Gui-feng; Pan, Qiu-yin; Wang, Yang; Xin, Si-yuan; Li, Jing; Hao, Jie; Hu, Ni-juan; Zhu, Jiang; Ma, Liang-xiao

2015-02-01

A search on acupuncture Deqi was conducted using four Chinese-language biomedical databases (CNKI, Wan-Fang, VIP and CBM) and PubMed database and using keywords "Deqi" or "needle sensation" "needling feeling" "needle feel" "obtaining qi", etc. Then, a "Modern Literature Database for Acupuncture Deqi" was established by employing Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition, introducing the contents, data types, information structure and logic constraint of the system table fields. From this Database, detailed inquiries about general information of clinical trials, acupuncturists' experience, ancient medical works, comprehensive literature, etc. can be obtained. The present databank lays a foundation for subsequent evaluation of literature quality about Deqi and data mining of undetected Deqi knowledge.

[Comprehensive textual research on concept, content and function of Chinese yew].

PubMed

Li, Liangsong; Feng, Zhongke; Liu, Deqing

2011-06-01

Chinese yew is a medicinal plant which has the largest planted area, better economic effects and ecological benefits in our country. People have insufficient appreciation of centuries-old historical document and abundant cultural connotation of Chinese yew, because Chinese yew had no name in ancient times and some expressions of western countries are still cited at present. Therefore, this paper did a great deal of analysis and reference works focusing on synonym and byname of ancient Chinese yew. Excavation and classification of historical documents of Chinese yew from ancient classics and bibliography had been done by studying 3 503 books, about billions of words been recorded in the Si Ku Quan Shu. These researches made up for simple and inadequate contents of many large tool books, like Chinese materia medica and traditional Chinese medicine, and so on. At the same time, in order to change the situation of no name, uncertain channel tropism, irregular functions of Chinese yew, its property and flavor, channel tropism, effects and functions had been summarized. History of the tumor treatment of Chinese yew had been traced back to the time of Tang Dynasty and this was almost 1 200 years earlier than western countries.

Therapeutic history of Parkinson's disease in Chinese medical treatises.

PubMed

Zheng, Guo-Qing

2009-11-01

Chronological research on the therapeutic history of Parkinson's disease (PD) has been conducted by Chinese medical treatises from ancient to modern times. It outlines the division by the early, middle, and modern periods. The precise records for the clinical symptoms of PD and its preliminary treatment prescriptions could date back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). Thereafter (220 AD-1911), due to an increase in the understanding of PD in Chinese medical science, prescriptions for treatment also sprang up. Frequency statistics and cluster analysis have been carried out to elucidate the medication rules and commonly used Chinese medicinal materials (CMM) for prevention and treatment of PD during the middle period. In modern times, the dozens of prescriptions or bioactive ingredients of CMM used for the symptomatic treatment of PD have been shown to be effective in clinical trials. However, an analysis of contemporary Chinese clinical literature on PD has suggested the need for more rigorous research methodology before CMM could be adopted by evidence-based medicine.

Recognition of dementia in ancient China.

PubMed

Liu, Jia; Wang, Lu-Ning; Tian, Jin-Zhou

2012-12-01

A search of previous records in the literatures was done to summarize the opinions for dementia in ancient China. The earliest description of dementia was traced in the Yellow emperor's internal classic, a book written 2000 years ago. Hua Tuo (AD 140-208) in Han Dynasty first denominated "dementia" in the book, Hua Tuo Shen Yi Mi Zhuan. The pathogenesis of dementia could be generalized as the insufficiency of Qi, a flowing energy; the stagnation of phlegm, a harmful liquid substance in the body; and the blood stasis, which were also regarded as therapeutic targets. Therefore, we can conclude that dementia has been recognized and investigated in traditional Chinese medicine, which is definitely before the industrial civilization era. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The standardization of acupuncture treatment for radiation-induced xerostomia: A literature review.

PubMed

Li, Ling-Xin; Tian, Guang; He, Jing

2016-07-01

To assess the relative standardization of acupuncture protocols for radiation-induced xerostomia. A literature search was carried out up to November 10, 2012 in the databases PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE and China National Knowledge Infrastruction with the terms: radiation-induced xerostomia, acupuncture, acupuncture treatment, and acupuncture therapy. Five ancient Chinese classic acupuncture works were also reviewed with the keywords "dry mouth, thirst, dry tongue, dry eyes and dry lips" to search the effective acupuncture points for dry mouth-associated symptoms in ancient China. Twenty-two full-text articles relevant to acupuncture treatment for radiation-induced xerostomia were included and a total of 48 acupuncture points were searched in the 5 ancient Chinese classic acupuncture works, in which the most commonly used points were Chengjiang (CV24), Shuigou (GV 26), Duiduan (GV 27), Jinjin (EX-HN 12), and Yuye (EX-HN 13) on head and neck, Sanjian (LI 3), Shangyang (LI 1), Shaoshang (LU 11), Shaoze (SI 1), Xialian (LI 8) on hand, Fuliu (KI 7), Dazhong (KI 4), Zuqiaoyin (GB 44), Taichong (LR 3), Zhaohai (KI 6) on foot, Burong (ST 19), Zhangmen (LR 13), Tiantu (CV 22), Qimen (LR 14) on abdomen, Feishu (BL 13), Danshu (BL 19), Xiaochaogshu (BL 27), Ganshu (BL 18) on back, Shenmen (TF 4), Shen (CO10, Kidney), Yidan (CO11, Pancreas) and Pi (CO13, Spleen) on ear. There were considerable heterogeneities in the current acupuncture treatment protocols for radiation-induced xerostomia. Based on the results of the review and the personal perspectives, the authors provide a recommendation for manual acupuncture protocols in treating radiationinduced xerostomia patients with head and neck cancer.

Hands-On Mathematics: Two Cases from Ancient Chinese Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Youjun

2009-01-01

In modern mathematical teaching, it has become increasingly emphasized that mathematical knowledge should be taught by problem-solving, hands-on activities, and interactive learning experiences. Comparing the ideas of modern mathematical education with the development of ancient Chinese mathematics, we find that the history of mathematics in…

Ancient DNA provides new insight into the maternal lineages and domestication of Chinese donkeys.

PubMed

Han, Lu; Zhu, Songbiao; Ning, Chao; Cai, Dawei; Wang, Kai; Chen, Quanjia; Hu, Songmei; Yang, Junkai; Shao, Jing; Zhu, Hong; Zhou, Hui

2014-11-30

The donkey (Equus asinus) is an important domestic animal that provides a reliable source of protein and method of transportation for many human populations. However, the process of domestication and the dispersal routes of the Chinese donkey are still unclear, as donkey remains are sparse in the archaeological record and often confused with horse remains. To explore the maternal origins and dispersal route of Chinese donkeys, both mitochondrial DNA D-loop and cytochrome b gene fragments of 21 suspected donkey remains from four archaeological sites in China were amplified and sequenced. Molecular methods of species identification show that 17 specimens were donkeys and three samples had the maternal genetic signature of horses. One sample that dates to about 20,000 years before present failed to amplify. In this study, the phylogenetic analysis reveals that ancient Chinese donkeys have high mitochondrial DNA diversity and two distinct mitochondrial maternal lineages, known as the Somali and Nubian lineages. These results indicate that the maternal origin of Chinese domestic donkeys was probably related to the African wild ass, which includes the Nubian wild ass (Equus africanus africanus) and the Somali wild ass (Equus africanus somaliensis). Combined with historical records, the results of this study implied that domestic donkeys spread into west and north China before the emergence of the Han dynasty. The number of Chinese domestic donkeys had increased primarily to meet demand for the expansion of trade, and they were likely used as commodities or for shipping goods along the Silk Road during the Tang Dynasty, when the Silk Road reached its golden age. This study is the first to provide valuable ancient animal DNA evidence for early trade between African and Asian populations. The ancient DNA analysis of Chinese donkeys also sheds light on the dynamic process of the maternal origin, domestication, and dispersal route of ancient Chinese donkeys.

Enlightenment from ancient Chinese urban and rural stormwater management practices.

PubMed

Wu, Che; Qiao, Mengxi; Wang, Sisi

2013-01-01

Hundreds of years ago, the ancient Chinese implemented several outstanding projects to cope with the changing climate and violent floods. Some of these projects are still in use today. These projects evolved from the experience and knowledge accumulated through the long coexistence of people with nature. The concepts behind these ancient stormwater management practices, such as low-impact development and sustainable drainage systems, are similar to the technology applied in modern stormwater management. This paper presents the cases of the Hani Terrace in Yunnan and the Fushou drainage system of Ganzhou in Jiangxi. The ancient Chinese knowledge behind these cases is seen in the design concepts and the features of these projects. These features help us to understand better their applications in the contemporary environment. In today's more complex environment, integrating traditional and advanced philosophy with modern technologies is extremely useful in building urban and rural stormwater management systems in China.

On the national characteristics of Chinese ancient architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Jun; Shan, Xiaoxian

2018-03-01

architecture is a complex composed of technology and art. It is a concrete reflection of everything in the local society at that time. The architecture is basically consistent with the social content and historical development. This paper analyzes the formation, characteristics and style of ancient Chinese architecture and expounds its national spirit and characteristics.

Education and Happiness in Ancient Asian Wisdom: Reflections from Indian & Chinese Classics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jeong-Kyu

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore not only the principles and aims of education, but also the concepts and principles of happiness in ancient Asian wisdom, especially Indian and Chinese classics as well as religious sutras. In order to investigate this article systematically, three research questions are addressed: First, what are…

Mössbauer Studies in Chinese Archaeology: A Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsia, Yuanfu; Huang, Hongbo

2003-09-01

The Mössbauer effect has been applied to a wide variety of objects related to Chinese archaeology. Besides ceramic artifacts, materials like porcelain, glazes, bronzes, ancient coins, ancient mineral drugs, and even fossils were studied. This article reviews these applications with particular emphasis on the study of the famous terracotta warriors and horses of the Qin Dynasty.

How to Integrate Tai Ji Quan into Physical Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Chunlei

2008-01-01

Tai ji quan, also known as "tai chi," is an ancient Chinese exercise characterized by soft, slow, and meditative movements. It consists of a set of continuous, evenly paced, carefully choreographed, but natural, body shifts. "Tai ji" is an ancient Chinese philosophy, while "tai ji quan" refers to a type of physical activity based on tai ji…

Two thousand years of medical advice on breastfeeding: comparison of Chinese and western texts.

PubMed

Gartner, L M; Stone, C

1994-12-01

This discussion introduces only a few aspects of the historical writings on breastfeeding in the two cultures. Chinese writings seem to be closer in orientation to modern worldwide medical advice, approaching breastfeeding from a more natural and supportive perspective. Ancient and not-so-ancient western medical advice on breastfeeding often implies the inadequacy of the mother to breastfeed her own infant, especially in the early weeks of life. One can only speculate as to what the historical basis for this may be. European medicine emphasizes the testing of milk for its adequacy. Again, the scientific basis for this is not evident. Modern clinical science finds that the milk of virtually all mothers, even those suffering from significant malnutrition, is adequate for the growth and development of the infant. This focus on the "testing" of milk may represent an early example of the reliance on laboratory diagnosis that has so heavily dominated western medicine in recent years. Finally, western medicine seems more managerial with regard to breastfeeding than Chinese medicine, and has perhaps "medicalized" breastfeeding, a compliant often voiced even now in late 20th century America. Nonetheless, both literatures demonstrate that throughout the history of recorded medicine, physicians have been concerned with promoting optimal breastfeeding and have understood the importance of human milk for the survival, growth, and development of the infant.

Research of Ancient Architectures in Jin-Fen Area Based on GIS&BIM Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Jing; Zheng, Qiuhong; Gao, Huiying; Sun, Hai

2017-05-01

The number of well-preserved ancient buildings located in Shanxi Province, enjoying the absolute maximum proportion of ancient architectures in China, is about 18418, among which, 9053 buildings have the structural style of wood frame. The value of the application of BIM (Building Information Modeling) and GIS (Geographic Information System) is gradually probed and testified in the corresponding fields of ancient architecture’s spatial distribution information management, routine maintenance and special conservation & restoration, the evaluation and simulation of related disasters, such as earthquake. The research objects are ancient architectures in JIN-FEN area, which were first investigated by Sicheng LIANG and recorded in his work of “Chinese ancient architectures survey report”. The research objects, i.e. the ancient architectures in Jin-Fen area include those in Sicheng LIANG’s investigation, and further adjustments were made through authors’ on-site investigation and literature searching & collection. During this research process, the spatial distributing Geodatabase of research objects is established utilizing GIS. The BIM components library for ancient buildings is formed combining on-site investigation data and precedent classic works, such as “Yingzao Fashi”, a treatise on architectural methods in Song Dynasty, “Yongle Encyclopedia” and “Gongcheng Zuofa Zeli”, case collections of engineering practice, by the Ministry of Construction of Qing Dynasty. A building of Guangsheng temple in Hongtong county is selected as an example to elaborate the BIM model construction process based on the BIM components library for ancient buildings. Based on the foregoing work results of spatial distribution data, attribute data of features, 3D graphic information and parametric building information model, the information management system for ancient architectures in Jin-Fen Area, utilizing GIS&BIM technology, could be constructed to support the further research of seismic disaster analysis and seismic performance simulation.

Ancient Chinese Observations and Modern Cometary Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yeomans, D. K.

1995-01-01

Ancient astronomical observations, primarily by Chinese, represent the only data source for discerning the long-term behavior of comets. These sky watchers produced astrological forecasts for their emperors. The comets Halley, Swift-Tuttle, and Tempel-Tuttle have been observed for 2000 years. Records of the Leonid meteor showers, starting from A.D.902, are used to guide predictions for the 1998-1999 reoccurrence.

Was Pythagoras Chinese? An Examination of Right Triangle Theory in Ancient China. The Pennsylvania State University Studies No. 40.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swetz, Frank J.; Kao, T. I.

This book is primarily a scholarly monograph on ancient Chinese theory and application concerning the right triangle, based on evidence contained in classical mathematics texts and scrolls. It is also the first complete English translation of the ninth chapter of the Chiu chang suan chu, the richest source of problems from antiquity dealing with…

The origin and dispersal of the domesticated Chinese oak silkworm, Antheraea pernyi, in China: a reconstruction based on ancient texts.

PubMed

Liu, Yanqun; Li, Yuping; Li, Xisheng; Qin, Li

2010-01-01

Sericulture is one of the great inventions of the ancient Chinese. Besides the mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori), Chinese farmers developed rearing of the Chinese oak silkworm (Antheraea pernyi) about 400 years ago. In this paper, the historic records of the origins and dispersal of the domesticated Chinese oak silkworm in China are summarized. The first document with clearly recorded oak silkworm artificial rearing appeared in 1651, although Chinese oak silkworm was documented in about 270 AD. All of the evidence in the available historic records suggests that the domesticated Chinese oak silkworm originated in central and southern areas of Shandong Province in China around the 16th century, and then was introduced directly and indirectly by human commerce into the present habitations in China after the late 17th century. The results strongly support the hypothesis that only one geographically distinct event occurred in domestication of the modern Chinese oak silkworm.

A Functional Study of "zhi [Chinese character omitted]" in the Chinese Nominal Group

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Weiwei; Li, Manliang

2017-01-01

Over the past decades, subjects concerned with the Chinese character "zhi [Chinese character omitted]", i.e. grammatical structure, in ancient Chinese language, have been widely explored. This paper conducts a research from a new dimension: the Cardiff Grammar, an integral part of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) which is famous for…

Ancient Chinese capital models — Measurement system in urban planning —

PubMed Central

FUNO, Shuji

2017-01-01

Measurement systems are very important in urban design. This article reviews the theories of grid plans, particularly with respect to the spatial formations of ancient capital cities in Asia, and clarifies three Chinese Capital Models. The “Zhōu lǐ” Capital Model (Z) is based on the ancient text “Zhōu lǐ” that makes mention of the ideal city. However, because the description of the physical plan of the city is very brief and includes contradictory elements, conclusions regarding the specifics of the city design are extremely difficult to reach. This article proposes the most appropriate Model (Z) as an architype of the ideal Chinese city. Interestingly, there are no excavated examples of Model (Z). The two existing models, the Chang’an Capital Model (C), which is well known as the model for ancient Japanese capitals like Heiankyo (the present Kyoto) and the Dà Yuán (Dadu) Capital Model (D), the model for the city that is today Beijing, are described as Variants I and II, with a focus on the land division system of bo (street blocks). PMID:29129851

Authentication of two samples of ancient Chinese coins with component element depth analysis by confocal 3D XRF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Peng; Liu, Zhiguo; Lin, Xiaoyan; Liu, Xin; Ye, Lei; Wang, Xingyi; Pan, Kai; Li, Yude

2018-05-01

Two samples of ancient Chinese coins were analyzed with a confocal three-dimensional micro-X-ray fluoroscope. The depth distributions of elemental iron (Fe), calcium (Ca) and copper (Cu) were obtained based on this non-destructive measurement method. One coin, named "Chongning Tongbao", was certified as genuine in accordance with the available archaeological data, whereas another coin, named "Zhenglong Yuanbao", was identified as a reproduction.

Estimate of the Chinese astronomy development through the descriptions of nova observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nickiforov, Mihael G.

More than a hundred descriptions of guest stars observations made by Chinese, Korean and Japanese astronomers from 6th till 17th centuries are examined in this work. The comparison of the distribution of star outbursts on galactic latitudes from the Chinese sources with the modern data casts doubt on the reliability of the ancient observations. The text analysis shows that the technique of the descriptions of the places of outbursts of new stars does not change from the first ancient observations till the 16th century. This is a sign of a lack of precise instrumental measurements until the arrival of the Jesuits, in 16th century, and of a lack of Chinese star catalog in the medieval China.

Ancient DNA evidence supports the contribution of Di-Qiang people to the han Chinese gene pool.

PubMed

Zhao, Yong-Bin; Li, Hong-Jie; Li, Sheng-Nan; Yu, Chang-Chun; Gao, Shi-Zhu; Xu, Zhi; Jin, Li; Zhu, Hong; Zhou, Hui

2011-02-01

Han Chinese is the largest ethnic group in the world. During its development, it gradually integrated with many neighboring populations. To uncover the origin of the Han Chinese, ancient DNA analysis was performed on the remains of 46 humans (1700 to 1900 years ago) excavated from the Taojiazhai site in Qinghai province, northwest of China, where the Di-Qiang populations had previously lived. In this study, eight mtDNA haplogroups (A, B, D, F, M*, M10, N9a, and Z) and one Y-chromosome haplogroup (O3) were identified. All analyses show that the Taojiazhai population presents close genetic affinity to Tibeto-Burman populations (descendants of Di-Qiang populations) and Han Chinese, suggesting that the Di-Qiang populations may have contributed to the Han Chinese genetic pool. 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

New Trends in the Chinese Diet: Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour

PubMed Central

Cicia, Gianni; Grunert, Klaus G.; Krystallis, Athanasios K.; Zhou, Yanfeng; Cembalo, Luigi; Verneau, Fabio; Caracciolo, Francesco

2016-01-01

China is one of the most dynamic regions in the world in terms of economic growth and development. Such development has inevitably influenced the structure and habits of Chinese society. Whilst the economic condition of the middle class and high-income segment has steadily improved, cultural changes are also under way: ancient Chinese traditions now include major elements from other cultures, most notably the West. The above scenario is the background to this paper. A structured research-administered survey was developed to investigate the changes in the Chinese consumer food culture: 500 urban participants were randomly selected from six reference cities, covering geographically almost the whole country. This study aims not only to analyze the propensity of consumers to include food products from other countries in their ancient Chinese culinary culture, but also represents an initial attempt to perform a market segmentation of Chinese consumers according to their degree of cultural openness towards non-Chinese food, taking into account socio-demographic, cognitive and psychographic variables. PMID:27800438

New Trends in the Chinese Diet: Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour.

PubMed

Del Giudice, Teresa; Cicia, Gianni; Grunert, Klaus G; Krystallis, Athanasios K; Zhou, Yanfeng; Cembalo, Luigi; Verneau, Fabio; Caracciolo, Francesco

2016-04-19

China is one of the most dynamic regions in the world in terms of economic growth and development. Such development has inevitably influenced the structure and habits of Chinese society. Whilst the economic condition of the middle class and high-income segment has steadily improved, cultural changes are also under way: ancient Chinese traditions now include major elements from other cultures, most notably the West. The above scenario is the background to this paper. A structured research-administered survey was developed to investigate the changes in the Chinese consumer food culture: 500 urban participants were randomly selected from six reference cities, covering geographically almost the whole country. This study aims not only to analyze the propensity of consumers to include food products from other countries in their ancient Chinese culinary culture, but also represents an initial attempt to perform a market segmentation of Chinese consumers according to their degree of cultural openness towards non-Chinese food, taking into account socio-demographic, cognitive and psychographic variables.

Ancient DNA reveals genetic connections between early Di-Qiang and Han Chinese.

PubMed

Li, Jiawei; Zeng, Wen; Zhang, Ye; Ko, Albert Min-Shan; Li, Chunxiang; Zhu, Hong; Fu, Qiaomei; Zhou, Hui

2017-12-04

Ancient Di-Qiang people once resided in the Ganqing region of China, adjacent to the Central Plain area from where Han Chinese originated. While gene flow between the Di-Qiang and Han Chinese has been proposed, there is no evidence to support this view. Here we analyzed the human remains from an early Di-Qiang site (Mogou site dated ~4000 years old) and compared them to other ancient DNA across China, including an early Han-related site (Hengbei site dated ~3000 years old) to establish the underlying genetic relationship between the Di-Qiang and ancestors of Han Chinese. We found Mogou mtDNA haplogroups were highly diverse, comprising 14 haplogroups: A, B, C, D (D*, D4, D5), F, G, M7, M8, M10, M13, M25, N*, N9a, and Z. In contrast, Mogou males were all Y-DNA haplogroup O3a2/P201; specifically one male was further assigned to O3a2c1a/M117 using targeted unique regions on the non-recombining region of the Y-chromosome. We compared Mogou to 7 other ancient and 38 modern Chinese groups, in a total of 1793 individuals, and found that Mogou shared close genetic distances with Taojiazhai (a more recent Di-Qiang population), Hengbei, and Northern Han. We modeled their interactions using Approximate Bayesian Computation, and support was given to a potential admixture of ~13-18% between the Mogou and Northern Han around 3300-3800 years ago. Mogou harbors the earliest genetically identifiable Di-Qiang, ancestral to the Taojiazhai, and up to ~33% paternal and ~70% of its maternal haplogroups could be found in present-day Northern Han Chinese.

Text Mining of the Classical Medical Literature for Medicines That Show Potential in Diabetic Nephropathy

PubMed Central

Zhang, Lei; Li, Yin; Guo, Xinfeng; May, Brian H.; Xue, Charlie C. L.; Yang, Lihong; Liu, Xusheng

2014-01-01

Objectives. To apply modern text-mining methods to identify candidate herbs and formulae for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy. Methods. The method we developed includes three steps: (1) identification of candidate ancient terms; (2) systemic search and assessment of medical records written in classical Chinese; (3) preliminary evaluation of the effect and safety of candidates. Results. Ancient terms Xia Xiao, Shen Xiao, and Xiao Shen were determined as the most likely to correspond with diabetic nephropathy and used in text mining. A total of 80 Chinese formulae for treating conditions congruent with diabetic nephropathy recorded in medical books from Tang Dynasty to Qing Dynasty were collected. Sao si tang (also called Reeling Silk Decoction) was chosen to show the process of preliminary evaluation of the candidates. It had promising potential for development as new agent for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy. However, further investigations about the safety to patients with renal insufficiency are still needed. Conclusions. The methods developed in this study offer a targeted approach to identifying traditional herbs and/or formulae as candidates for further investigation in the search for new drugs for modern disease. However, more effort is still required to improve our techniques, especially with regard to compound formulae. PMID:24744808

Internationalization of Chinese Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Linhan; Huang, Danyan

2013-01-01

This paper probes into the development of internationalization of higher education in China from ancient times to modern times, including the emergence of international connections in Chinese higher education and the subsequent development of such connections, the further development of internationalization of Chinese higher education, and the…

[The evolution of related names of Bi syndrome and the theory of etiology and pathogenesis].

PubMed

Dai, Jian-hua; Shi, Ying-jie; Yin, Hai-bo; Du, Hui

2009-07-01

In the Traditional Chinese medical literature of ancient times, Bi referred to the pathogenesis, or the symptoms as well as the name of the disease. As the name of a disease, Bi has the different meanings of broad and narrow., joint-running, joint-running wind, white tiger joint-running, gout etc. referring to the narrow meaning of Bi disease. The theory of etiology and pathogenesis of the narrow meaning of Bi disease developed from damp-impediment, wind-cold-damp impediment to damp-hot impediment, stasis-hot impediment, which reflected the constant deepening of cognition.

Ancient Chinese Astronomy - An Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Yunli

Documentary and archaeological evidence testifies the early origin and continuous development of ancient Chinese astronomy to meet both the ideological and practical needs of a society largely based on agriculture. There was a long period when the beginning of the year, month, and season was determined by direct observation of celestial phenomena, including their alignments with respect to the local skyline. As the need for more exact study arose, new instruments for more exact observation were invented and the system of calendrical astronomy became entirely mathematized.

[English translation of the title of ancient Chinese medical books and documents].

PubMed

Zeng, Fang; Shao, Xin; Zhang, Pei-Hai

2008-11-01

The title of a book is, generally, the high concentration of the writer's intention and the theme of content. Translate the title of an ancient Chinese medical book or document accurately and plainly is meaningful for exhibiting the style of the book, also for promoting the international communication of TCM. The principle should be followed is to choose the translating terms accurately to reveal the theme of content and express the cultural connotation of the book perfectly.

Traditional Chinese medicine--sea urchin.

PubMed

Shang, Xiao-Hui; Liu, Xiao-Yu; Zhang, Jian-Peng; Gao, Yun; Jiao, Bing-Hua; Zheng, Heng; Lu, Xiao-Ling

2014-01-01

The sea urchin is an ancient, common, seafloor-dwelling marine invertebrate that belongs to the phylum Echinodermata. There are multiple species of sea urchin with resources that are widely distributed in China, where they were used in ancient times as Traditional Chinese Medicine for treating a variety of diseases. At present, it is known that the shell, spine and gonad of the sea urchin have many medicinal values determined through modern research. In this paper, we summarized the major chemical constituents and medicinal value of the sea urchin.

Leadership insights of the Chinese military classics for physician leaders and healthcare administrators.

PubMed

Enzenaue, Robert W

2007-01-01

Trite sayings from Chinese military classics often find their way into after-dinner fortune cookies in many Chinese restaurants in America. However, no one should underestimate the lessons from those Chinese military classics, and they certainly should never be trivialized. Leaders at all levels of healthcare management can learn timeless lessons spanning three millennia from the wisdom of ancient Chinese military writings.

The Impact of Ancient Chinese Philosophy on Contemporary Leisure in China.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Yi-Shih; Card, Jaclyn A.

Little has been written on the impact of Far East civilization's thought and influence on leisure in China today. A discussion of Chinese history, outlined in three stages, clarifies the development of Chinese philosophy over the past 5,000 years. Chinese civilization and culture rest upon a philosophical basis shaped primarily by the principles…

Did the perils of abdominal obesity affect depiction of feminine beauty in the sixteenth to eighteenth century British literature? Exploring the health and beauty link

PubMed Central

Singh, Devendra; Renn, Peter; Singh, Adrian

2007-01-01

‘Good gene’ mate selection theory proposes that all individuals share evolved mental mechanisms that identify specific parts of a woman's body as indicators of fertility and health. Depiction of feminine beauty, across time and culture, should therefore emphasize the physical traits indicative of health and fertility. Abdominal obesity, as measured by waist size, is reliably linked to decreased oestrogen, reduced fecundity and increased risk for major diseases. Systematic searches of British literature across the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries reveal that a narrow waist is consistently described as beautiful. Works in ancient Indian and Chinese literature similarly associate feminine attractiveness with a narrow waist. Even without the benefit of modern medical knowledge, both British and Asian writers knew intuitively the biological link between health and beauty. PMID:17251110

[A logical framework derived from philosophy of language for analysis of the terms of traditional Chinese medicine and an example for analysis of "kidney essence"].

PubMed

Huang, Jian-hua; Li, Wen-wei; Bian, Qin; Shen, Zi-yin

2011-09-01

The true meanings of the terms of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) need to be analyzed on a logical basis. It is not suitable to use a new term to interpret an old term of TCM, or arbitrarily specify the special term of TCM corresponding to some substances of modern medicine. In philosophy of language, language has a logical structure, which reflects the structure of the world, that is to say, language is the picture of the world in a logical sense. Using this idea, the authors collected the ancient literature on "kidney essence", and extracted each necessary condition for "kidney essence". All necessary conditions formed a sufficient condition to define the term "kidney essence". It is expected that this example can show the effectiveness of philosophy of language in analysis of the terms of TCM.

PIXE study on the provenance of Chinese ancient porcelain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, D.; Cheng, H. S.; Lin, J. W.; Yang, F. J.

2006-08-01

This paper reports the PIXE study on the provenance of Chinese ancient porcelain made in 7-10th century. The chemical compositions of Jun celadon samples made at Juntai, Linru and Hunyuan kilns, the white-glazed porcelain samples made at Ding, Huangye and Dangyangyu kilns, and the Ru celadon samples made at Qiangliang Temple were measured by external-beam PIXE, and the factor analysis was applied for identifying their provenances. Experimental results show that the porcelain products made at different kilns can be distinguished according to the compositional differences measured by PIXE.

PIXE analysis of Chinese ancient greenish white porcelain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Lin; Ding, Xun-liang; Feng, Song-lin; Cheng, Huang-sheng; Zhang, Wen-Jiang; Fan, Chang-Sheng

2006-03-01

This paper reports the results about the PIXE analysis of major, minor and trace elements of Chinese ancient greenish white porcelain and blue-and-white porcelain produced in Hutian Kiln (Jingdezhen district, Jiangxi province) during 10th-14th centuries. The porcelain body and greenish white glaze from northern Song (AD 960), southern Song (AD 1037-1276), early Yuan (AD 1279-1320), later Yuan (AD 1320-1368) were investigated together with white-and-blue glaze from Ming dynasty (AD 1368-1644). The obtained data were further analyzed by factor analysis.

Neural Strategies for Reading Japanese and Chinese Sentences: A Cross-Linguistic fMRI Study of Character-Decoding and Morphosyntax

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Koongliang; Itoh, Kosuke; Kwee, Ingrid L.; Nakada, Tsutomu

2012-01-01

Japanese and Chinese share virtually identical morphographic characters invented in ancient China. Whereas modern Chinese retained the original morphographic functionality of these characters (hanzi), modern Japanese utilizes these characters (kanji) as complex syllabograms. This divergence provides a unique opportunity to systematically…

[Brief introduction of geo-authentic herbs].

PubMed

Liang, Fei; Li, Jian; Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Rui-Xian

2013-05-01

The science of geo-authentic herbs is a characteristic discipline of traditional Chinese medicine established during thousands of years of clinical practices. It has a long history under the guidance of profound theories of traditional Chinese medicine. The words of "geo-authentic product" were derived from an administrative division unit in the ancient times, which layed stress on the good quality of products in particular regions. In ancient records of traditional Chinese medicine, the words of "geo-authentic product" were first found in Concise Herbal Foundation Compilation of the Ming dynasty, and the words of "geo-authentic herbs" were first discovered in Peony Pavilion of the late Ming dynasty. After all, clinical effect is the fundamental evaluation standard of geo-authentic herbs.

Defining According to Its Essence: An Analysis on the Concept of Tong Shi Education (General Education) in the Native Chinese Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Yi; Xu, Yuan

2018-01-01

The authors review the concept of Tong Shi (Chinese characters omitted) in ancient Chinese philosophical texts, illustrate the Chinese cultural attributes unique to the characters Tong and Shi, and confirm that the name and essence of Tong Shi Education has a clear directivity and irreplaceable coverage to university general education in…

"Cosmomorphistic geometry" in the unconscious geometry of Johannes Kepler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adam, Adolf

Some mathematical aspects of the Music theory by Johannes Kepler are discussed, paying a special attention to the book "De harmonice mundi". Other scientists interested in Music theory are mentioned throughout the paper: The Pythagorean school, Klaudios Ptolemaios, Leonard Euler, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Christian von Goldbach, Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholz, Karl Friedrich Gauss. The relation with the ancient chinese schools of cosmography has been discussed: From the the Pythagorean to the ancient Chinese schools of cosmography we find arithmo-geometrical applications of numbers which are emblematic, hold meaning or represent the essence of things, the author writes. It was Johannes Kepler who taught us this "transconstructive method" of forming classical and ancient begginings of structuralistic thinking into a system from which deductions can readily be made.

Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fegley, B., Jr.

Venus is Earth's nearest planetary neighbor and has fascinated mankind since the dawn of history. Venus' clouds reflect most of the sunlight shining on the planet and make it the brightest object in the sky after the Sun and Moon. Venus is visible with the naked eye as an evening star until a few hours after sunset or as a morning star shortly before sunrise. Many ancient civilizations observed and worshipped Venus, which had a different name in each society, for example, Ishtar to the Babylonians, Aphrodite to the Greeks, Tai'pei to the Chinese, and Venus to the Romans. Venus has continued to play an important role in myth, literature, and science throughout history.

For the Future of Chinese Universities: Three Conversations from the Past

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pickus, David

2016-01-01

This article argues that ideas from the ancient past supply insight about the future of Chinese universities. I make this case by outlining three claims about the nature and purpose of education in Homer, Plato, and Augustine. I propose that conversations based on these ideas illuminate central underlying problems facing Chinese higher education…

The Sign System in Chinese Landscape Paintings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMahon, Cliff G.

2003-01-01

Paintings emerge from a culture field and must be interpreted in relation to the net of culture. A given culture will be implicated by the sign system used by the painter. Everyone agrees that in Chinese landscape paintings, the most important cultural bond is to ancient Chinese Taoism, and to a lesser degree, to Confucianism. Obviously, then, the…

Botanical drugs in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

PubMed

Jaiswal, Yogini; Liang, Zhitao; Zhao, Zhongzhen

2016-12-24

China and India have a long history in the therapeutic application of botanical drugs in traditional medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda are considered as two of the most ancient systems of medicine, with history of more than two millennia. Medicinal plants are the principal medicinal materials used in both these systems. This review discusses about the histories of Ayurveda and TCM, the common medicinal plants species, the drug processing strategies used, and the current statuses of these traditional systems of medicine (TSM). Through the views presented in this article, we aim to provide a new perspective to herbal drug researchers for expanding and improving the utilization of botanical drugs and their therapeutic applications. A bibliographic investigation of Chinese and Indian pharmacopoeias, monographs and official websites was performed. Furthermore, information was obtained from scientific databases on ethnobotany and ethno medicines. The review of Ayurveda and TCM ethno medicine indicates that both these systems have many medicinal materials in common. The studies carried out by the authors for comparison of plants from same genus from both these TSM's have been discussed to further bring focus to the utilization of "qualitatively" similar species which can be utilized and substituted for endangered or economically valued species. The overview of ancient literature and scientific findings for drugs in both these systems suggests that, the botanical drugs used in common and their processing methods can be explored further for extensive utilization in traditional medicine. This review describes the histories, common medicinal plant species, their processing methods and therapeutic applications in Ayurveda and TCM. The insights provided through this article may be used by herbal drug researchers and pharmacologists for further exploration of botanical drugs from these two traditional systems of medicine. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Creating cometary models using ancient Chinese data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeomans, D. K.

For more than two millennia, Chinese court astronomers maintained a rather comprehensive record of cometary sightings. Owing to the significance of comets as portents for the reigning emperor, early sky watchers from China (as well as their counterparts from Korea and Japan) carefully noted each cometary apparition for the purpose of astrological predictions. The dates and corresponding celestial locations and motions were usually recorded and in some cases, the colors, coma sizes, and tail lengths were also noted. These ancient observations represent the only source of information available for modeling the long-term behavior of periodic comets. For comets Halley and Swift-Tuttle, Chinese records have been identified as far back as 240 B.C. and 69 B.C. respectively and these data have been used to define their long-term motions. As a result, heliocentric and geocentric distances for each Chinese sighting of these two comets can be computed and estimates can be made for each comet's intrinsic brightness at various observed returns. Although the earliest identified apparition of comet Tempel-Tuttle is A.D. 1366, the associated Leonid meteor showers were noted back to at least A.D. 902. The Leonid meteor stream is young in the sense that outstanding meteor displays occur only near the time of the parent comet's perihelion passages. The ancient Chinese records of the Leonid meteor showers and storms have been used to map the particle distribution around the parent comet and this information was used to guide predictions for the 1998-1999 Leonid meteor showers.

PIXE analysis of ancient Chinese Changsha porcelain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, E. K.; Yu, Y. C.; Wang, C. W.; Liu, T. Y.; Wu, C. M.; Chen, K. M.; Lin, S. S.

1999-04-01

In this work, proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) method was applied for the analysis of ancient Chinese Changsha porcelain produced in the Tang dynasty (AD 618-907). A collection of glazed potsherds was obtained in the complex of the famous kiln site at Tongguan, Changsha city, Hunan province. Studies of elemental composition were carried out on ten selected Changsha potsherds. Minor and trace elements such as Ti, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Rb, Sr, and Zr in the material of the porcelain glaze were determined. Variation of these elements from sample to sample was investigated. Details of results are presented and discussed.

Non-destructive analysis and appraisal of ancient Chinese porcelain by PIXE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, H. S.; Zhang, Z. Q.; Xia, H. N.; Jiang, J. C.; Yang, F. J.

2002-05-01

This paper reports the results of the PIXE analysis on ancient Chinese blue and white porcelain fired at Kuan Kiln (Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province) during 13-19th century. The major, minor and trace element of porcelain body, white glaze and blue glaze were determined by PIXE. In this paper the chemical compositions of porcelain body, white glaze and blue glaze measured from Yuan (AD 1206-1368), Ming (AD 1368-1644) and Qing (AD 1616-1911) blue and white porcelain are present. The cobalt blue pigment used in Yuan, Ming and Qing are also discussed.

Precursors of Vocational Psychology in Ancient Civilizations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dumont, Frank; Carson, Andrew D.

1995-01-01

Examines philosophical theories produced by two ancient civilizations (Eastern Mediterranean and Chinese) for applications to an applied psychology of work. Includes analysis of Egyptians, Semites, and Greeks, with a special emphasis on Plato. Suggests that many basic elements of vocational psychology were present during the first millennium B.C.…

The China Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, Steve; Juefei, Wang

1991-01-01

Nearly half of all Vermont school districts have participated in the China Project since its inception in 1986. During the program's first two years, participants examined Chinese history, politics, economy, geography, philosophy, arts, ancient inventions, foreign policy, social life, women's social status, the Chinese language, and the Beijing…

Testing the hypothesis of an ancient Roman soldier origin of the Liqian people in northwest China: a Y-chromosome perspective.

PubMed

Zhou, Ruixia; An, Lizhe; Wang, Xunling; Shao, Wei; Lin, Gonghua; Yu, Weiping; Yi, Lin; Xu, Shijian; Xu, Jiujin; Xie, Xiaodong

2007-01-01

The Liqian people in north China are well known because of the controversial hypothesis of an ancient Roman mercenary origin. To test this hypothesis, 227 male individuals representing four Chinese populations were analyzed at 12 short tandem repeat (STR) loci and 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). At the haplogroup levels, 77% Liqian Y chromosomes were restricted to East Asia. Principal component (PC) and multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis suggests that the Liqians are closely related to Chinese populations, especially Han Chinese populations, whereas they greatly deviate from Central Asian and Western Eurasian populations. Further phylogenetic and admixture analysis confirmed that the Han Chinese contributed greatly to the Liqian gene pool. The Liqian and the Yugur people, regarded as kindred populations with common origins, present an underlying genetic difference in a median-joining network. Overall, a Roman mercenary origin could not be accepted as true according to paternal genetic variation, and the current Liqian population is more likely to be a subgroup of the Chinese majority Han.

Evaluating the efficacy of Tui Na in treatment of childhood anorexia: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Xia, Qiao Cui; Feng, Zhang Xin; Ping, Cai Xiao

2014-01-01

Medical practitioners are now seeing more children younger than 15 y who are developing childhood anorexia. Hua Tuo chiropractic treatments are an ancient and practical massage therapy and are a type of Tui Na therapy, which has been used for curing childhood anorexia for thousands of years in China. Research literature suggests that chiropractic care produces outcomes at least comparable with alternative treatments. The research team intended to perform a systematic review to identify and synthesize evidence on the efficacy of Tui Na for treatment of childhood anorexia. Systematic searches were conducted for studies evaluating Tui Na therapy in electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, the Cochrane Library, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, the Midwives Information and Resource Service, the Health Management Information Consortium, the Health Management and Information Service, PubMed, the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), the Chinese Scientific Journal Database VIP, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and the Chinese Clinical Trial Register-from inception to November 2011. The research team hand-searched reference lists and journals, extracted data from the papers, and assessed the quality of the research. Participants of the reviewed studies were infants and children younger than 15 y. Of the 109 papers identified, 3 papers reported on randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) involving 332 patients; 45 covered cohort or quasi-experimental studies; and 61 discussed nonintervention studies. Meta-analysis results from the 3 RCTs showed that Tui Na can improve the curative effect compared with oral medicine that is used for infants and young children with anorexia and can also increase a child's weight. The level of evidence reported was mixed, but given the available evidence, the research team concluded that Tui Na therapy was a viable intervention that could benefit infants and young children with anorexia. No serious adverse events were reported. Larger randomized, controlled trials are required to explore the effects of Tui Na therapy for treatment of childhood anorexia further.

[Herbal textual research on relationship between Chinese medicine"Shihu" (Dendrobium spp.) and "Tiepi Shihu" (D. catenatum)].

PubMed

Si, Jin-Ping; Zhang, Yuan; Luo, Yi-Bo; Liu, Jing-Jing; Liu, Zhong-Jian

2017-05-01

Dendrobium species on the ancient Chinese herbal texts were investigated in this paper, including their dscriptions of original species, producing areas and quality. Our results indicated that the major producing areas were Lu'an, Anhui province and Wenzhou, Taizhou, Zhejiang province. In addition, the sweet flavor, short, thin and solid stems were standing for good quality. Based on the stable producing areas and quality descriptions, D. catenatum (D. officinale) ("Tiepi Shihu") and D. houshanense were high quality medicinal Dendrobium species ("Shihu" ) in ancient China. Besides, there were 3 scientific names for "Tiepi Shihu", including D. candidum, D. officinale, D. catenatum. After textual investigation, We suggest that D. catenatum should be its scientific name, and D. officinale was synonyms published later. However, the name "D. officinale" could be reserved as it is much more popular used in publication and commodities. Moreover, its Chinese name should be "Tiepi Shihu". Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Printing Ancient Terracotta Warriors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gadecki, Victoria L.

2010-01-01

Standing in awe in Xian, China, at the Terra Cotta warrior archaeological site, the author thought of sharing this experience and excitement with her sixth-grade students. She decided to let her students carve patterns of the ancient soldiers to understand their place in Chinese history. They would make block prints and print multiple soldiers on…

A Unit of Study on the Music of China.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mueller, Alicia K.

1999-01-01

Presents a unit for elementary students that focuses on the music of the ancient culture of China during the Tang dynasty. Provides background information on Chinese society, music in ancient China, the relationship between music and poetry and other related arts. Offers two lesson plans with accompanying music and a list of resources. (CMK)

Systems Pharmacology-Based Approach of Connecting Disease Genes in Genome-Wide Association Studies with Traditional Chinese Medicine.

PubMed

Kim, Jihye; Yoo, Minjae; Shin, Jimin; Kim, Hyunmin; Kang, Jaewoo; Tan, Aik Choon

2018-01-01

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) originated in ancient China has been practiced over thousands of years for treating various symptoms and diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms of TCM in treating these diseases remain unknown. In this study, we employ a systems pharmacology-based approach for connecting GWAS diseases with TCM for potential drug repurposing and repositioning. We studied 102 TCM components and their target genes by analyzing microarray gene expression experiments. We constructed disease-gene networks from 2558 GWAS studies. We applied a systems pharmacology approach to prioritize disease-target genes. Using this bioinformatics approach, we analyzed 14,713 GWAS disease-TCM-target gene pairs and identified 115 disease-gene pairs with q value < 0.2. We validated several of these GWAS disease-TCM-target gene pairs with literature evidence, demonstrating that this computational approach could reveal novel indications for TCM. We also develop TCM-Disease web application to facilitate the traditional Chinese medicine drug repurposing efforts. Systems pharmacology is a promising approach for connecting GWAS diseases with TCM for potential drug repurposing and repositioning. The computational approaches described in this study could be easily expandable to other disease-gene network analysis.

Systems Pharmacology-Based Approach of Connecting Disease Genes in Genome-Wide Association Studies with Traditional Chinese Medicine

PubMed Central

Kim, Jihye; Yoo, Minjae; Shin, Jimin; Kim, Hyunmin; Kang, Jaewoo

2018-01-01

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) originated in ancient China has been practiced over thousands of years for treating various symptoms and diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms of TCM in treating these diseases remain unknown. In this study, we employ a systems pharmacology-based approach for connecting GWAS diseases with TCM for potential drug repurposing and repositioning. We studied 102 TCM components and their target genes by analyzing microarray gene expression experiments. We constructed disease-gene networks from 2558 GWAS studies. We applied a systems pharmacology approach to prioritize disease-target genes. Using this bioinformatics approach, we analyzed 14,713 GWAS disease-TCM-target gene pairs and identified 115 disease-gene pairs with q value < 0.2. We validated several of these GWAS disease-TCM-target gene pairs with literature evidence, demonstrating that this computational approach could reveal novel indications for TCM. We also develop TCM-Disease web application to facilitate the traditional Chinese medicine drug repurposing efforts. Systems pharmacology is a promising approach for connecting GWAS diseases with TCM for potential drug repurposing and repositioning. The computational approaches described in this study could be easily expandable to other disease-gene network analysis. PMID:29765977

[Safety evaluation and risk control measures of Cassiae Semen].

PubMed

Zhao, Yi-Meng; Wu, Li; Zhang, Shuo; Zhang, Li; Gao, Xue-Min; Sun, Xiao-Bo; Wang, Chun

2017-11-01

In this study, the authors reviewed domestic and foreign literatures, conducted the textual research on origin and development of Cassia Semen, studied records in ancient books and ancient and modern literatures, clinical adverse reactions and relevant experimental studies in recent years, and summarized the clinical features and influencing factors related to the safety of Cassiae Semen. According to the findings,Cassia Semen's safety risks are mainly liver and kidney system damages, with the main clinical features of fatigue, anorexia, disgusting of oil, yellow urine and gray stool; digestive system injury, with the main clinical features of diarrhea, abdominal distension, nausea and loose stool; reproductive system damage, with the main clinical features of vaginal bleeding. Allergic reactions and clinical adverse events, with the main clinical features for numb mouth, itching skin, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, wheezing and lip cyanosis were also reported. The toxicological studies on toxic components of Cassiae Semen obtusifolia were carried out through acute toxicity test, subacute toxicity test, subchronic toxicity test and chronic toxicity test. Risk factors might include patients, compatibility and physicians. Physicians should strictly abide by the medication requirements in the Pharmacopoeia, pay attention to rational compatibility, appropriate dosage,correct usage and appropriate processing, control the dosage below 15 g to avoid excessive intake, strictly control the course of treatment to avoid accumulated poisoning caused by long-term administration. At the same time, clinicians should pay attention to the latest research progress, update the knowledge structure, quickly find the latest and useful materials from clinical practice, scientific research and drug information and other literatures, make evaluation and judgment for the materials, establish a traditional Chinese medicine intelligence information library, and strengthen the control over adverse effects with a pre-warning consciousness. The authors suggested standardizing clinical medication of Cassiae Semen, and avoiding misuse or excessive use; clinicians should prescribe it in strict accordance with there commended usage and dosage in the Pharmacopoeia, and focus on the safety signal accumulation in clinic, while strengthening studies for toxic substance basis and toxicity mechanism, in order to give full play to Cassiae Semen's clinical efficacy and reduce its adverse reactions. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

[Comparative analysis between origin of cooked traditional Chinese medicine powder and modern formula granules].

PubMed

Li, Rui; Zhai, Hua-Qiang; Tian, Wei-Lan; Hou, Ji-Ru; Jin, Shi-Yuan; Wang, Yong-Yan

2016-03-01

In this study, the origin and causes of cooked traditional Chinese medicine powder were reviewed, and a comprehensive analysis was made for the time background of modern traditional Chinese medicine formula granules and the future development trend, in order to provide reference for application and promotion of traditional Chinese medicine formula granules. By reference to ancient medical books of previous dynasties, a system review was conducted for infancy, formation, maturity and transition of cooked traditional Chinese medicine powder, and a comprehensive analysis was made for the six factors of cooked traditional Chinese medicine powder's maturity in the Song Dynasty. Efforts were made to collect domestic and foreign research literatures of modern formula granules, understand the detailed development, and conduct an objective analysis of the current clinical application of modern formula granules. According to the comparative analysis for the application characteristics of cooked traditional Chinese medicine powder and modern formula granules, ①the popularity of cooked traditional Chinese medicine powder in the Song Dynasty has six factors: soaring numbers of medical students and medical practitioners, high medical expenses due to huge army, rapid population growth, frequent epidemics and increasing diseases, and insufficient finances of central and local governments. ②On the basis of clinical application characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine formula granules, traditional Chinese medicine formula granules contain extracted and concentrated effective components, which guarantee the curative effect, meet modern people's demands for "quick, simple and convenience" traditional Chinese medicine decoctions, show a relatively high cost performance; however, formula granules are restricted by their varieties and lack unified quality control standards, and single-extract formula granules have not synergy and attenuation effects of combined traditional Chinese medicine decoctions, which also restricts its clinical application and promotion. ③Both have advantages in the process of clinical application, and shall be used based on syndromes. In conclusion, traditional Chinese medicine formula granules do not have disadvantages of "difficult, complicated, turbid and disorderly" cooked traditional Chinese medicine powder, and solve such problems as "inflexibility, expensiveness, restriction, disorder and inefficacy", which is the important basis for promoting traditional Chinese medicine formula granules. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

"Who Knows Not But Speaks Is Not Wise; Who Knows But Speaks Not Is Not Loyal!": Rhetoric of Philosophical Wisdom in Ancient China.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cai, Guanjun

The persistent cultural conservatism in Western scholarship has led to the exclusion of Chinese rhetoric from the canon of rhetorical studies. However, the assumption that Chinese culture does not have a rhetorical tradition is misleading and inappropriate. It stems from any number of notions: that the Chinese language is not as logical as those…

Ancient Chinese medical ethics and the four principles of biomedical ethics.

PubMed Central

Tsai, D F

1999-01-01

The four principles approach to biomedical ethics (4PBE) has, since the 1970s, been increasingly developed as a universal bioethics method. Despite its wide acceptance and popularity, the 4PBE has received many challenges to its cross-cultural plausibility. This paper first specifies the principles and characteristics of ancient Chinese medical ethics (ACME), then makes a comparison between ACME and the 4PBE with a view to testing out the 4PBE's cross-cultural plausibility when applied to one particular but very extensive and prominent cultural context. The result shows that the concepts of respect for autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence and justice are clearly identifiable in ACME. Yet, being influenced by certain socio-cultural factors, those applying the 4PBE in Chinese society may tend to adopt a "beneficence-oriented", rather than an "autonomy-oriented" approach, which, in general, is dissimilar to the practice of contemporary Western bioethics, where "autonomy often triumphs". PMID:10461594

Some new results of PIXE study on Chinese ancient porcelain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, H. S.; Zhang, B.; Zhu, D.; Yang, F. J.; Sun, X. M.; Guo, M. S.

2005-10-01

This paper reports some new results obtained by PIXE on Chinese ancient porcelain. The first results concern the provenance of blue and white porcelain made during the Tang Dynasty (AD618-907), which are the earliest products found in China. The PIXE experimental results show that they were fired in Huangye Kiln, Gongyi, Henan Province. The chemical composition of the body, white glaze and of the cobalt pigment will be reported. This paper also reports the results for early Chinese blue and white porcelain made under the Yuan dynasty (AD1206-1368) in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province. Experimental results show that the chemical composition of the cobalt pigment used by officers and popular are similar. These materials were imported from another country. The local asbolite was used as cobalt pigment material since the early Ming Dynasty (AD1368-1644) in Jingdezhen at folk kiln, and it was used at official kiln until the 16th century.

Motion sickness in ancient China: Seasickness and cart-sickness.

PubMed

Brandt, Thomas; Bauer, Matthias; Benson, Judy; Huppert, Doreen

2016-07-19

To find and analyze descriptions of motion sickness in Chinese historical sources. Databases and dictionaries were searched for various terms for seasickness and travel sickness, which were then entered into databases of full texts allowing selection of relevant passages from about the third to the 19th century ad. Already in 300 ad the Chinese differentiated cart-sickness, particularly experienced by persons from the arid north of China, from a ship-illness experienced by persons from the south, where rivers were important for transportation and travel. In the Middle Ages, a third form of motion sickness was called litter-influence experienced by persons transported in a bed suspended between 2 long poles. The ancient Chinese recognized the particular susceptibility of children to motion sickness. Therapeutic recommendations include drinking the urine of young boys, swallowing white sand-syrup, collecting water drops from a bamboo stick, or hiding some earth from the middle of the kitchen hearth under the hair. The Chinese medical classics distinguished several forms of travel sickness, all of which had their own written characters. The pathophysiologic mechanism was explained by the medicine of correspondences, which was based on malfunctions within the body, its invasion by external pathogens like wind, or the deficit or surfeit of certain bodily substances such as the life force Qi. The concept of motion as the trigger of sickness initially appeared in a chapter on warding off the influence of demons and corpses, e.g., ancient magic and beliefs. © 2016 American Academy of Neurology.

Ancient Guest Stars as harbingers of neutron star formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhen-Ru

The well-known AD 1006, 1054, 1572, and 1604 were described as "Guest Stars" by Chinese, Japanese and Korean. In most cases, it might thus be possible to expect a Guest Star to be a term for supernova or nova. There are a lot of records concerning ancient Guest Stars in Chinese historical books. Two catalogues were compiled by Xi (1955) and Xi and Bo (1965, 1966) that listed 90 probable novae or supernovae observed between 1400 BC and AD 1700. Clark and Stephenson (1977), Ho (1962) and Kanda (1935) collected more or less similar records. Among all the historical records more than 80% are from China. The discussion presented in this paper is based on them.

The non-destructive identification of early Chinese porcelain by PIXE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, H. S.; Zhang, Z. Q.; Zhang, B.; Yang, F. J.

2004-06-01

PIXE is used for the non-destructive differentiation of early precious Chinese blue and white porcelain made in Yuan (AD 1206-1368), Ming (AD 1368-1644) Dynasty in Jingdezhen from imitations. Also, ancient celadon made in Song Dynasty (AD 960-1279) is identified by measuring the trace elements contained in the glazes.

Mindfulness and the Ethics of Intercultural Knowledge-Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Zhuo Min; Fay, Richard; White, Ross

2017-01-01

Mindfulness, or [Chinese character omitted] (niàn) in Chinese, is a concept and set of related practices which have both ancient Eastern roots and current popularity (especially in the West). It provides a fascinating example of intercultural knowledge-work involving a complex set of conceptual migrations through time and space, across languages…

Forest hydrology in China: introduction to the featured collection

Treesearch

Ge Sun; Shirong Liu; Zhiqiang Zhang; Xiaohua Wei

2008-01-01

Chinese people have long recognized the importance of forests and water in environment, societal development, and civilization. The philosophical thoughts are well reflected in many ancient paintings and stories that picture the harmony of forests, water, and mountains, and in fact, well-respected Chinese rulers are known for their contributions to harnessing large...

A Historical View of Motion Sickness-A Plague at Sea and on Land, Also with Military Impact.

PubMed

Huppert, Doreen; Benson, Judy; Brandt, Thomas

2017-01-01

Seasickness and its triggers, symptoms, and preventive measures were well known in antiquity. This chapter is based on an analysis of descriptions of motion sickness, in particular seasickness, in ancient Greek, Roman, and Chinese literature. A systematic search was made from the Greek period beginning with Homer in 800 BC to the late Roman period and ending with Aetios Amidenos in 600 AD, as well as in the Chinese medical classics dating from around 300 AD. Major aspects are the following: body movements caused by waves were identified in all cultures as the critical stimuli. The ancient Greeks and Romans knew that other illnesses and the mental state could precipitate seasickness and that experienced sailors were highly resistant to it (habituation). The Chinese observed that children were particularly susceptible to motion sickness; they first described the type of motion sickness induced by traveling in carts (cart-sickness) or being transported on a litter or in a sedan chair (litter-sickness). The western classics recommended therapeutic measures like fasting or specific diets, pleasant fragrancies, medicinal plants like white hellebore (containing various alkaloids), or a mixture of wine and wormwood. The East knew more unusual measures, such as drinking the urine of young boys, swallowing white sand-syrup, collecting water drops from a bamboo stick, or hiding earth from the kitchen hearth under the hair. The Greek view of the pathophysiology of seasickness was based on the humoral theory of Empedokles and Aristoteles and differed from the Chinese medicine of correspondences, which attributed malfunctions to certain body substances and the life force Qi. Many sources emphasized the impact of seasickness on military actions and famous naval battles such as the Battle of the Red Cliff, which marked the end of the Han dynasty in China, or the defeat of the Spanish Armada by the English in 1588. A peculiar form of motion sickness is associated with Napoleon's camel corps during the Egyptian campaign of 1798/1799, a sickness induced by riding on a camel. Thus, motion sickness in antiquity was known as a physiological response to unadapted body motions during passive transportation as well as a plague at sea.

[The Seongho () School's Study of the Ancient Learning () and Its Influence on the Debate about Materia Medica in the Late Joseon Dynasty].

PubMed

Cho, Sung-San

2015-08-01

This study will determine the ways in which the ancient learning (gu xue, ) scholarship of the Seongho School, and its interest in the materia medica (ben cao xue, ) were related during the late Joseon period. The Seongho School centered its studies mainly on classical Chinese texts of the Han (206 BC－AD 220) and pre-Han (?－221 BC) (xian-qin lianghan, ) periods rather than those of the Tang and Song dynasties (618-1279). gu xue scholarship emerged during the Ming dynasty era (1368 －1644) as an alternative to the scholarly trends of the Song dynasty, which were dependent on Zhu Xi's (, 1130－1200) Neo-Confucianism and its interpretation of Han and pre-Han classical Chinese texts. This scholarly trend influenced Korean and Japanese literature, philosophy, and even medicine from the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries. Focusing on Korean scholarship, we find a great deal of research regarding the influence of gu xue on Korean classical Chinese literature and Confucian philosophy in the late Joseon period; however, no study has examined how this style of scholarship influenced the field of medicine during the same period. This study will investigate how the intellectuals of the Seongho School, who did the most to develop gu xue among Joseon intellectuals, were influenced by this style of scholarship in their study of the materia medica. Jeong Yak-yong (1762－1836), the representative intellectual of the Seongho School, did not focus on complicated metaphysical medical theories, such as the Yin-Yang and Five Elements theory (yin yang wu xing shui, ) or the Five Movements and Six Atmospheres theory (wu yun liu qi shui, ). Instead, his interests lay in the exact diagnoses of diseases and meticulous herbal prescriptions which formed an essential part of the Treatise on Exogenous Febrile Disease (Shang han lun, ) written by Zhang Zhungjing (, 150－219) in the Han dynasty. The Treatise was compatible with the scholarly purpose of gu xue in that they both eschewed metaphysical explanations. The Seongho School's interest in the materia medica stemmed from a desire to improve the delivery and quality of medical practices in rural communities, where metaphysical theories of medicine did not prevail and the cost of medicine was prohibitive.

[Different uses of Fagopyrum esculentum Moench (buckwheat) in Japan and China: what ancient medical documents reveal].

PubMed

Tatsumi, Nami; Marui, Eiji

2012-03-01

The purpose of this thesis is to demonstrate that buckwheat has been recognized, both in Japan and China, as a crop that is useful in many ways: as an agricultural crop, and for the healing powers and properties that, according to traditional Chinese medicine, it has. A comparative study of ancient documents pertaining to medicine in these countries has made it clear that this is the case. Buckwheat, however, has been used quite differently in each country. As is shown in some ancient Chinese documents pertaining to medicine, China has treated buckwheat primarily as a medicine for clinical use rather than as an edible crop. Nowadays, buckwheat is eaten only in some regions of China. Although it came to Japan from China as a medicine, in Japan buckwheat gradually became a popular food crop. It has become an important component of traditional Japanese cuisine thanks in part to government support and the strong demand that developed in Japanese society.

["Bell-striking" Saying of Acupuncture Therapy].

PubMed

Zhao, Jing-Sheng

2017-04-25

As an analogy, a prototype of "bell-striking" is proposed in the present paper for exploring the basic properties, major elements, and potential mechanisms of acupuncture stimulation. On the strength of analysis on the physiological basis of acupuncture effect, several fundamental aspects of acupuncture are summarized as a) the body-surface stimulating characters, b) general and local effects, and c) triggering the auto-regulative function of the organism, which mimics the "bell-striking" response. Namely, when stroke, bell will chime, otherwise, chiming will not be heard. During analyzing special contents of acupuncture theory, its formative background should not be separated, and it is improper to take, modern medical theory of the human body as the guiding thinking way for researching the ancient Chinese medical literature.

Rocket Tablet,

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-09-12

not accustomed to Chinese food, he ran off directly to the home of the Mayor of Beijing and requested two Western cuisine cooks from a hotel. At the...played out by our Chinese sons and daughters of ancient times. The famous Han dynasty general Li Guang was quickly cured of disease and led an army...Union) of China. This place was about to become the birthplace of the Chinese people’s first rocket baby. Section One In this eternal wasteland called

Combination of Resveratrol and Zinc for Prostate Cancer Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-01

tional Chinese medicine system, which also has a more than 5000-year-old history, is also based on a cocktail approach. Traditional Chinese herbal ...radia- tion therapy, and/or Chinese herbal medicine . Pancreas 40: 120–125. 32. DeVita, V.T., Jr. & E. Chu. 2008. A history of cancer chemotherapy. Cancer...resveratrol for health ben- efits can be traced back to several ancient medicine systems. For example, resveratrol has been a com- ponent of “Darakchasava

New Tools for an Ancient Craft: The Use of eCases in Chinese Medicine Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Zhi-Xiu; Lam, Paul; Wong, Alex; Cen, Ze-bo; Sun, Wai-zhu; Miao, Jiang-xia; McNaught, Carmel

2009-01-01

Conventional teaching of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is highly teacher-centered, in line with traditional views of the teacher as "master". This article focuses on how modern teaching concepts and technologies can enhance the teaching of TCM in Hong Kong, a city noted for a culture where "East meets West." The project…

Study on Gender-Related Speech Communication in Classical Chinese Poetry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tian, Xinhe; Qin, Dandan

2016-01-01

Gender, formed in men and women's growth which is constrained by social context, is tightly tied to the distinction which is presented in the process of men and women's language use. Hence, it's a new breakthrough for studies on gender and difference by analyzing gender-related speech communication on the background of ancient Chinese culture.

Learning from the Barbarians? Reflections on Chinese Identity and "Race" in the Educational Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yan, Hektor K. T.

2016-01-01

This paper takes a reflective look at the notions of identity, "race" and ethnicity using a few ancient and modern Chinese "texts". It begins with an examination of the reforms known as "adopting the costume of barbarian/foreign people and practicing mounted archery [hufuqishe]' carried out by King Wuling [Chinese…

The Elements of Taste: How Many Are There?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wertz, S. K.

2013-01-01

What is the number of tastes or flavors we have? Is it five, as most Chinese believe? None, as the ancient Taoists asserted? Four, as Western science traditionally claims? Recently, "umami" has been added to the traditional four: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter (the Chinese added another: spicy or pungent). Aristotle and Raghavan Iyer (of India)…

Ancient Chinese Bronzes: Teacher's Packet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

The focus of this teacher's packet is the bronze vessels made for the kings and great families of the early Chinese dynasties between 1700 B.C. and 200 A.D. The materials in the guide are intended for use by teachers and students visiting the exhibition, "The Arts of China," at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution…

[Discussion on exploitation of foreign traditional chinese medicine resources based on "the Belt and Road"].

PubMed

Zhang, Xiao-Bo; Lyu, Dong-Mei; Huang, Lu-Qi; Li, Meng; Guo, Lan-Ping; Peng, Hua-Sheng

2018-04-01

At the beginning of the ancient "Silk Road", traditional Chinese medicine resources (TCM resources) have long been integrated into it, and it was once the "important part" of the ancient "Silk Road" in Chinese history, benefited from this, the political connections was strengthened, the economic and trade was developed, and Chinese medicine culture was spread. Before Qing Dynasty, people took out the "silk" and brought back "herbs" on the "Silk Road", which enriched China's medicinal resources. While in the later Qing Dynasty and the period of the Republic of China, more scientific and technological methods were brought back from abroad, and this in turn enriched the medical research methods. With more than 2 000 years' development, China's boundaries have changed countless times, therefore the word "Foreign" has different meanings in different historical periods. The import, development and utilization of foreign TCM resources is different in different historical periods, at present, with the continuous enhancement of China's comprehensiv national strength，especially the "Belt And Road" strategy, the communication and import of TCM resources with countries that participating in the "Belt and Road" initiativ became much easier. In order to actively respond to the "Belt and Road" initiative promote the development and utilization of foreign medicinal resources; serve people from the countries participating in the "Belt and Road" initiative we sorted out the foreign TCM resources from different periods in ancient and modern China, and based on this, we proposed the strategy of import of foreign TCM resources under the new situation, those are: "three levels, four steps, one support and one key". And "three levels" refers to intelligence collection level, field investigation level, scientific research level, "Four steps" refers to the original identification research, safety evaluation research, functional positioning research and medicinal properties research; "One support" refers to relying on overseas Chinese or Chinese enterprises with working foundation and network resources, "One key" refers to the protection of the intellectual property rights of foreign TCM resources at the policy level and to mobilize the initiative of all parties. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

[Summary of Hui prescriptions for treating cough].

PubMed

Zhang, Wen-jin; Liu, Yue; Zhang, Xin-hui

2015-02-01

In this study, by using the method of literature research, 35 prescriptions related to asthma therapy has been screened out from Hui medicine through collecting the ancient and modern literature. A comparison of fragrant medicine between the name in Arab and Chinese herbal medicine is done. The countif function in Microsoft Excel 2007 is used to get the prescriptions of the drug on the frequency statistics, summarizing the common drugs of Hui medicine for asthma are Pinellia, almond, white sugar, walnut. According to the commonly used drugs, the pathogeny and treatment principle about Hui medicine for asthma is preliminarily inferred combining literature research and the related Hui medical theory. In this study, those prescriptions have been classified into 21 cases which are effective and can be used in medical therapy according to the relevant literatures with the development of the Hui people in their long process of formation of the unique diet culture, 14 useful and convenient Halal diet therapies are made up according to the indications, therapies, party name and composition. Halal diet and "medicine and food" herbs are preliminarily analyzed and summarized, which can be convenient for the people to reduce pains through the diet and improve health awareness.

[Textual research on adulteration of Chinese materia medica in ancient China].

PubMed

Xie, Jin; Wang, De-Qun

2013-09-01

By investigating the mainstream works of herbal classics of successive ages, it is found that adulteration of Chinese materia medica appeared early in ancient China. The main methods of adulteration was producing fraud medicines in the Northern-Southern Dynasties, fake medicines began to appear in the Tang Dynasty, and status of adulteration of Chinese materia medica ran unchecked since the Ming and Qing Dynasty. By statistics, there were 76 kinds of adulteration varieties before the Republican period. The main varieties were precious drugs, animal drugs and artifacts. Commonly methods used in the process included forging and adulterating, dealing with 11 kinds and 68 kinds respectively. Adulteration probably lead to the result of imposing the changes of the used medicinal parts of Herba Pogostemonis; Radix Aconiti Lateralis prepared by adding salt, Radix Angelica Sinensis processed by wine, and Radix Astragalis seu Hedysaris processed with bee honey. However, the root cause of adulteration in Chinese materia medica was the dissociation of professional physician and pharmacist, resulting in the ignorance of medical practitioners became unable to recognize Chinese materia medica; and the immorality of medicinal merchants. Besides, rating the quality of materia medica based on its producing areas without differentiating the false from the genuine may also contribute to this result passively.

Analysis of elemental maps from glaze to body of ancient Chinese Jun and Ru porcelain by micro-X-ray fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Lin; Li, Rongwu; Pan, Qiuli; Li, Guoxia; Zhao, Weijuan; Liu, Zhiguo

2009-01-01

The reasons how the middle layer of Ru and Jun porcelain between the glaze and body came into being are still not completely understood. Here, elemental maps from the glaze to the body of pieces of ancient Chinese Ru and Jun porcelain were analyzed by micro-X-ray fluorescence. The results show the middle layer was probably formed by the chemical composition of the glaze turning into glassy states and undergoing complex physical-chemical reactions with the body. However, the middle layer of Jun porcelain was formed by the chemical composition of the glaze turning into glassy states and then infiltrating the body at high temperatures during the firing process.

Research on history of medicine in China in the last five years.

PubMed

Zhu, Jian-ping

2004-03-01

Since 1999, progress has been made, to varying degrees, in numerous areas of medical history research in China including history of TCM, history of western medicine, history of integrated Chinese and western medicine, history of traditional medicine of Chinese minorities, history of medicine of foreign countries, history of medical exchanges between China and other countries, and history of comparative medical history. Among others, the number of articles on history of diseases, history of specific medical disciplines, modern medical history, medical biographies, medical works, contemporary medical history, and history of medical culture has increased dramatically. In the field of history of diseases, the papers deal with diseases in gynecology and obstetrics, plague, lanhousha (scarlet fever), and nephritis; articles in the field of specific disciplines deal with history of acu-moxibustion, history of prescription-forms, and history of gynecology, endoscopic surgery, and evidence-based medicine. There are even distinguished papers appeared in these aspects. In the aspect of modern medical history, there are papers dealing with the developement of TCM, the introduction of western medicine into China, with some specific researches in these fields. Medical biographies include Tan Yun-xian, Quan Shao-qing, Du Chong-ming etc. Papers on medical works deal with the ancient unearthed literature lost yet spread and extant abroad, medical classics, canons on material medica, cold-pathogenic diseases, and formularies. While papers on history of medical culture discuss basically the influence of Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and I-discipline on Chinese medicine. During these five years, 300 original articles have been published in The Chinese journal of Medical History, with another 200 papers published in other Chinese journals. Forty monographs have been published and important ones are A General History of Chinese Medicine, Modern history of TCM, The Historical Development of Acupuncture, A General History of Tiberan Medicine. For the coming years, the stress points should be laid on the research on history of diseases, history of specific medical disciplines, and some specific academic topics. In addition, the weak points in the research fields of theoretical problems in studies of medical history, history of traditional medicine of Chinese minorities, medical history of communication between China and foreign countries, comparative study on medical history, and the study on history of medical also be strengthened continually. In the five years since 1999, progress has been made, more or less, in the research works in medical history in China, including history of TCM, history of western medicine, history of integrated Chinese and western medicine, history of traditional medicine of Chinese minorities, history of medicine of foreign countries, history of medical exchanges between China and other countries, and history of comparative medical history. And the number of articles on history of diseases, history of specific medical disciplines, modern medical history, medical biographies, medical works, contemporary medical history and history of medical culture has increased dramatically. The research work in ancient medical history is still progressing forcefully.

[Not Available].

PubMed

Demaeyer, Ph

2016-01-01

Medicine owes many to Hippocrate, but pneumology traces its origin back to antiquity, from Mesopotamia to ancient Rome. Regarding prehistory: if viscera of this period have not been kept, some bones were. Since Neanderthals, it is then possible to study osteoarticular pathologies (often chronic arthrosis). But no evidence of tuberculosis was found (all thoracic kyphosis are not tuberculosis). Tuberculosis probably appears during the Neolithic age, because of high concentration of population. In ancient times, pneumology was of course not a real medical specialty. However, respiratory illness already constituted a big part of antique medical practice. The purpose of the physician in antiquity was to establish a diagnosis, a prognostic and to propose a treatment. Prognostic revealed to be of great importance in ancient times, since therapeutic efficacy was limited. Contemporary physicians often neglect this part of their practice. In ancient times, physicians also tried to gradually eliminate magic-religious aspects in taking care of the patients. This review will propose a journey from Mesopotamia to ancient Egypt (and its medical papyrus). Very few sources are available concerning medicine in pre-Columbian cultures. However, it is well known that shamans had, besides their religious competences, a great pharmacopoeia. Because of these very few sources, this topic will not be added to this article. Little is known in Europa about chinese medicine before the Jesuit mission in China during the 17th and 18th centuries. Yet, chinese medicine grew in parallel with European's one. Some relevant elements of this medicine will hereafter be shown.

[Research on evolution and transition of quality evaluation of Shihu].

PubMed

Zhao, Yu-Jiao; Han, Bang-Xing; Peng, Hua-Sheng; Peng, Dai-Yin

2016-04-01

Shihu is one of the most valuable Chinese medicines in China. The sources of Shihu are complex and the quality evaluation of it mainly depends on morphologic characteristics distinction. In order to understand the Shihu's quality evaluation concept of Chinese herbalists in the past dynasties. This paper summarizes the methods of quality evaluation in ancient bencao systematically. The ancient bencao records that the quality of Shihu is closely related to its germplasm, habitat, processing and character. The concept of germplasm about shihu includes generalized and narrow sense, besides, the clinical applications of Dendrobium huoshanenese, D. officinale and D. nobile are focused on different diseases. D. huoshanenese has been regarded as Dao-di herbs since Qing Dynasty. The main products of Shihu contain fresh goods and dry goods, their clinical applications are also treated differently. Fengdou is one of the commodity specifications in Shihu. Its processing method probably dated from the Qing Dynasty, but now, it has become the mainstream commodityform. There was a common sense that different kinds of Shihu owed different characters and curative effects in ancient bencao, and the quality would enhance with the increasing viscidity. Therefore, the "Germplasm", "Geoherbs", "processing", "characters" were integrated into traditional quality evaluation methods of Shihu. Meanwhile, we should pay attention to the clinical efficacy of shihu with different species and processing methods. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Microanalysis study on ancient Wiangkalong Pottery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Won-in, K.; Tancharakorn, S.; Dararutana, P.

2017-09-01

Wiangkalong is one of major ceramic production cities in northern of Thailand, once colonized by the ancient Lanna Kingdom (1290 A.D.). Ancient Wiangkalong potteries were produced with shapes and designs as similar as those of the Chinese Yuan and Ming Dynasties. Due to the complex nature of materials and objects, extremely sensitive, spatially resolved, multi-elemental and versatile analytical instruments using non-destructive and non-sampling methods to analyze theirs composition are need. In this work, micro-beam X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy based on synchrotron radiation was firstly used to characterize the elemental composition of the ancient Wiangkalong pottery. The results showed the variations in elemental composition of the body matrix, the glaze and the underglaze painting, such as K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn and Fe.

Identification of the man-made barium copper silicate pigments among some ancient Chinese artifacts through spectroscopic analysis.

PubMed

Li, Q H; Yang, J C; Li, L; Dong, J Q; Zhao, H X; Liu, S

2015-03-05

This article describes the complementary application of non-invasive micro-Raman spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry to the characterization of some ancient Chinese silicate artifacts. A total of 28 samples dated from fourth century BC to third century AD were analyzed. The results of chemical analysis showed that the vitreous PbO-BaO-SiO2 material was used to sinter these silicate artifacts. The barium copper silicate pigments including BaCuSi4O10, BaCuSi2O6 and BaCu2Si2O7 were widely identified from colorful areas of the samples by Raman spectroscopy. In addition, other crystalline phases such as Fe2O3, BaSi2O5, BaSO4, PbCO3 and quartz were also identified. The present study provides very valuable information to trace the technical evolution of man-made barium copper silicate pigments and their close relationship with the making of ancient PbO-BaO-SiO2 glaze and glass. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of the man-made barium copper silicate pigments among some ancient Chinese artifacts through spectroscopic analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Q. H.; Yang, J. C.; Li, L.; Dong, J. Q.; Zhao, H. X.; Liu, S.

2015-03-01

This article describes the complementary application of non-invasive micro-Raman spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry to the characterization of some ancient Chinese silicate artifacts. A total of 28 samples dated from fourth century BC to third century AD were analyzed. The results of chemical analysis showed that the vitreous PbO-BaO-SiO2 material was used to sinter these silicate artifacts. The barium copper silicate pigments including BaCuSi4O10, BaCuSi2O6 and BaCu2Si2O7 were widely identified from colorful areas of the samples by Raman spectroscopy. In addition, other crystalline phases such as Fe2O3, BaSi2O5, BaSO4, PbCO3 and quartz were also identified. The present study provides very valuable information to trace the technical evolution of man-made barium copper silicate pigments and their close relationship with the making of ancient PbO-BaO-SiO2 glaze and glass.

[Research and investigation on original plants of medicinal Moutan].

PubMed

Peng, Hua-Sheng; Wang, De-Qun; Peng, Dai-Yin; Huang, Lu-Qi

2017-05-01

As a kind of famous ornamental flowers, Moutan, known as "the king of flower", mainly originates from various cultivars of Paeonia suffruticosa. Moutan Cortex, a common traditional Chinese medicine, has a long medicinal history for more than 2 000 years. At present, "Fengdanpi", which is the root bark of P. ostii mainly growing in Tongling, Anhui, is a sort of Dao-di herbs in traditional Chinese medicine. However,various editions of Chinese pharmacopoeia has been stipulating that Moutan Cortex originates from the bark root of P. suffruticosa. Textual researches on germplasm of ornamental and medicinal Moutan provided that, Xi'an, Luoyang, Pengcheng, Bozhou, Heze and some other famous cultivation centers had been formed throughout the history. In addition, medicinal practitioners in Song Dynasty had been fully aware of the medicinal differences between ornamental and wild Moutan, and preferred wild single flowers as medicinal Moutan. Moreover, none of cultivation centers of ornamental Moutan were recorded in producing areas of medicinal Moutan. So far, Fengdan and Dianjiang Moutan in Chongqing are single flowers, which is consistent with the ancient herbal books. Therefore, this paper believes that the medicinal and ornamental Moutan are two different germplasm since ancient times. And we proposethat Chinese pharmacopoeia should record P. ostii and the single-flower varieties of P. suffruticosa as the original plants of Moutan Cortex. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Analysis and Application of Antagonism Compound Prescription Compatibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Mengyan; Wang, Can; Bai, Ming; Miao, Mingsan

2018-01-01

Deer horn glue is deer family animals deer or red deer horn made of solid plastic animal medicine, according to Chinese medicine “seven emotions together” theory, the antler and other Chinese herbal medicines compatibility can be better play its Medicinal value. In this paper, the chemical composition, pharmacological effects, compatibility analysis, clinical application and classic ancient prescriptions of antler are reviewed in recent years.

Taoism and Deep Ecology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sylvan, Richard; Bennett, David

1988-01-01

Contrasted are the philosophies of Deep Ecology and ancient Chinese. Discusses the cosmology, morality, lifestyle, views of power, politics, and environmental philosophies of each. Concludes that Deep Ecology could gain much from Taoism. (CW)

The thyroid gland in ancient Greece: a historical perspective.

PubMed

Konstantinidou, Sevasti; Konstantinidou, Eirini

2018-06-19

Thyroidology is a discipline of Endocrinology which has evolved markedly over the past few decades. However, its historical roots can be seen in the literature of, among others, ancient Greek medicine. In the present article, we present the descriptions of the thyroid gland by ancient Greek physicians and its depiction in ancient Greek art.

The Ancient Kemetic Roots of Library and Information Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zulu, Itibari M.

This paper argues that the ancient people of Kemet (Egypt), "the black land," built and operated the first major libraries and institutions of higher education in the world. Topics of discussion include the Ancient Egyptians as an African people; a chronology of Ancient Kemet; literature in Kemet; a history of Egyptian Librarianship; the…

A Historical View of Motion Sickness—A Plague at Sea and on Land, Also with Military Impact

PubMed Central

Huppert, Doreen; Benson, Judy; Brandt, Thomas

2017-01-01

Seasickness and its triggers, symptoms, and preventive measures were well known in antiquity. This chapter is based on an analysis of descriptions of motion sickness, in particular seasickness, in ancient Greek, Roman, and Chinese literature. A systematic search was made from the Greek period beginning with Homer in 800 BC to the late Roman period and ending with Aetios Amidenos in 600 AD, as well as in the Chinese medical classics dating from around 300 AD. Major aspects are the following: body movements caused by waves were identified in all cultures as the critical stimuli. The ancient Greeks and Romans knew that other illnesses and the mental state could precipitate seasickness and that experienced sailors were highly resistant to it (habituation). The Chinese observed that children were particularly susceptible to motion sickness; they first described the type of motion sickness induced by traveling in carts (cart-sickness) or being transported on a litter or in a sedan chair (litter-sickness). The western classics recommended therapeutic measures like fasting or specific diets, pleasant fragrancies, medicinal plants like white hellebore (containing various alkaloids), or a mixture of wine and wormwood. The East knew more unusual measures, such as drinking the urine of young boys, swallowing white sand-syrup, collecting water drops from a bamboo stick, or hiding earth from the kitchen hearth under the hair. The Greek view of the pathophysiology of seasickness was based on the humoral theory of Empedokles and Aristoteles and differed from the Chinese medicine of correspondences, which attributed malfunctions to certain body substances and the life force Qi. Many sources emphasized the impact of seasickness on military actions and famous naval battles such as the Battle of the Red Cliff, which marked the end of the Han dynasty in China, or the defeat of the Spanish Armada by the English in 1588. A peculiar form of motion sickness is associated with Napoleon’s camel corps during the Egyptian campaign of 1798/1799, a sickness induced by riding on a camel. Thus, motion sickness in antiquity was known as a physiological response to unadapted body motions during passive transportation as well as a plague at sea. PMID:28421029

Thermoluminescence and X-ray diffraction studies on sliced ancient porcelain samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leung, P. L.; Yang, B.

1999-09-01

The thermal activation characteristics (TACs) of the sensitivity of the '110°C' peak in 14 sliced ancient Chinese porcelain samples are studied. Comparing with the TACs of natural quartz and synthetic mullite, the relation between the TACs and the composition of the sample is discussed with reference to the X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra. It is suggested that in some cases, contribution of the porcelain components other than quartz to the TACs is not negligible.

Joint Force Quarterly. Number 4, Spring 1994

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-05-01

arbitrary cultural difference; the most distinct factor in the tradi- tional Chinese way of thinking about war was the sheer scale of the battlefield...operations instinctively considered them within a complex cultural , po- litical, and moral context. Therefore ancient Chinese mili- tary works might appear...using the expanse of the Atlantic moat as a barrier to involvement. Conduct- ing business with those states in need of loans and goods to field armies

Traditional Chinese food technology and cuisine.

PubMed

Li, Jian-rong; Hsieh, Yun-Hwa P

2004-01-01

From ancient wisdom to modern science and technology, Chinese cuisine has been established from a long history of the country and gained a global reputation of its sophistication. Traditional Chinese foods and cuisine that exhibit Chinese culture, art and reality play an essential role in Chinese people's everyday lives. Recently, traditional Chinese foods have drawn a great degree of attention from food scientists and technologists, the food industry, and health promotion institutions worldwide due to the extensive values they offer beyond being merely another ethnic food. These traditional foods comprise a wide variety of products, such as pickled vegetables, salted fish and jellyfish, tofu and tofu derived products, rice and rice snack foods, fermented sauces, fish balls and thousand-year-old eggs. An overview of selected popular traditional Chinese foods and their processing techniques are included in this paper. Further development of the traditional techniques for formulation and production of these foods is expected to produce economic, social and health benefits.

[Ttextual research of Cannabis sativa varieties and medicinal part].

PubMed

Wei, Yingfang; Wang, Huadong; Guo, Shanshan; Yan, Jie; Long, Fei

2010-07-01

To determine the medicinal part and varieties of Cannabis Sativa through herbal textual research to Provide bibliographic reference for clinical application. Herbal textual research of C. Sativa from ancient herbal works and modern data analysis. Through the herbal textual research, the plant of the C. sativa, for Fructus Cannabis used now is identical with that described in ancient herbal literatures. People did not make a sharp distinction on medicinal part of C. sativa in the early stage literatures, female inflorescence and unripe fruit, fruit and kernel of seed were all used. Since Taohongjing realized the toxicity ofpericarp, all the herbal and prescription works indicate that the pericarp shall be removed before usage and only the kernel can be used. However, in modem literatures, both fruit and kernel can be used as medicinal part. The plants for Fructus Cannabis described in modern and ancient literatures are identical. The base of the original plant is the same either in ancient or modern. And the toxicity of the fruit is more than that of the kernel. The kernel is the exact medicinal part of C. Sativa.

Searching for events in Chinese ancient records to explain the increase in 14C from AD 774-775 and AD 993-994

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chai, Ya-Ting; Zou, Yuan-Chuan

2015-09-01

According to analysis of the 14C content in two Japanese trees, that grew over a period of approximately 3000 years, with high time resolution, Miyake et al. found a rapid increase at AD 774-775 and another one at AD 993-994. These increases correspond to high-energy events that happened within those years and radiated γ-ray energy of about 7×1024 erg toward the Earth. The origin of these events is a mystery. Such strong events should have an unusual optical counterpart, and have been recorded in historical literatures. We searched Chinese historical materials around AD 744-775 and AD 993-994, but no remarkable event was found except for a violent thunderstorm in AD 775. However, the possibility of a thunderstorm containing so much energy is unlikely. We conclude that the events, which caused the 14C increase, are still unclear. These events most probably had no optical counterpart, and a short gamma-ray burst, giant flare of a soft gamma-ray repeater or a terrestrial γ-ray flash could all be candidates.

The construction technology of Chinese ancient city drainage facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hequn, Li; Yufengyun

2018-03-01

In ancient china, according to the local natural environment, a variety of drainage facilities were built in order to excrete rainwater, domestic sewage, production wastewater and so on. These drainage facilities were mainly made of pottery, bricks, wood, stone, etc. For example, ceramic water pipelines, buried in the ground, connect together one by one, and there was a slight drop from one end to the other in favor of drainage. These measures can also be used for reference in today’s urban drainage and flood control.

Korean Reunification: The Implications for Regional Security

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-01

But this conflict was caused by external factors. In reality it is a combined internal and external problem. 10 Ibid., pp. 208-209, King Sejong and...was Ancient Chosen which was led by the legendary founder King Tan’gun- Wanggom. He established a tribal country called Kochoson in 4 Han, Woo-Keun...During the Warring period in China, between the 6th century and 221 B.C., Kochoson confronted several ancient Chinese states, such as Yen( King Chao 312-279

Ancient Rome: The Latin Teacher and Life in the Big City.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramage, Edwin S.

This paper attempts to answer the question of what life was really like in ancient Rome, with a view to using this kind of information as cultural background for teaching Latin language and literature. There were many problems associated with daily living in ancient Rome. Writings of some inhabitants of ancient Rome attest to the fact that these…

Legacy of the Ancient World: An Educational Guide. Understanding Ancient Culture through Art at the Tampa Museum of Art.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitelaw, R. Lynn

Among the many contributions made by Ancient Greeks and Romans to contemporary life, are those which influence art, architecture, literature, philosophy, mathematics and science, theater, athletics, religion, and the founding of democracy. The Tampa Museum of Art's classical collection offers a unique opportunity to learn about Ancient Greeks and…

The influence of eastern philosophy on elder care by Chinese Americans: attitudes toward long-term care.

PubMed

Smith, Cary Stacy; Hung, Li-Ching

2012-01-01

Chinese philosophy has been a major cornerstone of Chinese culture for millennia and has bestowed on the world traditions such as Taoism, Yin and Yang, and filial piety. Although these beliefs have remained steadfast over thousands of years, their ability to survive unchanged in the future is uncertain. As the world forges ahead into the 21st century, several pertinent questions arise: Will age-old axioms, primarily those concerning elderly Chinese and their relationship with their children, survive? When ancient, traditional beliefs conflict with newer, Western ideas, which system of thought is likely to be the victor? Moreover, will elderly Chinese Americans and their perceptions concerning long-term care facilities cause problems with the traditional familial unit? This article will discuss these issues in detail.

Traditional Chinese Biotechnology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Yan; Wang, Dong; Fan, Wen Lai; Mu, Xiao Qing; Chen, Jian

The earliest industrial biotechnology originated in ancient China and developed into a vibrant industry in traditional Chinese liquor, rice wine, soy sauce, and vinegar. It is now a significant component of the Chinese economy valued annually at about 150 billion RMB. Although the production methods had existed and remained basically unchanged for centuries, modern developments in biotechnology and related fields in the last decades have greatly impacted on these industries and led to numerous technological innovations. In this chapter, the main biochemical processes and related technological innovations in traditional Chinese biotechnology are illustrated with recent advances in functional microbiology, microbial ecology, solid-state fermentation, enzymology, chemistry of impact flavor compounds, and improvements made to relevant traditional industrial facilities. Recent biotechnological advances in making Chinese liquor, rice wine, soy sauce, and vinegar are reviewed.

Aesthetic preference in the spatial composition of traditional Chinese paintings.

PubMed

Lu, Zheng; Zhang, Weidong; Gao, Xuchen

2015-01-01

Aesthetic psychology has discussed many aspects of aesthetic preferences for spatial composition. However, there have been few empirical explorations of the spatial composition of traditional Chinese paintings. The results of this experiment showed that the shape of the frame had a significant effect on aesthetic preferences. Participants preferred to put two figures at certain relative horizontal distances from each other according to the horizontal shape of the frame but may have difficulty in adapting the relative vertical distance according to the vertical shape of the frame. Furthermore, the unique aesthetic interest of traditional Chinese long-vertical scroll paintings was discussed. This discussion revealed that, in a creative way, ancient Chinese artists followed the same aesthetic principles we observed, and they developed the artistic conception and romantic charm of traditional Chinese paintings.

[The Analysis of Traditional Lime Mortars from Zhejiang Province, China].

PubMed

Liu, Xiao-bin; Cui, Biao; Zhang, Bing-jian

2016-01-01

The components of ancient mortars have always been an important research field in historic building conservation. It has been well known that using traditional mortars in conservation projects have many advantages, such as compatibility and stability. So, developing new binding materials based on traditional mortar has become an international study hotspot. With China's economic development, the protection of ancient buildings also began to put on the agenda, but the understanding on Chinese traditional mortar is limited, and rare literatures are reported. In the present work, the authors investigate seven ancient city wall sites in Zhejiang Province in situ, and subsequently laboratory analysis were carried out on collected mortar samples. The characterizations of mortar samples were made by multi-density gauge, XRD, FTIR, TG-DSC and wet chemical analysis. The experimental results showed that: the main component of masonry mortars is calcium carbonate, the content between 75% - 90%, and they should be made from relatively pure lime mortar. The raw materials of mortar samples were mainly calcareous quick lime, and sample from Taizhou city also contained magnesium quick lime. There are four city walls were built by sticky-rice mortars. It suggests that the technology of adding the sticky rice soup into mortar was universal in the Ming Dynasties. These mortars have lower density between 1.2 and 1.9 g x cm(-3); this outcome should be the result of long-term natural erosion. We have also analyzed other chemical and physical characteristics of these masonry mortars. The results can afford the basic data for the future repairmen programs, development of new protective materials, and comparative study of mortars.

Traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of alcoholism: from ancient to modern.

PubMed

Liu, Qing; Lawrence, Andrew J; Liang, Jian-Hui

2011-01-01

Alcohol has long been used as a daily beverage in China and around the world. It is a medicinal substance with various biological activities. In fact, alcohol has played an important role in the development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), within which it is considered as the earliest exhilarant and anaesthetic. Yet, as a substance with great potency of misuse and addiction, the consumption of alcohol can lead to serious damage to individual health and the society. Over the past 20 years, alcohol abuse or alcoholism has become an increasing social problem in China along with the rapid economic development. China, the country of origin for TCM, has accumulated abundant clinical experience in the treatment of alcoholism with its ancient medicine. In the present research, we have summarized clinical and primary studies concerning various remedies of TCM for alcohol abuse, including herbal components (such as Kudzu/Pueraria Lobata, Pediculus melo, Hypericumpperforatum L.), decoctions and acupuncture.

[Herbal textual research on origins of Chonglou].

PubMed

Jiang, Lu; Kang, Li-Ping; Liu, Da-Hui; Peng, Hua-Sheng; Xie, Jin; Chen, Min

2017-09-01

Based on the field investigation, this paper researched the germplasms and geoherbs habitat of Chonglou in ancient herbal books systematically. The results showed that, Chonglou in ancient herbal books sometimes referred to certain specific germplasm, while sometimes it referred to many species derived from genus Paris except Sect. Paris. The medicinal material Chonglou in Chinese Materia Medica Bencaotujing and Bencaomengquan was verified as P. polyphylla var. chinensis, which could be P. polyphylla in Xinxiubencao, and it should include P. polyphylla or P. polyphylla var. stenophylla in Bencaogangmu. However, it proved to be a variety of species from Paris that can used as Chonglou in Diannanbencao and Zhiwumingshitukao. Moreover, the origins of Chonglou were correspondingly more diverse, with its producing areas changed from North to South. Therefore, with the resources increasing endangered, the botanical origin of Chonglou should be further studied. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Physicians of ancient India.

PubMed

Saini, Anu

2016-01-01

A survey of Indian medical historiography will reveal no dearth of work on the systems of medicine and medical literature of ancient India. However, the people who were responsible for the healing have not received much attention. This article traces the evolution of the physician as a professional in ancient India. This article reviews the secondary literature on healing and medical practice in India, specifically pertaining to the individual medical practitioner, drawing from varied sources. The healers of ancient India hailed from different castes and classes. They were well-respected and enjoyed state patronage. They were held to the highest ethical standards of the day and were bound by a strict code of conduct. They underwent rigorous training in both medicine and surgery. Most physicians were multi-skilled generalists, and expected to be skilled in elocution and debate. They were reasonably well-off financially. The paper also briefly traces the evolution of medicinal ideas in ancient India.

Thinking Eastern: A Student Experiment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olds, Alan

1992-01-01

Describes a high school world literature course taught by an instructor from a National Endowment for the Humanities teacher-scholar program studying Chinese literature. Contends that students should learn about Chinese philosophy and value systems if they are to understand Chinese literature. (CFR)

Perseus Project: Interactive Teaching and Research Tools for Ancient Greek Civilization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crane, Gregory; Harward, V. Judson

1987-01-01

Describes the Perseus Project, an educational program utilizing computer technology to study ancient Greek civilization. Including approximately 10 percent of all ancient literature and visual information on architecture, sculpture, ceramics, topography, and archaeology, the project spans a range of disciplines. States that Perseus fuels student…

Principles of diet therapy in ancient Chinese medicine: 'Huang Di Nei Jing'.

PubMed

Ho, Z C

1993-06-01

Huang Di Nei Jing, the first systematic Chinese medical book, was compiled from the observations of imperial herbal doctors in the Qin and Han periods (221 BC - 220 AD). From this classic traditional source may be derived the concept of a balanced and complete diet and probably the world's first dietary guidelines. Basic to the tradition are han, re, wen and bu foods, respectively 'cold', 'hot', 'neutral', 'strengthening'. Basic to Chinese cuisine are jan and tsai- 'cereal' (the rice staple and main meal) and 'dishes' to accompany the rice. Chinese traditional medicine, as in Huang Di Nei Jing, considers the nourishment of body and mind. It also emphasises that herbal medicine and food have the same origin. Diet was essential to the prevention of disease which a glossary of Chinese terms is given at the end of the paper in the Chinese tradition, was superior to treatment.

[Process and key points of clinical literature evaluation of post-marketing traditional Chinese medicine].

PubMed

Liu, Huan; Xie, Yanming

2011-10-01

The clinical literature evaluation of the post-marketing traditional Chinese medicine is a comprehensive evaluation by the comprehensive gain, analysis of the drug, literature of drug efficacy, safety, economy, based on the literature evidence and is part of the evaluation of evidence-based medicine. The literature evaluation in the post-marketing Chinese medicine clinical evaluation is in the foundation and the key position. Through the literature evaluation, it can fully grasp the information, grasp listed drug variety of traditional Chinese medicines second development orientation, make clear further clinical indications, perfect the medicines, etc. This paper discusses the main steps and emphasis of the clinical literature evaluation. Emphasizing security literature evaluation should attach importance to the security of a comprehensive collection drug information. Safety assessment should notice traditional Chinese medicine validity evaluation in improving syndrome, improveing the living quality of patients with special advantage. The economics literature evaluation should pay attention to reliability, sensitivity and practicability of the conclusion.

Malaria, a journey in time: in search of the lost myths and forgotten stories.

PubMed

Neghina, Raul; Neghina, Adriana Maria; Marincu, Iosif; Iacobiciu, Ioan

2010-12-01

The saga of malaria parasites precedes the history of humans. Malaria has always been part of the rising and decline of nations, of wars and of upheavals. People of ancient times attributed the malarial manifestations to supernatural influences. Myths about demons responsible for fevers and efforts to bring them under control were often mentioned in ancient articles and attested archaeologically. More than 4 millennia were required until malaria was finally demystified. From the ancient Chinese Canon of Medicine to Ronald Ross' milestone discovery, the humanity struggled to face one of the most debilitating diseases of mankind. This essay assesses the history of malaria from ancient mysteries until it was demystified. Its sections describe the attempts of humans from different times to understand and defeat malaria through supernatural practices, religious rites and medicine, and also their efforts mirrored in art and literary masterpieces.

Secrets of the Chinese magic mirror replica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mak, Se-yuen; Yip, Din-yan

2001-03-01

We examine the structure of five Chinese magic mirror replicas using a special imaging technique developed by the authors. All mirrors are found to have a two-layered structure. The reflecting surface that gives rise to a projected magic pattern on the screen is hidden under a polished half-reflecting top layer. An alternative method of making the magic mirror using ancient technology has been proposed. Finally, we suggest a simple method of reconstructing a mirror replica in the laboratory.

Implications of Chinese face reading on the aesthetic sense.

PubMed

Wong, Frederick T C; Soo, Gordon; Ng, Wai-pok; van Hasselt, C Andrew; Tong, Michael C F

2010-01-01

Chinese face reading is an ancient art that has been developed over centuries, not only in China but over the wider area of Asia owing to China's cultural dominance in Asia during its imperial rule. Similar to feng shui, Chinese face reading is based on a philosophy held by Chinese people all over the world that expresses itself in contemporary daily life and practices by coloring people's choices, likes, and dislikes. It is inevitable that the aesthetic sense is also affected by face reading principles, especially among those who are most familiar with them. An understanding of these principles and beliefs would help surgeons better understand their Asian patients' requests and perhaps allow them to better communicate appropriate suggestions accordingly.

Model Organisms and Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Models

PubMed Central

Xu, Jin-Wen

2013-01-01

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an ancient medical system with a unique cultural background. Nowadays, more and more Western countries due to its therapeutic efficacy are accepting it. However, safety and clear pharmacological action mechanisms of TCM are still uncertain. Due to the potential application of TCM in healthcare, it is necessary to construct a scientific evaluation system with TCM characteristics and benchmark the difference from the standard of Western medicine. Model organisms have played an important role in the understanding of basic biological processes. It is easier to be studied in certain research aspects and to obtain the information of other species. Despite the controversy over suitable syndrome animal model under TCM theoretical guide, it is unquestionable that many model organisms should be used in the studies of TCM modernization, which will bring modern scientific standards into mysterious ancient Chinese medicine. In this review, we aim to summarize the utilization of model organisms in the construction of TCM syndrome model and highlight the relevance of modern medicine with TCM syndrome animal model. It will serve as the foundation for further research of model organisms and for its application in TCM syndrome model. PMID:24381636

Ancient Media in Literature: Golden Printers and Golden Authors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mooradian, Karlen

Seal printing is explored as a literary topic in 28 works dating from the third millennium B.C. to A.D. 1613 (from Sumerian times through Shakespeare's). This ancient printing method is mentioned in the literature of the Egyptians, Greeks, Hebrews, and Arabians. It occurs in the works of Herodotus, Plutarch, and Marco Polo, as well as Chaucer and…

[Research on compatibility of prescriptions including Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Trogopterus Dung based on complex network analysis].

PubMed

Li, Meng-Wen; Fan, Xin-Sheng; Zhang, Ling-Shan; Wang, Cong-Jun

2017-09-01

The applications of prescriptions including Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Trogopterus Dung in contemporary literatures from 1949 to 2016 are compiled and the data mining techniques containing scale-free complex network method are utilized to explore its practical characteristics, with comparison between modern and ancient ones. The results indicate that malignant neoplasms, coronary heart disease which present Qi deficiency and blood stasis type are the main diseases treated by prescriptions including Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Trogopterus Dung according to the reports during 1949 to 2016. The complex network connection shows that Glycyrrhizae Radixet Rhizoma, Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Astragali Radix, Typhae Pollen, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma are the primary drugs related to Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Trogopterus Dung. The next are Paeoniae Radix Alba, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, Persicae Semen, Foria, et al. Carthami Flos, Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Cyperi Rhizoma, Bupleuri Radix are the peripheral ones. Also, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Glycyrrhizae Radixet Rhizoma, Trogopterus Dung-Glycyrrhizae Radixet Rhizoma, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Trogopterus Dung-Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Astragali Radix, Trogopterus Dung-Astragali Radix are the main paired drugs. The paired drugs including Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Trogopterus Dung-Glycyrrhizae Radixet Rhizoma, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Trogopterus Dung-Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Trogopterus Dung-Astragali Radix, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Trogopterus Dung-Typhae Pollen have a higher support degree. The main compatible drugs are different in ancient and modern prescriptions including Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Trogopterus Dung. Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Typhae Pollen, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Astragali Radix are utilized frequently in modern prescriptions while less used in ancient ones. It is also shown that more attentions are paid to the drugs contributing to invigorating Qi and promoting blood circulation in modern times with comparative results between modern and ancient prescriptions. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

History of spine biomechanics: part I--the pre-Greco-Roman, Greco-Roman, and medieval roots of spine biomechanics.

PubMed

Naderi, Sait; Andalkar, Niteen; Benzel, Edward C

2007-02-01

The roots of spine biomechanics reside in the Antiquity and the Medieval and Renaissance periods. A review of historical treatises reveals detailed information regarding this often historically neglected discipline. Ancient medical, philosophical, and physical documents were reviewed, as they pertained to the historical foundation of spine biomechanics. These included medical case reports and observations of nature and motion by ancient philosophers and scientists. These documents heavily influenced the portion of the scientific literature that we now regard as "spine biomechanics" up through the Renaissance. The focus of Part I of this two-part series is placed on the ancient and medieval biomechanics-related literature and on associated literature that influenced the development of the field of modern spine biomechanics.

Koro: how culturally specific?

PubMed

Malinick, C; Flaherty, J A; Jobe, T

1985-01-01

Koro has been described as an acute anxiety state related to the fear of penile shrinkage into the abdomen with resultant death. This partial depersonalization disorder is found primarily among the people of the Malay Archipelago and Southern Chinese, with extremely rare incidences documented in the West. The symptomology of Koro is commonly said to be linked to ancient Chinese medical beliefs on sexual functioning and is therefore referred to as a culturally bound syndrome. Our paper summarized the case of an American male with Koro-like symptoms. It compares the Western concept of penis loss to the Chinese or Malaysian concept, and then proposes a combined hypothesis for the development of Koro.

[About da tai - abortion in old Chinese folk medicine handwritten manuscripts].

PubMed

Zheng, Jinsheng

2013-01-01

Of 881 Chinese handwritten volumes with medical texts of the 17th through mid-20th century held by Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin and Ethnologisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem, 48 volumes include prescriptions for induced abortion. A comparison shows that these records are significantly different from references to abortion in Chinese printed medical texts of pre-modern times. For example, the percentage of recipes recommended for artificial abortions in handwritten texts is significantly higher than those in printed medical books. Authors of handwritten texts used 25 terms to designate artificial abortion, with the term da tai [see text], lit.: "to strike the fetus", occurring most frequently. Its meaning is well defined, in contrast to other terms used, such as duo tai [see text], lit: "to make a fetus fall", xia tai [see text], lit. "to bring a fetus down", und duan chan [see text], lit., to interrupt birthing", which is mostly used to indicate a temporary or permanent sterilization. Pre-modern Chinese medicine has not generally abstained from inducing abortions; physicians showed a differentiating attitude. While abortions were descibed as "things a [physician with an attitude of] humaneness will not do", in case a pregnancy was seen as too risky for a woman she was offered medication to terminate this pregnancy. The commercial application of abortifacients has been recorded in China since ancient times. A request for such services has continued over time for various reasons, including so-called illegitimate pregnancies, and those by nuns, widows and prostitutes. In general, recipes to induce abortions documented in printed medical literature have mild effects and are to be ingested orally. In comparison, those recommended in handwritten texts are rather toxic. Possibly to minimize the negative side-effects of such medication, practitioners of folk medicine developed mechanical devices to perform "external", i.e., vaginal approaches.

Botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Apocynum venetum L. (Luobuma): A review.

PubMed

Xie, Wenyan; Zhang, Xiaoying; Wang, Tian; Hu, Jianjun

2012-05-07

Apocynum venetum L. (Apocynaceae, Luobuma ) has a long history as a Chinese traditional medicine with uses to calm the liver, soothe the nerves, dissipate heat, and promote diuresis. Recently, Luobuma tea has been commercialized as a sedative and anti-aging supplement that has become increasingly popular in North American and East Asian health food markets. The aim of this review is to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of the botany, chemical constituents, traditional uses, pharmacological activities and safety aspects of Apocynum venetum in order to assess its ethnopharmacological use and to explore its therapeutic potentials and future opportunities for research. The accessible literature on Apocynum venetum written in English, Chinese and Japanese were collected and analyzed. The literatures included ancient Chinese herbal classics, pharmacopoeias and articles that included in Pubmed, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Wanfang. Modern pharmacological studies demonstrated that Apocynum venetum possess wide pharmacological activities that include antihypertensive, cardiotonic, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, lipid-lowering, antidepressant and anxiolytic effects, which can be explained by the presence of various flavonoid compounds in this plant. The traditional (Lop Nor region) use of Apocynum venetum with tobacco as an agent to detoxify nicotine may receive interest as a possible therapeutic option to detoxify the body from smoking. Based on animal studies and clinical trials, Apocynum venetum causes no severe side effects, even in a stable daily dosage (50mg/person/day) for more than three years. Apocynum venetum potentially has therapeutic potential in the prevention and treatment for the cardiovascular and neurological diseases, especially for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, neurasthenia, depression and anxiety. Further investigations are needed to explore individual bioactive compounds responsible for these in vitro and in vivo pharmacological effects and the mode of actions. Further safety assessments and clinical trials should be performed before it can be integrated into medicinal practices. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Provenance study of ancient Chinese Yaozhou porcelain by neutron activation analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, G. X.; Y Gao, Z.; Li, R. W.; Zhao, W. J.; Xie, J. Z.; Feng, S. L.; Zhuo, Z. X.; Y Fan, D.; Zhang, Y.; Cai, Z. F.; Liu, H.

2003-09-01

This paper reports our study of the provenance of ancient Chinese Yaozhou porcelain. The content of 29 elements in the Yaozhou porcelain samples was measured by neutron activation analysis (NAA). The NAA data were further analysed using fuzzy cluster analysis to obtain the trend fuzzy cluster diagrams. These samples with different glaze colour, ranging over more than 700 years, were fired in different kilns. Our analysis indicates the relatively concentrated distribution of the sources of the raw material for the Yaozhou porcelain body samples. They can be classified into two independent periods, i.e. the Tang (AD 618-907) and the Five Dynasties (AD 907-960) period, and the Song (AD 960-1279) and Jin (AD 1115-1234) period. Our analysis also indicates that the sources of the raw material for the ancient Yaozhou porcelain glaze samples are quite scattered and those for the black glaze in the Tang Dynasty are very concentrated. The sources of the raw material for the celadon glaze and the white glaze in the Tang Dynasty are widely distributed and those for the celadon glaze in the Song Dynasty are close to those of the bluish white glaze in the Jin Dynasty, and they are very concentrated. The sources of the raw material for the porcelain glazes cover those of the porcelain bodies.

[Herbal textual research on Chinese medicine "Huangjing" (Polygonati Rhizoma)and some enlightenments].

PubMed

Liu, Jing-Jing; Si, Jin-Ping

2018-02-01

To clarify the change and development of the original plants， medicinal organs， traditional functions， resource distribution of "Huangjing"(Polygonati Rhizome)， a traditional Chinese medicine， we investigated Polygonatum species on the ancient Chinese herbal texts. The name of "Nüwei" was first carried out in the book of Sheng Nong's Herbal Classic. Its effects included two aspects： one was similar to "Weirui"(Polygonati Odorati Rhizome， "Yuzhu")， that was tonifying， nourishing one's vitality， removing wind and dampness， settling five organs， making body lightness， keeping longevity and not being hungry; the second was alike to "Huangjing" recorded in the book of Ming Yi Bie Lu(Appendant Records of Famous Physicians). Specifically， "Weirui" possesses the therapeutic effect of "Nüwei"， while "Huangjing" possesses the tonic effect of " Nüwei". Thereafter， the following ancient Chinese herbal texts kept those two names and function records. Accordingly， we hold the point of view that "Huangjing" was first carried out in the book of Sheng Nong's Herbal Classic in the synonym of "Nüwei". "Yuzhu" included the "Huangjing" in ancient herbal text before Qing Dynasty， that was further confirmed by the research on change and development of the original plants. The identification between "Yuzhu" and "Huangjing" was based on the shape of rhizome and size before early Tang Dynasty. The shape was a key character and used up to now， but size was not reasonable. The opposite phyllotaxy was an important character of authentic "Huangjing" from Tang to Qing Dynasty. The seedling of Polygonatum sibiricum and P. kingianum， the adult plant of P. cyrtonema with alternate leaves were misused as "Yuzhu"("Nüwei" and "Weirui") at that time. Therefore， both "Yuzhu" and "Huangjing" should be used as key words during the search of ancient prescriptions and development of new drugs and health foods. The leaves， flowers， fruits and seedlings could be used as food or medicine other than the rhizomes in ancient China， but they haven't been developed in modern times. The culture of "Huangjing" had a long history starting with Tang Dynasty， which was recorded in Tang poetry. Then in Ming Dynasty， the culture method was described in Compendium of Materia Medica， that was cutting the rhizomes into 2 feet， planting sparsely(they would be grown densely in the next year)， or sowing the seeds. The harvesting and processing were first recorded in Ming Yi Bie Lu： "harvest the roots in February， dry in the shade". Then the processing method was changed to "steaming and drying in the sun， repeatedly for nine times" in Shi Liao Ben Cao(Dietetic Materia Medica) and "harvesting in August as well" in Ben Cao Tu Jing(Commentaries on the Illustrations). No breakthrough has been taken in the breeding of cultivars and key cultivation technologies yet. As to the geo-authentic habitats， Mount Songshan and Maoshan were firstly recorded as the best producing areas of "Huangjing" in Ben Cao Tu Jing. But Maoshan， Jiangsu province and Mount Songshan， Henan province， are not main producing areas in modern China. Consequently， the plantation plan of Polygonati Rhizome needs further study. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

World History. Volumes I and II. [Sahuarita High School Career Curriculum Project].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Judy

Volumes I and II of a world history course, part of a high school career curriculum project, are outlined. Objectives are listed by course title. Course titles include: Early Communication - Languages and Writing; World History; Law and Order in Ancient Times; Early Transportation; Women in Ancient Times; Art and Literature in Ancient Times;…

An Introduction to Chinese Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kane, Tony

This unit will introduce secondary level students to Chinese literature. The first part of the unit discusses poetry which has always been the most highly prized form of Chinese literature. The discussion examines the "Complete Tang Poems," the "Book of Songs" compiled by Confucius, the "Songs of Chu," and the "Li Sao." Students learn about the…

A systematic review of burnout among doctors in China: a cultural perspective.

PubMed

Lo, Dana; Wu, Florence; Chan, Mark; Chu, Rodney; Li, Donald

2018-01-01

Numerous studies around the world has already suggested that burnout among doctors is a global phenomenon. However, studies for burnout in doctors are relatively limited in Chinese communities when compared to the West. As risk factors, barriers to intervention and strategies combatting burnout in different parts of the world can vary a lot due to different social culture and healthcare system, study with a focus at doctors in China from a cultural perspective is a worthful endeavor. Systematic searches of databases were conducted for papers published in peer-reviewed journals from 2006 to 2016. Selection criteria included practicing doctors in Mainland China and publications written in English or Chinese. Keywords searched including "burnout", "doctors" and "China" in 3 electronic databases has been undergone. Traditional understanding of "work attitude" and "doctors' humanity" from ancient Chinese literature has also been retrieved. Eleven full papers, including 9302 participants, were included in this review. The overall prevalence of burnout symptoms among doctors in China ranged from 66.5 to 87.8%. The review suggested that negative impact of burnout include association with anxiety symptoms and low job satisfaction at the individual doctors' level, and prone to committing medical mistakes affecting patient safety and higher turnover intention at the society/organizational level. Burnout was higher among doctors who worked over 40 h/week, working in tertiary hospitals, on younger age group within the profession (at age 30-40), and with negative individual perception to work and life. The overall prevalence and adverse impact of burnout among doctors in China echo with the findings from Western studies. Young doctors and doctors working in tertiary hospitals are more at risk of burnout, probably related to shift of social culture related to the loss of medical humanities and a weak primary healthcare system. Potential strategies of managing burnout in Chinese doctors should therefore take consideration from the Chinese cultural perspective, with renaissance of medical humanities and strengthening the primary healthcare system in China.

Some Dust/Ocean Connections - Past, Present, and Future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duce, R. A.

2015-12-01

Atmospheric dust has been the subject of communications for more than 3000 years, since the ancient Chinese book Chronicles Reported on Bamboo Shoots in 1150 BC. Similar reports of hwangsa and woo-tou in ancient Korean and kosa in ancient Japanese literature also indicated major Asian dust events in those areas. Western observers noted dust storms in India and Afghanistan in the early 1800s, while in the 1840s Darwin surmised that Sahara dust could be an important component of marine sedimentation in the North Atlantic. More recent interest has focused on the importance of dust as a source of the nutrients iron and phosphorus in the global ocean and the role of iron as a limiting nutrient in many areas of the surface ocean. While significant progress has been made in the past 25 years in identifying important dust/ocean connections, many issues remain. Included are the relative dearth of long-term measurements of atmospheric dust (and iron and phosphorus) over and deposition to the ocean, especially in the southern hemisphere; comparisons between modeled and measured deposition of dust to the ocean; and the solubility of iron and phosphorus (and thus their availability as nutrients) after the mineral matter enters the ocean. Addressing these problems will certainly help to provide more accurate estimates of the input of dust to the ocean and its impacts. However, future changes in dust emissions in a warmer world as well as changes in the acid/base environment that mineral dust experiences during its transport and deposition as a result of emission controls on atmospheric NOx and SO2 are two facors that may change the input of these nutrients to the ocean and their impacts in the coming years. These and other issues will be reviewed in this paper.

Multi-Ethnic Literature: Help for the English Teacher. Tips on Selecting and Teaching Works by: Jewish Americans, Chinese Americans, Native Americans, and Black Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Dorothy, Ed.

1982-01-01

The seven articles in this journal issue provide suggestions for teaching multiethnic literature at the high school and college levels. The articles contain the following: (1) a discussion of pluralism and literature in the United States; (2) an analysis of Chinese and Chinese American literature; (3) a review of problems faced by teachers of…

The Development of Vaccination and the Discoveries of Louis Pasteur.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, James

1992-01-01

Describes the development of vaccination and provides a brief biographical sketch of the life and work of Pasteur. Describes historical practices related to vaccination before Pasteur did his work, including variolation as practiced by the ancient Chinese and Jenner's use of smallpox. (PR)

Study on the elemental features of ancient Chinese white porcelain at Jingdezhen by INAA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Guoxi; Feng, Songlin; Feng, Xiangqian; Li, Yongqiang; Han, Hongye; Wang, Yanqing; Zhu, Jihao; Yan, Lingtong; Li, Li

2009-03-01

Shards of ancient Chinese white porcelain, which were excavated at Maojiawan in the city of Beijing, were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). These shards were fired in the period between the Yuan (AD 1271-1368) and Ming (AD 1368-1644) dynasties at Jingdezhen in southern China. According to the analytical results, different raw materials were used for making porcelain body in this period. Fe and Na are the characteristic elements which can be used for identifying the specific date of these porcelains. Furthermore, shards of Hongwu era (AD 1368-1398), Yongle-Xuande era (AD 1403-1435) and Chenghua-Zhengde era (AD 1465-1561) of the Ming dynasty can be clearly distinguished by their elemental body composition. The temporal chemical variation in the porcelain body of these eras is observed. The elemental body composition of Zhengde-Tianshun era (AD 1436-1464) is mainly similar to that of the Hongwu and Yongle-Xuande eras. The temporal chemical feature of Zhengtong-Tianshun era was not found.

Study on Incompatibility of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Evidence from Formula Network, Chemical Space, and Metabolism Room

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiao-Dong; Wu, Hong-Ying; Jin, Jin; Yu, Guang-Yun; He, Xin; Wang, Hao; Shen, Xiu; Zhou, Ze-Wei; Liu, Pei-Xun; Fan, Sai-Jun

2013-01-01

A traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula network including 362 TCM formulas was built by using complex network methodologies. The properties of this network were analyzed including network diameter, average distance, clustering coefficient, and average degree. Meanwhile, we built a TCM chemical space and a TCM metabolism room under the theory of chemical space. The properties of chemical space and metabolism room were calculated and analyzed. The properties of the medicine pairs in “eighteen antagonisms and nineteen mutual inhibitors,” an ancient rule for TCM incompatibility, were studied based on the TCM formula network, chemical space, and metabolism room. The results showed that the properties of these incompatible medicine pairs are different from those of the other TCM based on the analysis of the TCM formula network, chemical space, and metabolism room. The lines of evidence derived from our work demonstrated that the ancient rule of TCM incompatibility, “eighteen antagonisms and nineteen mutual inhibitors,” is probably scientifically based. PMID:24369478

Overview of Scorpion Species from China and Their Toxins

PubMed Central

Cao, Zhijian; Di, Zhiyong; Wu, Yingliang; Li, Wenxin

2014-01-01

Scorpions are one of the most ancient groups of terrestrial animals. They have maintained a steady morphology over more than 400 million years of evolution. Their venom arsenals for capturing prey and defending against predators may play a critical role in their ancient and conservative appearance. In the current review, we present the scorpion fauna of China: 53 species covering five families and 12 genera. We also systematically list toxins or genes from Chinese scorpion species, involving eight species covering four families. Furthermore, we review the diverse functions of typical toxins from Chinese scorpion species, involving Na+ channel modulators, K+ channel blockers, antimicrobial peptides and protease inhibitors. Using scorpion species and their toxins from China as an example, we build the bridge between scorpion species and their toxins, which helps us to understand the molecular and functional diversity of scorpion venom arsenal, the dynamic and functional evolution of scorpion toxins, and the potential relationships of scorpion species and their toxins. PMID:24577583

Images of Women in Chinese Literature. Volume 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu-ning, Li, Ed.

This book examines the ways in which Chinese literature offers a vast array of prospects, new interpretations, new fields of study, and new themes for the study of women. As a result of the global movement toward greater recognition of gender equality and human dignity, the study of women as portrayed in Chinese literature has a long and rich…

Acoustics of Chinese traditional theatres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J. Q.

2002-11-01

Chinese traditional theatre is unique in the world as an architectural form. The Chinese opera evolved into maturity as early as the Song and Yuan Dynasties, 11th-14th centuries, and Chinese theatrical buildings developed accordingly. As the Chinese opera plays on the principle of imaginary actions, no realistic stage settings are required. But Chinese audiences have placed great demands on vocal performance since ancient times. Pavilion stages that are small in area, open on three sides, and thrusting into the audience area are commonly found in traditional theatres, both the courtyard type and auditorium type. The pavilion stage is backed with a wall and a low ceiling (flat or domed). The stage functions as a reflecting shell, which enhances the sound to the audience and provides self-support to the singer. Numerous theatres of this kind exist and function in good condition to the present time. Acoustical measurements show that the sound strength and clarity in audience areas is satisfactory in moderate size courtyard traditional theatres. [Work supported by NSF.

Tracking the multi-stage exhumation history of the western Chinese Tianshan by Apatite Fission Track (AFT) dating - Implications for the preservation of epithermal deposits in ancient orogenic belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yannan; Cai, Keda

2017-04-01

The western Chinese Tianshan, located in the southern domain of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), was originally constructed by multiple accretion-collision processes in the Paleozoic, and was superimposed by complex intracontinental tectonic evolution in the Mesozoic-Cenozoic. Understanding the timing and mechanism of the latter geological processes is critical to unravel the preservation conditions of the epithermal deposits in the western Chinese Tianshan. This work presents new apatite fission track (AFT) data for three mountain ranges of the western Chinese Tianshan to track their exhumation history. Our AFT data gave a wide range of ages from 76.8 ± 5.5 Ma to 182.3 ± 9.9 Ma, and the mean confined fission track lengths are between 9.8 ± 0.5 μm and 12.3 ± 0.2 μm. The new data, in combination with the thermal history modeling，enable us to attribute the exhumation history to three primary stages, including Early Permian (300-280 Ma), Late Triassic-Early Cretaceous (230-130 Ma), and Late Oligocene-Early Miocene (30-20 Ma). The first stage may be caused by the terrane accretion-collision in the late Paleozoic. The second stage was likely related to the closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean during the Mesozoic. The last one is regarded as the result of the collision between the Indian Plate and the Eurasia Plate in the Cenozoic. The extraordinary exhumation processes of these three major mountain ranges might have been responsible for sediment supply to the corresponding intra-mountain basins in the western Chinese Tianshan, and the particularly mountain-basin coupling evolution is ascribed to an essential condition for the preservation of epithermal deposits in ancient orogenic belt.

PIXE analysis of ancient Chinese Qing dynasty porcelain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Huansheng; He, Wenquan; Tang, Jiayong; Yang, Fujia; Wang, Jianhua

1996-09-01

The major and minor chemical compositions and trace element content of white glaze made in Qing dynasty at kuan kiln have been determined by PIXE. Experimental results show that trace element contents RbSrZr are useful to distinguish the place of production of ancient porcelain. In the porcelain from different kilns situated in a same province, the trace element contents can be different from each other. Determining and comparing the major and minor compositions and trace elemental concentrations in white glaze by PIXE technique, we can distinguish a precious Qing dynasty porcelain made at kuan kiln from a fake.

Science of Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vedavyas

A Multi-disciplinary Research into the Chronologies of Ancient Nations -- like the Vedas of India Rishies, the Chaldeans, Babylonians, Egyptians and the Chinese. Which traces how the "Measurement of Time" -- which began with the observations of sunrise and Sunset, Full-Moons, eclipses, the movement of stars and the Discovery of the Zodiac that starry pathway of sun in his annual Cycle of the 12-Zodiacal months, the Measurement of Time by planetary Cycles the Discovery of Astronomy and Symbolic or Kabalistic Astrology of the Bible's Old Testament; the Epics of Babylonians and 'Cosmic Cycles' of Chaldeans and Egyptians also the Ancient "Four Yugas" or Hindu Vedic Cycles.

Chinese journals: a guide for epidemiologists

PubMed Central

Fung, Isaac CH

2008-01-01

Chinese journals in epidemiology, preventive medicine and public health contain much that is of potential international interest. However, few non-Chinese speakers are acquainted with this literature. This article therefore provides an overview of the contemporary scene in Chinese biomedical journal publication, Chinese bibliographic databases and Chinese journals in epidemiology, preventive medicine and public health. The challenge of switching to English as the medium of publication, the development of publishing bibliometric data from Chinese databases, the prospect of an Open Access publication model in China, the issue of language bias in literature reviews and the quality of Chinese journals are discussed. Epidemiologists are encouraged to search the Chinese bibliographic databases for Chinese journal articles. PMID:18826604

Learning across Borders--Chinese Migrant Literature and Intercultural Chinese Language Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Yongyang

2014-01-01

Chinese migrants have been a rich source of influential international literature, represented by key works such as "Eat a Bowl of Tea" by Louis Chu in 1961 and "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan in 1989. Cultural differences and conflicts, stereotypes and other complex issues regarding the diasporic lives of the Chinese sojourners…

Traditional uses, fermentation, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Phellinus linteus: A review.

PubMed

Chen, Hua; Tian, Ting; Miao, Hua; Zhao, Ying-Yong

2016-09-01

Medicinal mushroom Phellinus linteus ("Sanghuang" in Chinese, ) is a famous fungus which is widely used in China, Korea, and other Asian countries. As a traditional Chinese medicine with a 2000-year long history, medicinal applications of Phellinus linteus mainly include treating hemorrhage, hemostasis and diseases related to female menstruation according to Chinese clinical empirical practice. A number of studies reported Phellinus linteus possessed good therapeutic effects on various ailments including tumor, diabetes, inflammation, obesity, etc. The present paper comprehensively reviewed the traditional uses, fermentation, constituent and pharmacology of Phellinus linteus based on scientific literature as well as critical analysis of the research. This review aimed to provide latest information and new foundations and directions for further investigations on Phellinus linteus. All available information about Phellinus linteus was supplied by library database and electronic search (CNKI, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, PubMed, etc.). Some local and ancient books as well as brilliant scholars were also important information resources. Improvement of fermentation techniques promoted the production of Phellinus linteus. Studies of constituents showed the main chemical composition of Phellinus linteus included polysaccharides, flavones, triterpenes, aromatic acids, amino acids, etc. and polysaccharides were found to account for the largest proportion. Pharmacological researches revealed Phellinus linteus possessed a variety of biological activities including anti-cancer, immuno-regulation, anti-diabetes, anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation. Based on these summarized information, this review was presented to provide helpful references and beneficial directions for future studies of Phellinus linteus. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New Developments in Chinese Strategic Psychological Warfare

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

Taoism , which coupled hardness with softness in warfare, was not the only influence on the theory of psychological operations in ancient China. Other...portraying Islamic martyrs who appear to speak to soldiers from the clouds.38 In contemporary wars, such as the Gulf War, the first targets attacked have

An Analysis of Chinese High School Students' Attitudes toward Persons with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Zhang

2013-01-01

Disabilities and negative attitudes toward individuals with disabilities permeate human history, from ancient Greece to modern society. The study of attitude toward disabilities, mostly in western countries, has provided information for the development of policy concerning the rights of individuals with disabilities. Complying with international…

Using Meditation in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Michael C.

1992-01-01

One teacher's use of a form of meditation accompanied by music in a beginning Spanish class is reported. The approach taken was inspired by the theoretical foundation of Lozanov's Suggestopedia along with a simple exercise called "holding post" adapted from Tai Chi Chuan, an ancient Chinese martial art. (two references) (LB)

[Application of regular expression in extracting key information from Chinese medicine literatures about re-evaluation of post-marketing surveillance].

PubMed

Wang, Zhifei; Xie, Yanming; Wang, Yongyan

2011-10-01

Computerizing extracting information from Chinese medicine literature seems more convenient than hand searching, which could simplify searching process and improve the accuracy. However, many computerized auto-extracting methods are increasingly used, regular expression is so special that could be efficient for extracting useful information in research. This article focused on regular expression applying in extracting information from Chinese medicine literature. Two practical examples were reported in this article about regular expression to extract "case number (non-terminology)" and "efficacy rate (subgroups for related information identification)", which explored how to extract information in Chinese medicine literature by means of some special research method.

"Ancient" schwannoma of the submandibular gland: A case report and literature review.

PubMed

Ho, Che-Fang; Wu, Pei-Wen; Lee, Ta-Jen; Huang, Chien-Chia

2017-12-01

Schwannomas are solitary neurogenic tumors that arise from cells of the neural sheath. Ancient schwannoma is a relatively rare variant of schwannoma, characterized by increased cellularity and atypia. These cellular changes could be confusing and make the accurate pathologic diagnosis difficult. A 36-year-old man presented with painless swelling in left submandibular region for more than 2 years. The computed tomography confirmed a well-defined cystic lesion in the left submandibular space, which caused superior and posterior displacement of the left submandibular gland. Surgical excision was performed and the pathology confirmed the diagnosis of ancient schwannoma. To our knowledge, this patient is the second case of primary submandibular ancient schwannoma reported in the literatures. The patient underwent tumor resection and postoperative recovery was uneventful. There were no nerve deficits after the operation. There was no recurrence within 1 year of follow-up. Schwannoma originated from the submandibular gland is extremely rare and only a few cases have been reported. Ancient schwannoma is an even more rare tumor. The increased cellularity and atypia of ancient schwannoma can resemble features of malignancy. Great care must be taken to make differential diagnosis with fibrosarcomas and malignant schwannoma. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Synchronicity and the I Ching: Jung, Pauli, and the Chinese woman.

PubMed

Zabriskie, Beverley

2005-04-01

The capacity of the human mind to discover and invent both imagistic analogies and mathematical structures to represent reality is strikingly juxtaposed in the ancient Chinese text of the I Ching. Its emphasis on containing all sorts of opposites and its plastic appeal to multi-valenced experience has kept it alive through millennia and across cultures. Jung was introduced to its Taoist wisdom by the Sinologist Richard Wilhelm. The Nobel Laureate quantum physicist Wolfgang Pauli became familiar with its philosophy and mathematics through his reading of Schopenhauer and Leibniz. In their correspondence about the nature of the unconscious and synchronicity, Pauli and Jung also exchanged their musings on Pauli's dreams of a Chinese woman, her role in his psyche and his scientific theories(1).

Ancient Chinese Observations and Modern Cometary Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeomans, D. K.

1995-12-01

Ancient astronomical observations by Chinese, Japanese, and Korean observers represent the only data source for discerning the long-term behavior of comets. The primary source material is derived from Chinese astrologers who kept a vigilant celestial watch in an effort to issue up-to-date astrological forecasts for the reigning emperors. Surprisingly accurate records were kept on cometary apparitions with careful notes being made of an object's position, motion, size, color, and tail length. For comets Halley, Swift-Tuttle, and Tempel-Tuttle, Chinese observations have been used to model their motions over two millennia and to infer their photometric histories. One general result is that active comets must achieve an apparent magnitude of 3.5 or brighter before they become obvious naked-eye objects. For both comets Halley and Swift-Tuttle, their absolute magnitudes and hence their outgassing rates, have remained relatively constant for two millennia. Comet Halley's rocket-like outgassing has consistently delayed the comet's return to perihelion by 4 days so that the comet's spin axis must have remained stable for at least two millennia. Although its outgassing is at nearly the same rate as Halley's, comet Swift-Tuttle's motion has been unaffected by outgassing forces; this comet is likely to be ten times more massive than Halley and hence far more difficult for rocket-like forces to push it around. Although the earliest definite observations of comet Tempel-Tuttle were in 1366, the associated Leonid meteor showers have been identified as early as A.D. 902. The circumstance for each historical meteor shower and storm have been used to guide predictions for the upcoming 1998-1999 Leonid meteor displays.

Convergent Lines of Descent: Symptoms, Patterns, Constellations, and the Emergent Interface of Systems Biology and Chinese Medicine.

PubMed

Scheid, Volker

2014-03-01

During the first decade of the twenty-first century, a network composed of politicians, regulators, bioscientists, clinical researchers, and Chinese medicine specialists has emerged that seeks to bridge an imagined gulf between the modern West and ancient China in order to create a new type of personalized medicine. The central building block of this bridge is the Chinese medical concept of zheng /, variously translated into English as syndrome, pattern, or type. My paper places side by side two different genealogies of how zheng assumed this central role. The first genealogy examines the process by means of which zheng came to be considered as something shared by both ancient China and cutting-edge biological science and, by extension, how it manages to hold together the entire institutional, political, and economic framework into which this bridge is embedded and which it co-creates. The second genealogy shows zheng to be central to a much older series of redefinitions of Chinese medicine and Chinese medical practice that extend from the eleventh century to the present. Read together, these two genealogies-neither of which should be seen as exhaustive-raise three important issues that are further discussed in the conclusion of the paper. First, I explore how the concept of zheng has come to tie a medical tradition derided by its adversaries for being a pseudoscience to one of the most cutting-edge fields of bioscience research. I ask what is at stake in this synthesis, for whom, and why, and how it transforms Chinese medicine and/or systems biology along the way. Second, I am interested in finding out how and why the very same concept can be at the heart of two apparently agonistic visions of Chinese medicine's future as it is popularly imagined in China today. Finally, I insist that the medical humanities need to become actively involved in the construction of emergent articulations such as the ones I am exploring. Merely writing a history of the present will not be productive unless its critique can somehow be articulated into the very processes of emergence that historians or anthropologists seek to examine.

Convergent Lines of Descent: Symptoms, Patterns, Constellations, and the Emergent Interface of Systems Biology and Chinese Medicine

PubMed Central

Scheid, Volker

2015-01-01

During the first decade of the twenty-first century, a network composed of politicians, regulators, bioscientists, clinical researchers, and Chinese medicine specialists has emerged that seeks to bridge an imagined gulf between the modern West and ancient China in order to create a new type of personalized medicine. The central building block of this bridge is the Chinese medical concept of zheng 證/証, variously translated into English as syndrome, pattern, or type. My paper places side by side two different genealogies of how zheng assumed this central role. The first genealogy examines the process by means of which zheng came to be considered as something shared by both ancient China and cutting-edge biological science and, by extension, how it manages to hold together the entire institutional, political, and economic framework into which this bridge is embedded and which it co-creates. The second genealogy shows zheng to be central to a much older series of redefinitions of Chinese medicine and Chinese medical practice that extend from the eleventh century to the present. Read together, these two genealogies—neither of which should be seen as exhaustive—raise three important issues that are further discussed in the conclusion of the paper. First, I explore how the concept of zheng has come to tie a medical tradition derided by its adversaries for being a pseudoscience to one of the most cutting-edge fields of bioscience research. I ask what is at stake in this synthesis, for whom, and why, and how it transforms Chinese medicine and/or systems biology along the way. Second, I am interested in finding out how and why the very same concept can be at the heart of two apparently agonistic visions of Chinese medicine’s future as it is popularly imagined in China today. Finally, I insist that the medical humanities need to become actively involved in the construction of emergent articulations such as the ones I am exploring. Merely writing a history of the present will not be productive unless its critique can somehow be articulated into the very processes of emergence that historians or anthropologists seek to examine. PMID:25821530

Molecular profile of the unique species of traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese seahorse (Hippocampus kuda Bleeker).

PubMed

Zhang, Ning; Xu, Bin; Mou, Chunyan; Yang, Wenli; Wei, Jianwen; Lu, Liang; Zhu, Junjie; Du, Jingchun; Wu, Xiaokun; Ye, Lanting; Fu, Zhiyan; Lu, Yang; Lin, Jianghai; Sun, Zizi; Su, Jing; Dong, Meiling; Xu, Anlong

2003-08-28

A cDNA library of male Chinese seahorse (Hippocampus kuda Bleeker) was constructed to investigate the molecular profile of seahorse as one of the most famous traditional Chinese medicine materials, and to reveal immunological and physiological mechanisms of seahorse as one of the most primitive vertebrates at molecular level. A total of 3372 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) consisting of 1911 unique genes (345 clusters and 1566 singletons) were examined in the present study. Identification of the genes related to immune system, paternal brooding and physiological regulation provides not only valuable insights into the molecular mechanism of immune system in teleost fish but also plausible explanations for pharmacological activities of Chinese seahorse. Furthermore, the occurrence of high prevalent C-type lectins suggested that a lectin-complement pathway might exert a more dominant function in the innate immune system of teleost than mammal. Carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) without a collagen-like region in the lectins of seahorse was likely an ancient characteristic of lectins similar to invertebrates.

Hernandulcin: an intensely sweet compound discovered by review of ancient literature.

PubMed

Compadre, C M; Pezzuto, J M; Kinghorn, A D; Kamath, S K

1985-01-25

Ancient Mexican botanical literature was systematically searched for new plant sources of intensely sweet substances. Lippia dulcis Trev., a sweet plant, emerged as a candidate for fractionation studies, and hernandulcin, a sesquiterpene, was isolated and judged by a human taste panel as more than 1000 times sweeter than sucrose. The structure of the sesquiterpene was determined spectroscopically and confirmed by chemical synthesis. Hernandulcin was nontoxic when administered orally to mice, and it did not induce bacterial mutation.

Macroscopic Biological Characteristics of Individualized Therapy in Chinese Mongolian Osteopathy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namula, Zhao; Mei, Wang; Li, Xue-en

Objective: Chinese Mongolian osteopathy has been passed down from ancient times and includes unique practices and favorable efficacy. In this study, we investigate the macroscopic biological characteristics of individualized Chinese Mongolian osteopathy, in order to provide new principle and methods for the treatment of bone fracture. Method: With a view to provide a vital link between nature and humans, the four stages of Chinese Mongolian osteopathy focus on the unity of the mind and body, the limbs and body organs, the body and its functions, and humans and nature. Results: We discuss the merits of individualized osteopathy in terms of the underlying concepts, and evaluate the approaches and principles of traditional medicine, as well as biomechanics. Conclusions: Individualized Mongolian osteopathy targets macroscopic biological components including dynamic reduction, natural fixation, and functional healing. Chinese Mongolian osteopathy is a natural, ecological and non-invasive osteopathy that values the link between nature and humans, including the unity of mind and body. The biological components not only serve as a foundation for Chinese Mongolian osteopathy but are also important for the future development of modern osteopathy, focusing on individualization, actualization and integration.

Tamil merchant in ancient Mesopotamia.

PubMed

Palanichamy, Malliya Gounder; Mitra, Bikash; Debnath, Monojit; Agrawal, Suraksha; Chaudhuri, Tapas Kumar; Zhang, Ya-Ping

2014-01-01

Recent analyses of ancient Mesopotamian mitochondrial genomes have suggested a genetic link between the Indian subcontinent and Mesopotamian civilization. There is no consensus on the origin of the ancient Mesopotamians. They may be descendants of migrants, who founded regional Mesopotamian groups like that of Terqa or they may be merchants who were involved in trans Mesopotamia trade. To identify the Indian source population showing linkage to the ancient Mesopotamians, we screened a total of 15,751 mitochondrial DNAs (11,432 from the literature and 4,319 from this study) representing all major populations of India. Our results although suggest that south India (Tamil Nadu) and northeast India served as the source of the ancient Mesopotamian mtDNA gene pool, mtDNA of these ancient Mesopotamians probably contributed by Tamil merchants who were involved in the Indo-Roman trade.

[Origin and thought on the philosophical ideas of acupuncture in Chinese medicine].

PubMed

Ren, Xiumei

2017-12-12

Acupuncture in Chinese medicine has been a treasure in Chinese traditional medicine for thousands of years. It is opposite to many basic theories in modern medicine in dynasties. Different from the cross compatibility and interactions among medical medicines, acupuncture in Chinese medicine has its own consolidation and inherent philosophical ideas. In view of this, how to discuss the philosophical ideas and its development of acupuncture in Chinese medicine becomes of great importance. It is crucial to clearly answer the three theoretical propositions in the development of acupuncture in Chinese medicine. Firstly, the differences in acupuncture should be identified between the ancient time and the modern time. The issues focus on the origin of Huangdi Neijing ( Yellow Emperor's Internal Medicine ) and its philosophical divergence. Secondly, the origin of acupuncture should be identified, whether it is from China or India. Thirdly, the differences in acupuncture should be identified between China and the west, focusing on the explanation and rectification of the interrelationship between the acupuncture in Chinese medicine and the western acupuncture. Hence, the basic features are discussed on the reality of acupuncture in Chinese medicine as well as its diversity. Finally, the proposition is extended on how to holistically grasp the philosophical foundation of acupuncture in Chinese medicine and its future trend.

An Evaluation of the Historical Importance of Fertility and Its Reflection in Ancient Mythology

PubMed Central

Behjati-Ardakani, Zohreh; Akhondi, Mohammad Mehdi; Mahmoodzadeh, Homa; Hosseini, Seyed Hasan

2016-01-01

Myths are reflective of human concerns and needs during ancient times. By reviewing them, it turns out that many human problems today, have a historical background. Among the main themes of ancient mythologies, fertility and reproduction have various representations in ancient civilizations. The purpose of this paper was to review myths and common symbols of fertility and reproduction in ancient civilizations and evaluate the reasons of their continuous importance in different cultures. The data in this review study was obtained by scrutinizing the related literature. The gathered data indicated the multiplicity and variety of fertility symbols in ancient myths. Most ancient fertility symbols were inspired by the nature and some of them like earth and water were common in mythology of different civilizations. Therefore, the symbols consolidate the concept of conformity between human reproductive concerns and the nature's necessities. PMID:26962477

An Evaluation of the Historical Importance of Fertility and Its Reflection in Ancient Mythology.

PubMed

Behjati-Ardakani, Zohreh; Akhondi, Mohammad Mehdi; Mahmoodzadeh, Homa; Hosseini, Seyed Hasan

2016-01-01

Myths are reflective of human concerns and needs during ancient times. By reviewing them, it turns out that many human problems today, have a historical background. Among the main themes of ancient mythologies, fertility and reproduction have various representations in ancient civilizations. The purpose of this paper was to review myths and common symbols of fertility and reproduction in ancient civilizations and evaluate the reasons of their continuous importance in different cultures. The data in this review study was obtained by scrutinizing the related literature. The gathered data indicated the multiplicity and variety of fertility symbols in ancient myths. Most ancient fertility symbols were inspired by the nature and some of them like earth and water were common in mythology of different civilizations. Therefore, the symbols consolidate the concept of conformity between human reproductive concerns and the nature's necessities.

Videodisks Offer a Detailed Portrait of Qin, the First Chinese Emperor.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Beverly T.

1992-01-01

Project Emperor-I has issued two interactive videodiscs on China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang Di. The videodiscs contain film footage from the archaeological excavation in China, images of artifacts, interviews with Qin specialists, and the full text of articles about the ancient burial site. Development of the videodiscs for scholars involved…

Some Adult Educational Elements in Ancient Eastern Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacGregor, Norman

The existence of adult educational elements in acient India, China, Judea, and Arabia is demonstrated in this paper. Hindu and Buddhist adult education is discussed first, followed by Chinese adult education, Jewish adult education, and Islamic adult education. Conclusions of the study on which this paper reports are: (1) the existence of the…

"The Ancient Master Painted like Me"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiu, Son-Mey

2009-01-01

By following their wonderful ideas or critical exploration, three eighth graders learned how to do traditional Chinese painting, which is taught by copying old masters' work from the Ming Dynasty in the 17th century. The standard manual, which most learners have been using for these three hundred years, is the "Mustard Seed Garden Manual of…

When Technology, Science and Culture Meet: Insights from Ancient Chinese Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Yeung Chung

2018-01-01

This paper draws together two important agendas in science education. The first is making science education more inclusive such that students from non-Western or indigenous cultures can benefit from culturally relevant curricula. The second is integrating technology into the curriculum under the umbrella of Science-Technology-Society (STS)…

Teacher-Directed and Learner-Engaged: Exploring a Confucian Conception of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Charlene

2015-01-01

Against a backdrop of an international trend to shift from a teacher-centred to a learner-centred education, this article explores a Confucian conception of education. Focusing on an ancient Chinese text "Xueji" (Record of Learning), the essay examines its educational ideals and practices based on the principles of "choice",…

Periodic climate cooling enhanced natural disasters and wars in China during AD 10–1900

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhibin; Tian, Huidong; Cazelles, Bernard; Kausrud, Kyrre L.; Bräuning, Achim; Guo, Fang; Stenseth, Nils Chr

2010-01-01

Recent studies have linked climatic and social instabilities in ancient China; the underlying causal mechanisms have, however, often not been quantitatively assessed. Here, using historical records and palaeoclimatic reconstructions during AD 10–1900, we demonstrate that war frequency, price of rice, locust plague, drought frequency, flood frequency and temperature in China show two predominant periodic bands around 160 and 320 years where they interact significantly with each other. Temperature cooling shows direct positive association with the frequency of external aggression war to the Chinese dynasties mostly from the northern pastoral nomadic societies, and indirect positive association with the frequency of internal war within the Chinese dynasties through drought and locust plagues. The collapses of the agricultural dynasties of the Han, Tang, Song and Ming are more closely associated with low temperature. Our study suggests that food production during the last two millennia has been more unstable during cooler periods, resulting in more social conflicts owing to rebellions within the dynasties or/and southward aggressions from northern pastoral nomadic societies in ancient China. PMID:20630883

Periodic climate cooling enhanced natural disasters and wars in China during AD 10-1900.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhibin; Tian, Huidong; Cazelles, Bernard; Kausrud, Kyrre L; Bräuning, Achim; Guo, Fang; Stenseth, Nils Chr

2010-12-22

Recent studies have linked climatic and social instabilities in ancient China; the underlying causal mechanisms have, however, often not been quantitatively assessed. Here, using historical records and palaeoclimatic reconstructions during AD 10-1900, we demonstrate that war frequency, price of rice, locust plague, drought frequency, flood frequency and temperature in China show two predominant periodic bands around 160 and 320 years where they interact significantly with each other. Temperature cooling shows direct positive association with the frequency of external aggression war to the Chinese dynasties mostly from the northern pastoral nomadic societies, and indirect positive association with the frequency of internal war within the Chinese dynasties through drought and locust plagues. The collapses of the agricultural dynasties of the Han, Tang, Song and Ming are more closely associated with low temperature. Our study suggests that food production during the last two millennia has been more unstable during cooler periods, resulting in more social conflicts owing to rebellions within the dynasties or/and southward aggressions from northern pastoral nomadic societies in ancient China.

The Comparison Between Nmf and Ica in Pigment Mixture Identification of Ancient Chinese Paintings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y.; Lyu, S.; Hou, M.; Yin, Q.

2018-04-01

Since the colour in painting cultural relics observed by our naked eyes or hyperspectral cameras is usually a mixture of several kinds of pigments, the mixed pigments analysis will be an important subject in the field of ancient painting conservation and restoration. This paper aims to find a more effective method to confirm the types of every pure pigment from mixture on the surface of paintings. Firstly, we adopted two kinds of blind source separation algorithms, which are independent component analysis and non-negative matrix factorization, to extract the pure pigment component from mixed spectrum respectively. Moreover, we matched the separated pure spectrum with the pigments spectra library built by our team to determine the pigment type. Furthermore, three kinds of data including simulation data, mixed pigments spectral data measured in laboratory, and the spectral data of an ancient painting were chosen to evaluate the performance of the different algorithms. And the accuracy was compared between the two algorithms. Finally, the experimental results show that non-negative matrix factorization method is more suitable for endmember extraction in the field of ancient painting conservation and restoration.

[A historical survey of diphtheria in the Western World, China and Japan. Part II: Modern age (from sixteenth century to the beginning of nineteenth century)].

PubMed

Nakamura, A

1996-09-01

In Europe and North America, literatures on diphtheritic diseases was increasing from sixteenth to eighteenth century. In New England of North America, diphtheria and scarlet fever occurred epidemically in mingled form from 1735 to the succeeding year. Thereafter, many physicians in Europe and America treated patients of diphtheria and had different opinions about the nature of croup and diphtheria. In China, its own clinical medicine progressed extraordinarily during the modern age. Laryngeal specialists appeared and wrote special monographs about the pharynx and larynx. A physician wrote about "epidemic exanthem", which the author presumes to be a complicated form of scarlet fever and diphtheria. In Japan, diphtheria occurred in sporadic form usually, and in epidemic form occasionally. Japanese physicians studied medicine from China since the ancient age, and also introduced European medicine through the Netherlands in the eighteenth century. So Japanese physicians learned knowledge about throat diseases and diphtheria from Chinese and European medicine.

Scientia sexualis versus ars erotica: Foucault, van Gulik, Needham.

PubMed

Rocha, Leon Antonio

2011-09-01

This paper begins with a discussion of the scientia sexualis/ars erotica distinction, which Foucault first advances in History of Sexuality Vol. 1, and which has been employed by many scholars to do a variety of analytical work. Though Foucault has expressed his doubts regarding his conceptualization of the differences between Western and Eastern discourses of desire, he never entirely disowns the distinction. In fact, Foucault remains convinced that China must have an ars erotica. I will explore Foucault's sources of authority. To this end, I introduce the work of famous Dutch sinologist Robert Hans van Gulik, who published the tremendously influential Sexual Life in Ancient China in 1961, and also explore Joseph Needham's view on Chinese sex. I argue that, Foucault, in his fierce polemic against the "Repressive Hypothesis", himself imagined a utopian Other where pleasure and desire were organised differently. I end on a discuss on Orientalism and the project of "Sinography" of comparative literature scholars Haun Saussy, Eric Hayot and others. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A study of direct moxibustion using mathematical methods.

PubMed

Liu, Miao; Kauh, Sang Ken; Lim, Sabina

2012-01-01

Direct moxibustion is an important and widely used treatment method in traditional medical science. The use of a mathematical method to analyse direct moxibustion treatment is necessary and helpful in exploring the new direct moxibustion instruments and their standardisation. Thus, this paper aims to use a mathematical method to study direct moxibustion in skin to demonstrate a direct relationship between direct moxibustion and skin stimuli. In this paper, the transient thermal response of skin layers is analysed to study direct moxibustion using the data got from standardised method to measure the temperature of a burning moxa cone. Numerical simulations based on an appropriate finite element model are developed to predict the heat transfer, thermal damage and thermal stress distribution of barley moxa cones and jujube moxa cones in the skin tissue. The results are verified by the ancient literatures of traditional Chinese medicine and clinical application, and showed that mathematical method can be a good interface between moxa cone and skin tissue providing the numerical value basis for moxibustion.

Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Comparative Overview

PubMed Central

2005-01-01

Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medicine (TIM) and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) remain the most ancient yet living traditions. There has been increased global interest in traditional medicine. Efforts to monitor and regulate herbal drugs and traditional medicine are underway. China has been successful in promoting its therapies with more research and science-based approach, while Ayurveda still needs more extensive scientific research and evidence base. This review gives an overview of basic principles and commonalities of TIM and TCM and discusses key determinants of success, which these great traditions need to address to compete in global markets. PMID:16322803

Space Archaeology for military-agricultural colonies (tuntian) on the ancient Silk Road, NW China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Lei; Wang, Xinyuan; Guo, Huadong; Liu, Chuansheng

2017-04-01

The ancient Silk Road, a pioneering work in the history of human civilization, contributed greatly to the cultural exchange between China and the West. It is the precious cultural heritage should be shared by the whole humanity. Although there were countless archaeological sites along the ancient Silk Road, most of the existing researches just focused on the sites, lacking the overall understanding of the relationships between sites and their supporting environment. Space archaeology provides a new viewpoint for investigating, discovering, reconstructing and documenting the archaeological sites under different scales. The tuntian system was a state-promoted system of military-agricultural colonies, which originated in the Western Han dynasty (206 BC-9 AD). All the imperial dynasties in Chinese history adopted the practice of tuntian to cultivate and guard frontier areas as an important state policy for developing border areas and consolidating frontier defence. This study describes the use of Chinese GF-1 imagery, LS-7 ETM+ data and ASTER GDEMV2 products to uncover an ancient irrigated canal-based tuntian system located in Milan oasis adjacent to the ancient Kingdom of Loulan at the southern margin of the Tarim Basin. The GF-1 and LS-7 data were first processed following atmospheric and geometric correction and enhanced by Gram Schmidt pansharpening. The linear archaeological traces of tuntian irrigation canals were extracted from the morphologically enhanced GF-1 PAN imagery using our proposed automatic method which adopts mathematical morphological processing and Canny edge operator. Compared with the manual extractions, the overall detection accuracy was better than 90%. In addition, the functions of the trunk, primary, secondary and tertiary canals were each analyzed and the spatial extent of Milan's tuntian landscape were analyzed with the help of the NDVI derived from the GF-1 multispectral imagery. The effective irrigated tuntian area was estimated to be 2, 800 ha and the maximum irrigated tuntian area was found to be more than 8, 000 ha during the area's most prosperous period. The overall spatial pattern of Milan's tuntian landscape was explored using the patch-corridor-matrix model. The features and functions of tuntian landscape elements in Mountain-Oasis-Desert Ecosystem (MODES) were discussed in detail. By detailed analysis of satellite remote sensing data, this study reconstructed a 3D view of Milan's tuntian agricultural landscape in a GIS. Milan's tuntian system reveals the basic organization pattern of the ancient tuntian system in Xinjiang, and provides a solid foundation for understanding the military, cultural, economic and geopolitical values of ancient tuntian system for China frontiers.

Sirius in Ancient Greek and Roman Literature: From the Orphic Argonautics to the Astronomical Tables of Georgios Chrysococca

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Theodossiou, Efstratios; Manimanis, Vassilios N.; Dimitrijevi, Milan S.; Mantarakis, Peter Z.

2011-11-01

The brightest star of the night sky, is Sirius, Alpha Canis Majoris (α CMa). Due to its intense brightness, Sirius had one of the dominant positions in ancient mythology, legends and traditions. In this paper the references of the many ancient classical Greek and Roman authors and poets who wrote about Sirius are examined, and the problem of its 'red' color reported in some of these references is discussed.

I-Ching, dyadic groups of binary numbers and the geno-logic coding in living bodies.

PubMed

Hu, Zhengbing; Petoukhov, Sergey V; Petukhova, Elena S

2017-12-01

The ancient Chinese book I-Ching was written a few thousand years ago. It introduces the system of symbols Yin and Yang (equivalents of 0 and 1). It had a powerful impact on culture, medicine and science of ancient China and several other countries. From the modern standpoint, I-Ching declares the importance of dyadic groups of binary numbers for the Nature. The system of I-Ching is represented by the tables with dyadic groups of 4 bigrams, 8 trigrams and 64 hexagrams, which were declared as fundamental archetypes of the Nature. The ancient Chinese did not know about the genetic code of protein sequences of amino acids but this code is organized in accordance with the I-Ching: in particularly, the genetic code is constructed on DNA molecules using 4 nitrogenous bases, 16 doublets, and 64 triplets. The article also describes the usage of dyadic groups as a foundation of the bio-mathematical doctrine of the geno-logic code, which exists in parallel with the known genetic code of amino acids but serves for a different goal: to code the inherited algorithmic processes using the logical holography and the spectral logic of systems of genetic Boolean functions. Some relations of this doctrine with the I-Ching are discussed. In addition, the ratios of musical harmony that can be revealed in the parameters of DNA structure are also represented in the I-Ching book. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Patterns of East Asian pig domestication, migration, and turnover revealed by modern and ancient DNA

PubMed Central

Larson, Greger; Liu, Ranran; Zhao, Xingbo; Yuan, Jing; Fuller, Dorian; Barton, Loukas; Dobney, Keith; Fan, Qipeng; Gu, Zhiliang; Liu, Xiao-Hui; Luo, Yunbing; Lv, Peng; Andersson, Leif; Li, Ning

2010-01-01

The establishment of agricultural economies based upon domestic animals began independently in many parts of the world and led to both increases in human population size and the migration of people carrying domestic plants and animals. The precise circumstances of the earliest phases of these events remain mysterious given their antiquity and the fact that subsequent waves of migrants have often replaced the first. Through the use of more than 1,500 modern (including 151 previously uncharacterized specimens) and 18 ancient (representing six East Asian archeological sites) pig (Sus scrofa) DNA sequences sampled across East Asia, we provide evidence for the long-term genetic continuity between modern and ancient Chinese domestic pigs. Although the Chinese case for independent pig domestication is supported by both genetic and archaeological evidence, we discuss five additional (and possibly) independent domestications of indigenous wild boar populations: one in India, three in peninsular Southeast Asia, and one off the coast of Taiwan. Collectively, we refer to these instances as “cryptic domestication,” given the current lack of corroborating archaeological evidence. In addition, we demonstrate the existence of numerous populations of genetically distinct and widespread wild boar populations that have not contributed maternal genetic material to modern domestic stocks. The overall findings provide the most complete picture yet of pig evolution and domestication in East Asia, and generate testable hypotheses regarding the development and spread of early farmers in the Far East. PMID:20404179

[Are there imported components for channels and collaterals?].

PubMed

Zhu, Bing

2005-10-01

The medical papyri in ancient Egypt written before 1500 B. C, recorded the metu system which could not be explained by modern anatomic location and was difficultly expounded by biological functions. Most of diseases were treated by dredging the metu, regulating the metu, balancing the metu, removing noxious substances from the metu, restoring the normal functions of the metu. The ancient Egyptian held that the metu forms mutual connecting channel network to carry out flowing of energy and information, with the functions of linking up external and internal organs, which is similar to linking functions of meridians-zang- and fu- organs. In the works of Hippocrates, the father of ancient Greece medicine, 2nd century B. C, also described the linking channels "phleps" on human surface. And in other country with an ancient civilization, India, had a similar channel system. About 15th century B. C, Charaka Samitha of ancient India described human "nadis" channel system. The system carried "rasas" (life liquid) connected with the whole body from the navel. Therefore, it can be held that at the embryonic stage of medicine development, the linking tube similar to channel or vessel was described, but it is interested that met and Chinese "mai" (vessel) have similar pronunciation. And mai in China was created after met.

[Analysis of ancient literature on baliao points for pelvic floor diseases].

PubMed

Liu, Hairong; Zhang, Jianbin

2016-12-12

The relationship between baliao points and pelvis floor diseases was explored based on the ancient literature review on these acupoints' targeted diseases. It is considered that baliao points are applied to treat various pelvis floor diseases and symptoms of different systems. Each point has similar function but with unique feature. Shangliao (BL 31) is mainly used to treat gynecologic diseases;Ciliao (BL 32) and Zhongliao (BL 33),urologic system and reproductive system diseases;Zhongliao (BL 33) and Xialiao (BL 34),reproductive system and anorectal system diseases.

Species Diversity Distribution Patterns of Chinese Endemic Seed Plants Based on Geographical Regions.

PubMed

Huang, Jihong; Ma, Keping; Huang, Jianhua

2017-01-01

Based on a great number of literatures, we established the database about the Chinese endemic seed plants and analyzed the compositions, growth form, distribution and angiosperm original families of them within three big natural areas and seven natural regions. The results indicate that the above characters of Chinese endemic plants take on relative rule at the different geographical scales. Among the three big natural areas, Eastern Monsoon area has the highest endemic plants richness, whereas Northwest Dryness area is the lowest. For life forms, herbs dominate. In contrast, the proportion of herbs of Eastern Monsoon area is remarkable under other two areas. Correspondingly the proportions of trees and shrubs are substantially higher than other two. For angiosperm original families, the number is the highest in Eastern Monsoon area, and lowest in Northwest Dryness area. On the other hand, among the seven natural regions, the humid and subtropical zone in Central and Southern China has the highest endemic plants richness, whereas the humid, hemi-humid region and temperate zone in Northeast China has the lowest. For life forms, the proportion of herbs tends to decrease from humid, hemi-humid region and temperate zone in Northeast China to humid and tropical zone in Southern China. Comparably, trees, shrubs and vines or lianas increase with the same directions. This fully represents these characters of Chinese endemic plants vary with latitudinal gradients. Furthermore, as to the number of endemic plants belonging to angiosperm original families, the number is the most in humid and subtropical zone in Center and Southern China, and tropical zone in Southern China in the next place. In contrast, the endemic plant of these two regions relatively is richer than that of The Qinghai-Tibet alpine and cold region. All above results sufficiently reflect that the Chinese endemic plants mainly distribute in Eastern Monsoon area, especially humid and subtropical zone in Center and Southern China and tropical zone in Southern China. Furthermore, the flora of Eastern Monsoon area, in particular humid and subtropical zone in Center and Southern China and tropical zone in Southern China, is more ancient and original than that of Northwest Dryness area and Qinghai-Tibet alpine and cold area.

He's Frequency Formulation for Nonlinear Oscillators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geng, Lei; Cai, Xu-Chu

2007-01-01

Based on an ancient Chinese algorithm, J H He suggested a simple but effective method to find the frequency of a nonlinear oscillator. In this paper, a modified version is suggested to improve the accuracy of the frequency; two examples are given, revealing that the obtained solutions are of remarkable accuracy and are valid for the whole solution…

Golden Mountain Reading Series. Level 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sung, Robert

This reading series was developed as a means to educate Chinese-American elementary school children in Chinese reading, writing, and culture. The text covers the following topics: Chinese literature, Chinese and American history, famous people, general knowledge, Chinese letter writing, the four seasons, and the major Chinese and American…

Fermented beverages of pre- and proto-historic China.

PubMed

McGovern, Patrick E; Zhang, Juzhong; Tang, Jigen; Zhang, Zhiqing; Hall, Gretchen R; Moreau, Robert A; Nuñez, Alberto; Butrym, Eric D; Richards, Michael P; Wang, Chen-Shan; Cheng, Guangsheng; Zhao, Zhijun; Wang, Changsui

2004-12-21

Chemical analyses of ancient organics absorbed into pottery jars from the early Neolithic village of Jiahu in Henan province in China have revealed that a mixed fermented beverage of rice, honey, and fruit (hawthorn fruit and/or grape) was being produced as early as the seventh millennium before Christ (B.C.). This prehistoric drink paved the way for unique cereal beverages of the proto-historic second millennium B.C., remarkably preserved as liquids inside sealed bronze vessels of the Shang and Western Zhou Dynasties. These findings provide direct evidence for fermented beverages in ancient Chinese culture, which were of considerable social, religious, and medical significance, and help elucidate their earliest descriptions in the Shang Dynasty oracle inscriptions.

Fermented beverages of pre- and proto-historic China

PubMed Central

McGovern, Patrick E.; Zhang, Juzhong; Tang, Jigen; Zhang, Zhiqing; Hall, Gretchen R.; Moreau, Robert A.; Nuñez, Alberto; Butrym, Eric D.; Richards, Michael P.; Wang, Chen-shan; Cheng, Guangsheng; Zhao, Zhijun; Wang, Changsui

2004-01-01

Chemical analyses of ancient organics absorbed into pottery jars from the early Neolithic village of Jiahu in Henan province in China have revealed that a mixed fermented beverage of rice, honey, and fruit (hawthorn fruit and/or grape) was being produced as early as the seventh millennium before Christ (B.C.). This prehistoric drink paved the way for unique cereal beverages of the proto-historic second millennium B.C., remarkably preserved as liquids inside sealed bronze vessels of the Shang and Western Zhou Dynasties. These findings provide direct evidence for fermented beverages in ancient Chinese culture, which were of considerable social, religious, and medical significance, and help elucidate their earliest descriptions in the Shang Dynasty oracle inscriptions. PMID:15590771

Golden Mountain Reading Series. Teacher's Guide, Level 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sung, Robert

This reading series was developed as a means to educate Chinese-American elementary school students in Chinese reading, writing, and culture. The following topics are covered: Chinese literature, Chinese and American history, famous people, general knowledge, Chinese ideography, the four seasons, and the major Chinese and American festivals and…

Drinking habits in ancient India

PubMed Central

Somasundaram, Ottilingam; Raghavan, D. Vijaya; Murthy, A. G. Tejus

2016-01-01

Consumption of one or other form of intoxicating substances has been present throughout the history of the world. This article traces such use in the Indian subcontinent, both in North and South India. References to the use of intoxicants are to be found in the Vedas, the Great Epics, and the ancient Tamil literature. PMID:26985113

Women of Ancient Greece: Participating in Sport?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Brett D.

Based on evidence obtained from Greek literature and artifacts, this paper examines the extent to which women in ancient Greece participated in physical activity, sports, and games. Homer's "Odyssey" describes women playing ball and driving chariots; vases dating back to 700-675 B.C. portray women driving light chariots in a procession;…

Networking for English Literature Class: Cooperative Learning in Chinese Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Huiyin

2017-01-01

This action research was conducted to investigate the efficacy of networking, an adjusted cooperative learning method employed in an English literature class for non-English majors in China. Questionnaire was administered online anonymously to college students after a 14-week cooperative learning in literature class in a Chinese university, aiming…

Non-scientific classification of Chinese herbal medicine as dietary supplement.

PubMed

Bao, Kexin

2017-03-01

This article focuses the category status of Chinese herbal medicine in the United States where it has been mistakenly classifified as a dietary supplement. According to Yellow Emperor Canon of Internal Medicine (Huang Di Nei Jing), clinical treatment in broad sense is to apply certain poisonous medicines to fight against pathogeneses, by which all medicines have certain toxicity and side effect. From ancient times to modern society, all, or at least most, practitioners have used herbal medicine to treat patients' medical conditions. The educational curriculums in Chinese medicine (CM) comprise the courses of herbal medicine (herbology) and herbal formulae. The objective of these courses is to teach students to use herbal medicine or formulae to treat disease as materia medica. In contrast, dietary supplements are preparations intended to provide nutrients that are missing or are not consumed in suffificient quantity in a person's diet. In contrast, Chinese herbs can be toxic, which have been proven through laboratory research. Both clinical practice and research have demonstrated that Chinese herbal medicine is a special type of natural materia medica, not a dietary supplement.

Chinese students studying at Australian universities with specific reference to nursing students: a narrative literature review.

PubMed

Wang, Carol Chunfeng; Andre, Kate; Greenwood, Kenneth Mark

2015-04-01

To report the current knowledge on the Chinese nursing students' learning at Australian universities. The intent is to provide educators and researchers with a background to the contexts, the methodologies, the emphases of various relevant studies, and to provide recommendations for future research. Attracting international students has become an important part of Australian universities' business and contributes to their cultural diversity. Teaching international students has received considerable attention in the educational research literature. Experiences of international students can vary greatly depending on their country of origin. This paper critically reviews current literature relating to issues for Chinese students and in particular, Chinese nursing students, the biggest single group of international nursing students at Australian universities Narrative literature review. A comprehensive search of seven electronic databases for literature between 2003 and 2014 helped to identify qualitative and quantitative studies that addressed issues of Asian international students with English as a second language (ESL) (included nursing students) studying in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the United States and China. Pertinent websites were also searched. The reference lists and bibliographies of retrieved articles were hand- searched to identify other relevant studies. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria for the review. The majority of existing literature claimed that there is a range of challenges confronting international students including Chinese nursing students, in assimilation into their host country. These include issues with English language proficiency, cultural barriers, social problems, different learning styles, academic demands, perceived racism, homesickness, lack of assertiveness and financial problems. There is limited research about the Chinese students' study in Australia. In particular, the learning experience of Chinese nursing students has not been fully explored nor understood. This paper highlights the need for further research into the lived learning experience of Chinese nursing students studying at Australian universities. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The classification and application of toxic Chinese materia medica.

PubMed

Liu, Xinmin; Wang, Qiong; Song, Guangqing; Zhang, Guangping; Ye, Zuguang; Williamson, Elizabeth M

2014-03-01

Many important drugs in the Chinese materia medica (CMM) are known to be toxic, and it has long been recognized in classical Chinese medical theory that toxicity can arise directly from the components of a single CMM or may be induced by an interaction between combined CMM. Traditional Chinese Medicine presents a unique set of pharmaceutical theories that include particular methods for processing, combining and decocting, and these techniques contribute to reducing toxicity as well as enhancing efficacy. The current classification of toxic CMM drugs, traditional methods for processing toxic CMM and the prohibited use of certain combinations, is based on traditional experience and ancient texts and monographs, but accumulating evidence increasingly supports their use to eliminate or reduce toxicity. Modern methods are now being used to evaluate the safety of CMM; however, a new system for describing the toxicity of Chinese herbal medicines may need to be established to take into account those herbs whose toxicity is delayed or otherwise hidden, and which have not been incorporated into the traditional classification. This review explains the existing classification and justifies it where appropriate, using experimental results often originally published in Chinese and previously not available outside China. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Traditional Chinese medicine valuably augments therapeutic options in the treatment of climacteric syndrome.

PubMed

Eisenhardt, Sarah; Fleckenstein, Johannes

2016-07-01

Climacteric syndrome refers to recurring symptoms such as hot flashes, chills, headache, irritability and depression. This is usually experienced by menopausal women and can be related to a hormonal reorganization in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, originating 1000s of years ago, above-mentioned symptoms can be interpreted on the basis of the philosophic diagnostic concepts, such as the imbalance of Yin and Yang, the Zang-Fu and Basic substances (e.g. Qi, Blood and Essence). These concepts postulate balance and harmonization as the principle aim of a treatment. In this context, it is not astounding that one of the most prominent ancient textbooks dating back to 500-200 BC, Huang di Neijing: The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine gives already first instructions for diagnosis and therapy of climacteric symptoms. For therapy, traditional Chinese medicine comprises five treatment principles: Chinese herbal medicine, TuiNa (a Chinese form of manual therapy), nutrition, activity (e.g. QiGong) and acupuncture (being the most widespread form of treatment used in Europe). This review provides an easy access to the concepts of traditional Chinese medicine particularly regarding to climacteric syndrome and also focuses on current scientific evidence.

True reason for Zipf's law in language

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahui, Wang; Menghui, Li; Zengru, Di

2005-12-01

Analysis of word frequency have historically used data that included English, French, or other language, data typically described by Zipf's law. Using data on traditional and modern Chinese literatures, we show here that Chinese character frequency stroked Zipf's law based on literature before Qin dynasty; however, it departed from Zipf's law based on literature after Qin dynasty. Combined with data about English dictionaries and Chinese dictionaries, we show that the true reason for Zipf's Law in language is that growth and preferential selection mechanism of word or character in given language.

Black Contributions to the Early History of Western Medicine: Lack of Recognition as a Cause of Black Under-Representation in US Medical Schools

PubMed Central

Newsome, Frederick

1979-01-01

During several millenia, blacks in ancient Egypt made numerous contributions to medicine and were acknowledged as the inventors of the art of medicine. They produced the earliest physicians, medical knowledge, and medical literature. They contributed to the development of medicine in ancient Greece. Ancient writers, including Herodotus, Isocrates, and Diodorus, affirm this. Modern presentations of ancient medicine, however, deprive blacks of the knowledge of their early contributions to medicine by ignoring or subtly misrepresenting the black identity of the ancient Egyptians. Blacks are currently under-represented in US medical schools. It is proposed that the recognition of the contributions of blacks to the early history of Western medicine would inspire black students to study medicine. PMID:423296

Study on Coloration Mechanism of Chinese Ancient Ceramics by X-ray Absorption Near-edge Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Y. H.; Xie, Z.; He, J. F.; Liu, Q. H.; Pan, Z. Y.; Cheng, W. R.; Wei, S. Q.

2013-04-01

The Fe K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra of a series of ceramic shards were measured by fluorescence mode to reveal the color-generating techniques of Chinese porcelain. The analysis disclosed relationships among the chemical form of the iron, the firing conditions and the colors of the ceramics. The results indicate that the coloration for different ceramics depend on the valence states of iron as the main color element in glaze and the proportion of Fe2+ and Fe3+ was attributed to the baking technology. The findings provide important information for archaeologist on the coloration researches.

Past, Present, and Future of the Pulse Examination (脈診 mài zhěn)

PubMed Central

Wang, Yuh-Ying Lin; Wang, Sheng-Hung; Jan, Ming-Yie; Wang, Wei-Kung

2012-01-01

The pulse examination (脈診 mài zhěn) is a unique diagnostic approach of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The description of pulse examination in the history of Traditional Chinese Medicine is full of amazement and mythology. After researching in hemodynamics and investigating in clinical application for three decades, this article describes the development and the merits and demerits of pulse examination. The experiences of the ancients are tried to be illustrated with modern knowledge and language. As the theory of resonant blood circulation is discovered, Traditional Chinese Medicine could be on the shoulder of Newton and then lead the development of modern medicine. Hope the tool of pulse examination constructed according to eigen-vector with specific time domain and position can bring the running water for Traditional Chinese Medicine. Quantitative research could overcome the plight of analog logic qualitative research, and therefore bring new health revolution. PMID:24716130

Dermoscopy for common skin problems in Chinese children using a novel Hong Kong-made dermoscope.

PubMed

Luk, David C K; Lam, Sam Y Y; Cheung, Patrick C H; Chan, Bill H B

2014-12-01

To evaluate the dermoscopic features of common skin problems in Chinese children. A case series with retrospective qualitative analysis of dermoscopic features of common skin problems in Chinese children. A regional hospital in Hong Kong. Dermoscopic image database, from 1 May 2013 to 31 October 2013, of 185 Chinese children (aged 0 to 18 years). Dermoscopic features of common paediatric skin problems in Chinese children were identified. These features corresponded with the known dermoscopic features reported in the western medical literature. New dermoscopic features were identified in café-au-lait macules. Dermoscopic features of common skin problems in Chinese children were consistent with those reported in western medical literature. Dermoscopy has a role in managing children with skin problems.

Wild Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations Require Conservation and Reintroduction in China

Treesearch

Hai Ren; Qianmei Zhang; Hongfang Lu; Hongxiao Liu; Qinfeng Guo; Jun Wang; Shuguang Jian; Hai’ou Bao

2012-01-01

China is exceptionally rich in biodiversity, with more than 30000 vascular plant species that include many endemic genera, species of ancient origin, and cultivated plants (Yang et al. 2005). Because of rapid economic development, population growth, pollution, and continuing resource exploitation, China’s plant diversity faces severe threats. According to the Chinese...

Using the History of Mathematics as a Starting Point for Investigations: Some Examples on Approximations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez-Real, Francis

2004-01-01

This paper discusses an investigative approach to problems concerned with approximations. Two problems are analysed in detail and both are inspired by their historical origins. The first examines an ancient Chinese formula for calculating the area of a segment. The second looks at Durer's construction for the trisection of an angle. It is argued…

Chinese Dragons in an American Science Unit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lew, Lee Yuen; McLure, John W.

2005-01-01

Can art and science find a happy home in the same unit? We think the answer is yes, if the central problem interests the students and allows them to try out multiple abilities. The sixth-grade unit described in this article, which we called "The Dragon Project," grew mainly from two roots, a study of ancient China and a later probe into…

Early Rockets

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-15

According to one ancient legend, a Chinese official named Wan Hoo attempted a flight to the moon using a large wicker chair to which were fastened 47 large rockets. Forty seven assistants, each armed with a torch, rushed forward to light the fuses. In a moment, there was a tremendous roar accompanied by billowing clouds of smoke. When the smoke cleared, the flying chair and Wan Hoo were gone.

[Herbological studies on Chinese crude drug Ma-huang. Part 1-On the botanical origin of Ma-huang in ancient China and the origin of Japanese Ma-huang].

PubMed

Yoshizawa, Chieko; Kitade, Makiko; Mikage, Masayuki

2005-01-01

The botanical origin of a Chinese crude drug Ma-huang in ancient China and the origin of Japanese Ma-huang were herbologically studied. The results showed that the plants of Ephedra sinica Stapf, E. intermedia Schrenk & C. A. Meyer and E. equisetina Bunge were used as Ma-huang in China, and the first species was considered to be of high quality. The characters of Mao-zhou Ma-huang and Tong-zhou Ma-huang printed in Tu-jing-ben-cao, published in the Song Dynasty in China, were identified as E. likiangensis Florin and E. intermedia, respectively, and both species were recognized as excellent Ma-huang in the Ming Dynasty. The word origin of Katsune-kusa, the Japanese name for Ma-huang in the Heian Era, was etymologically considered as meaning the plant having reddish brown roots. In Japan, the plant of Equisetum ramosissimum Desf. var.japonicum Milde, of the family Equisetaceae, was substituted for Ma-huang in the middle of Edo Era, and it was designated that this action was based on the confusion of Ephedra plants and Equisetum plants those days in China.

THz Spectroscopic Identification of Red Mineral Pigments in Ancient Chinese Artworks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yuping; Zhai, Dongwei; Zhang, Zhenwei; Zhang, Cunlin

2017-10-01

Nondestructive analysis of historical objects is of significance for cultural heritage conservation. In this paper, terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) was used to distinguish seven red mineral pigments used in ancient Chinese artworks. Two absorption features of natural minerals HgS and four highly resolved spectral features of mineral pigment Pb3O4 were observed and identified as their fingerprints in the range 0.2 to 3.0 THz, based on which the spatial distribution of individual chemical substances including cinnabar, vermilion, and red lead were clearly revealed at various frequencies using terahertz spectroscopy imaging. Moreover, a noncontact evaluation of thickness changing and dehydration of a wet painting was monitored by inferring time delay as well as signal amplitude of THz pulses transmitted through the painting. In order to demonstrate the feasibility of THz-TDS and THz imaging for authentic artworks detection, a complete set of THz analysis of two nineteenth century wall paintings discovered in the Fuchen Temple of the Forbidden City, Beijing, was performed and the results indicate that THz measurement techniques provide a noninvasive and nondestructive solution for the care, preservation, and restoration of cultural relics.

Molecular diversity and population structure of Chinese green foxtail [Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv.] revealed by microsatellite analysis.

PubMed

Jia, Guanqing; Shi, Shenkui; Wang, Chunfang; Niu, Zhengang; Chai, Yang; Zhi, Hui; Diao, Xianmin

2013-09-01

Green foxtail (Setaria viridis) is a new model plant for the genomic investigation of C4 photosynthesis biology. As the ancestor of foxtail millet (Setaria italica), an ancient cereal of great importance in arid regions of the world, green foxtail is crucial for the study of domestication and evolution of this ancient crop. In the present study, 288 green foxtail accessions, which were collected from all geographical regions of China, were analysed using 77 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) that cover the whole genome. A high degree of molecular diversity was detected in these accessions, with an average of 33.5 alleles per locus. Two clusters, which were inconsistent with the distribution of eco-geographical regions in China, were inferred from STRUCTURE, Neighbor-Joining, and principal component analysis, indicating a partially mixed distribution of Chinese green foxtails. The higher subpopulation diversity was from accessions mainly collected from North China. A low level of linkage disequilibrium was observed in the green foxtail genome. Furthermore, a combined analysis of green foxtail and foxtail millet landraces was conducted, and the origin and domestication of foxtail millet was inferred in North China.

The origin of chow chows in the light of the East Asian breeds.

PubMed

Yang, Hechuan; Wang, Guodong; Wang, Meng; Ma, Yaping; Yin, Tingting; Fan, Ruoxi; Wu, Hong; Zhong, Li; Irwin, David M; Zhai, Weiwei; Zhang, Yaping

2017-02-16

East Asian dog breeds are one of the most ancient groups of dogs that radiated after the domestication of the dog and represent the most basal lineages of dog evolution. Among these, the Chow Chow is an ancient breed that embodies very distinct morphological and physiological features, such as sturdy build, dense coat, and blue/purple tongue. Using a Restricted site Associated DNA (RAD) sequencing approach, we sequenced the genomes of nine Chow Chows from China. Combined with a dataset of 37 canid whole genome sequencing (WGS) from several published works, we found that the Chow Chow is one of the most basal lineages, which originated together with other East Asian breeds, such as the Shar-Pei and Akita. Demographic analysis found that Chow Chows originated from the Chinese indigenous dog about 8300 years ago. The bottleneck leading to Chow Chows was not strong and genetic migration between Chow Chows and other populations is low. Two classes of genes show strong evidence of positive selection along the Chow Chow lineage, namely genes related to metabolism and digestion as well as muscle/heart development and differentiation. Dog breeds from East Asia, including the Chow Chow, originated from Chinese indigenous dogs very early in time. The genetic bottleneck leading to Chow Chows and migrations with other populations are found to be quite mild. Our current study represents an early endeavor to characterize the origin of East Asian dog breeds and establishes an important reference point for understanding the origin of ancient breeds in Asia.

Traditional Chinese Medicine, Food Therapy, and Hypertension Control: A Narrative Review of Chinese Literature.

PubMed

Zou, Ping

2016-01-01

Despite the lack of English literature about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) food therapy, there is abundant Chinese literature about the application of food therapy for hypertension control. This paper summarizes basic concepts of TCM, the principles of food therapy and its application for hypertension control according to Chinese literature. In TCM, food is conceptualized according to both nutritional and functional aspects, and can be used to treat illnesses. Four principles of TCM food therapy including light eating, balancing the "hot" and "cold" nature of food, the harmony of the five flavors of food, and consistency between dietary intake and different health conditions, can be used to facilitate hypertension control. Based on a statistical analysis of antihypertensive foods recommended in 20 books on the application of food therapy for hypertension control, the 38 most frequently recommended are celery, tomato, banana, hawthorn, garlic, onion, seaweed, apple, corn, green beans, persimmon, laver, kiwi, watermelon, eggplant, carrots, mushroom, peanut, soy products, sea cucumber, buckwheat, garland chrysanthemum, spinach, honey, dairy products, vinegar, black fungus, jellyfish, green onion, shepherd's purse, soybean, potato, pear, winter melon, bitter melon, oat, pea, and tea. Food therapy emphasizes the therapeutic effects of food, considering its nature, taste, and function on human balanced health, which leads to optimal blood pressure control. Current literature suggests that food therapy is effective in blood pressure control and can be incorporated into blood pressure self-management in the Chinese population.

Historical perspective on the medical use of cannabis for epilepsy: Ancient times to the 1980s.

PubMed

Friedman, Daniel; Sirven, Joseph I

2017-05-01

There has been a dramatic surge in the interest of utilizing cannabis for epilepsy treatment in the US. Yet, access to cannabis for research and therapy is mired in conflicting regulatory policies and shifting public opinion. Understanding the current state of affairs in the medical cannabis debate requires an examination of the history of medical cannabis use. From ancient Chinese pharmacopeias to the current Phase III trials of pharmaceutical grade cannabidiol, this review covers the time span of cannabis use for epilepsy therapy so as to better assess the issues surrounding the modern medical opinion of cannabis use. This article is part of a Special Issue titled Cannabinoids and Epilepsy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Four case reports of Chinese cystic fibrosis patients and literature review.

PubMed

Xu, Juan; Yin, Yong; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Jing; Yuan, Shuhua; Zhang, Hao

2017-08-01

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an extremely rare disease in Asians. Here, we report four Chinese children with CF and review the literature about Chinese CF patients. The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene testing was performed on four suspected patients for CF screening. We also reviewed the literature about Chinese CF patients from 1970s. The clinical data of all these CF patients were summarized. We diagnosed four CF patients who had mutations in the CFTR gene. We identified six different mutations in the four patients. The c.1766+5G>T, c.595C>T, c.2909G>A, and c.4056G>C had been reported already. The two splicing mutations of c.579+1_579+2insACAT and c.1117-1G>C were novel mutations. There have been 46 Chinese CF patients reported in literature from 1974 up to present (2016.12). The clinical manifestations of CF involved several systems. The most common symptom was recurrent pulmonary infections. Thirty-three different mutations were identified; c.1766 + 5G>T was the most common mutation among Chinese CF patients. Only one of these mutations (R553X) was in the Caucasian CF screening panel. The spectrum of CFTR mutations in Chinese was highly different from that of Caucasian. There was a high risk of misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of CF even in suspected cases in China. It is necessary to educate Chinese clinicians about the signs, symptoms, and diagnosis of cystic fibrosis and promote the implementation of the sweat chloride test. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The filial piety complex: variations on the Oedipus theme in Chinese literature and culture.

PubMed

Gu, Ming Dong

2006-01-01

The Oedipus complex is central to Western tradition, but not to Chinese culture. Occurrence of oedipal themes in Chinese literature is almost negligible. This phenomenon seems to support a contra-Freud claim: that a theory of European origin, the Oedipus complex, is not universal to human experience in non-Western cultures. However, this article suggests that powerful moral repression may cause the Oedipus complex to undergo structural transformations in some cultures. Through studying a sample of Chinese literary and film representations, the author argues that the Oedipus complex in Chinese culture has been transformed into a filial piety complex. Some conceptual issues are considered from a cross-cultural perspective.

History of cupping (Hijama): a narrative review of literature.

PubMed

Qureshi, Naseem Akhtar; Ali, Gazzaffi Ibrahim; Abushanab, Tamer Shaban; El-Olemy, Ahmed Tawfik; Alqaed, Meshari Saleh; El-Subai, Ibrahim S; Al-Bedah, Abdullah M N

2017-05-01

Cupping (Hijama in Arabic) is an ancient, holistic method for the treatment of a variety of diseases. Though the exact origin of cupping therapy is a matter of controversy, its use has been documented in early Egyptian and Chinese medical practices. Diverse human civilizations have contributed to the historical development and continuation of cupping therapy. This narrative review describes the history of cupping, historical definitions, cupping instruments and uses of cupping therapy. Electronic searches of relevant databases (PubMed, Google Scholar and OvidSP) were conducted using keywords and Boolean operators. Manual searches and references of published articles and books were also conducted. A number of articles (N = 625) were retained for extensive review, and finally 83 articles were included in this paper. The historical descriptions of cupping therapy were found in ancient human civilizations of the Eastern and Western world. There were inconsistent data concerning the origin of cupping, definitions, instruments, procedures, definite advancements and research in Hijama over centuries. Cupping therapy fell out of favor in 17th and mid-18th centuries but recovered popularity in modern medicine. Currently, cupping therapy is used for health promotion, prophylaxis and treatment of a variety of diseases around the world. Cupping therapy with a good safety profile has a checkered history and is a well-recognized traditional method for managing medical conditions. Currently, the scope of cupping therapy is expanding, and a growing body of research is providing additional evidence-based data for the further advancement of cupping therapy in the treatment of a variety of diseases.

Raising Children in Chinese Immigrant Families: Evidence from the Research Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guo, Karen

2006-01-01

Children of Chinese culture are raised differently from children of other cultural groups. There is research evidence which contends that, regardless of where they live, the child-rearing practices within Chinese immigrant families are still influenced by Chinese traditional culture. Some studies also point out that Chinese immigrant parents…

The cosmobiological balance of the emotional and spiritual worlds: phenomenological structuralism in traditional Chinese medical thought.

PubMed

Davis, S

1996-03-01

This paper points to a convergence of formal and rhetorical features in ancient Chinese cosmobiological theory, within which is developed a view of the inner life of human emotions. Inasmuch as there is an extensive classical tradition considering the emotions in conjunction with music, one can justify a structural analysis of medical texts treating disorder in emotional life, since emotions, musical interpretation and structural analysis all deal with systems interrelated in a transformational space largely independent of objective reference and propositional coordination. Following a section of ethnolinguistic sketches to provide grounds in some phenomenological worlds recognized by Chinese people, there is a textual analysis of a classical medical source for the treatment of emotional distress. Through close examination of the compositional schema of this text, it can be demonstrated that the standard categories of correlative cosmology are arrayed within a more comprehensive structural order.

Bilinear effect in complex systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lam, Lui; Bellavia, David C.; Han, Xiao-Pu; Alston Liu, Chih-Hui; Shu, Chang-Qing; Wei, Zhengjin; Zhou, Tao; Zhu, Jichen

2010-09-01

The distribution of the lifetime of Chinese dynasties (as well as that of the British Isles and Japan) in a linear Zipf plot is found to consist of two straight lines intersecting at a transition point. This two-section piecewise-linear distribution is different from the power law or the stretched exponent distribution, and is called the Bilinear Effect for short. With assumptions mimicking the organization of ancient Chinese regimes, a 3-layer network model is constructed. Numerical results of this model show the bilinear effect, providing a plausible explanation of the historical data. The bilinear effect in two other social systems is presented, indicating that such a piecewise-linear effect is widespread in social systems.

Influence of ingredients and chemical components on the quality of Chinese steamed bread.

PubMed

Zhu, Fan

2014-11-15

Chinese steamed bread (CSB) is a staple food in China since ancient time. The basic ingredients include wheat flour, yeast/sourdough, and water. Current consumer trends urge the production of CSB on a large scale as well as the formulation of healthier CSB with specific nutritional benefits. This requires a better definition of the relationship between the properties of ingredients/chemical components and CSB quality. This review summarises the recent advances in understanding the roles of basic and optional ingredients and their chemical components in the appearance, textural, sensory, and shelf-life properties of CSB, and provides suggestions for further research to match the current trends. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tomb Treasures from China: The Buried Art of Ancient Xi'an. A Teacher Workshop Presented by the Education/Outreach Department.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, CA.

Tomb art provides an invaluable window into China's history and culture. The understanding that spirits of dead ancestors can exert power and influence over the lives of their descendants has been a central tenet of the Chinese belief system, propelling the culture into practices ensuring the provision of comfort and status to the deceased in…

Using Ancient Chinese and Greek Astronomical Data: A Training Sequence in Elementary Astronomy for Pre-Service Primary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Hosson, Cécile; Décamp, Nicolas

2014-01-01

A great amount of research has been carried out world-wide to promote history of science as a powerful science teaching tool. Because the ways of choosing and using historical elements depend on teachers' or researchers' educational purpose, any attempt to support a single model-to-use seems difficult and probably irrelevant. However,…

Between the National and the International: Ethnography of Language Ideologies in a Middle-Class Community in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Hua

2016-01-01

This paper explores a key dilemma of the Chinese middle class as it appears in their apparent adherence to official language policy despite their lack of direct knowledge of that policy. Using fieldwork data from Hangzhou, I show that a group of middle-class parents worked together to build an "Ancient Way Academy" for their children to…

Use of Shih in Chinese Operational Art

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-26

TERMS People’s Liberation Army, PLA, Operational Art, Shih, Sun Tzu , Propensity, Complexity, Korean War, Sino-Indian War, Peng Dehuai, Mao Tse-Tung...3 Sunzi, Sun - Tzu : The Art of Warfare in Classics of Ancient China (New York: Ballantine...keeping the nuanced meanings in mind.10 in his translation of Sun Tzu , Ames translates shih as “strategic advantage.”11 He also explains the more

[Divine etiology in the Hebrew Bible: points of contact with Greek literature].

PubMed

Byl, S

1998-11-01

Simon Byl has explored all the passages in the Hebraic Bible where God is considered sometimes the cause of disease, sometimes the means of healing. He reveals a great number of points of view common to the Biblical literature and to the Ancient Greek literature, with regard to divine aetiology.

The Fable and the Fabulous: The Use of Traditional Forms in Children's Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hedges, Ned Samuel

Although literature written especially for children has been a development of the past two centuries, most lasting works of children's literature derive their narrative patterns and structures of meaning from ancient and traditional literary forms and conventions, such as fable, myth, epic, and romance. This study provides an interpretive analysis…

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

PubMed

Wu, Qi-Fei; Bai, Xing-Hua

2013-03-01

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.

Shen-Jing as a Chinese medicine concept might be a counterpart of stem cells in regenerative medicine.

PubMed

Ren, Yan-Bo; Huang, Jian-Hua; Cai, Wai-Jiao; Shen, Zi-Yin

2015-07-04

As the epitome of the modern regenerative medicine, stem cells were proposed in the basic sense no more than 200 years ago. However, the concept of "stem cells" existed long before the modern medical description. The hypothesis that all things, including our sentient body, were generated from a small origin was shared between Western and Chinese people. The ancient Chinese philosophers considered Jing (also known as essence) as the origin of life. In Chinese medicine (CM), Jing is mainly stored in Kidney (Shen) and the so-called Shen-Jing (Kidney essence). Here, we propose that Shen-Jing is the CM term used to express the meaning of "origin and regeneration". This theoretical discovery has at least two applications. First, the actions underlying causing Shen-Jing deficiency, such as excess sexual intercourse, chronic diseases, and aging, might damage the function of stem cells. Second, a large number of Chinese herbs with Shen-Jing-nourishing efficacy had been proven to affect stem cell proliferation and differentiation. Therefore, if Shen-Jing in CM is equivalent with stem cells in regenerative medicine, higher effective modulators for regulating stem-cell behaviors from Kidney-tonifying herbs would be expected.

Parental Beliefs on Children's Play: Comparison among Mainland Chinese, Chinese Immigrants in the USA, and European-Americans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Shan; Han, Myae

2016-01-01

The current study surveyed parental play beliefs among the three groups of parents: the mainland Chinese, Chinese immigrants in the USA, and European-Americans. Limited comparison studies on parental play beliefs were previously reported for these three populations in the literature. Two measures, the Chinese child-rearing ideology and parental…

Auditing Chinese Higher Education? The Perspectives of Returnee Scholars in an Elite University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yi, Lin

2011-01-01

Drawing upon fieldwork conducted in an elite Chinese university and English language literature of audit culture in higher education against the backdrop of Chinese higher education in transition, this paper has discovered that Chinese higher education is undergoing an auditing process. However, this Chinese audit regime is not only guarded by a…

"Migratory Literature": A "Third Place" for Intercultural Teaching and Learning of Chinese as a Second Language?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hay, Trevor; Wang, Yongyang

2010-01-01

This paper, drawing upon multidisciplinary studies such as critical and cultural studies, literary criticism, intercultural communication and second language acquisition, suggests a specific literary genre--"migratory literature"--to support intercultural competence for learners of Chinese. We begin by elucidating key…

Korean Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pihl, Marshall R.

While Chinese was, by and large, the formal and public literary language of the Korean court and aristocracy, native Korean literature survived as an oral tradition in the more informal and private realms of life. The Yi Dynasty which lasted until the Japanese annexation of 1910, produced and recorded a rich treasury of Chinese and Korean…

[Review of traditional Chinese medicine external applications to treat chemistry phlebitis].

PubMed

Sha, Sha; Liu, Weiqun; Cheng, Lushan; Ge, Jinjin

2011-09-01

This article reviewed the literatures in this area over the past 5 years according to three parts: simple traditional Chinese medicine external application, combination of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, combination of traditional Chinese medicine and physical therapy, and came to several effective prescriptions.

Challenges Facing Chinese International Students Studying in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ching, Yuerong; Renes, Susan L.; McMurrow, Samantha; Simpson, Joni; Strange, Anthony T.

2017-01-01

Chinese international students often find it challenging to adjust to attending college in the United States (US). There is limited research addressing Chinese international college students' adjustment in the US. Drawing on what literature exists combined with research addressing Chinese immigrants' transition and international students'…

Classics Online.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clayman, Dee L.

1995-01-01

Appraises several databases devoted to classical literature. Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (TLG) contains the entire extant corpus of ancient Greek literature, including works on lexicography and historiography, extending into the 15th century. Other works awaiting completion are the Database of Classical Bibliography and a CD-ROM pictorial dictionary…

Chinese literatures of radiation oncology covered by PubMed over the past five years.

PubMed

Niu, Dao-Li; Zhen, Jun-Jie; He, Fen

2010-04-01

PubMed is generally acknowledged for its scientificity in literature coverage and authority of literature retrieval . In recent years, many studies have been published in China about radiation oncology. We aimed to investigate the literatures about radiation oncology in China covered by PubMed over the past five years. We collected primary data by searching the PubMed database using the related subject words. The collected data were analyzed and evaluated by bibliometric methods. In the past five years, 550 articles by Chinese authors related to radiotherapy were indexed in PubMed. These articles were published in 160 journals among 26 Chinese provinces/cities. These articles mainly focused on radiation dose and computer-aided radiation therapy. Sixty-four articles were published by Chinese Journal of Cancer , which ranked the top. Forty-four articles were published by the International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics (IF=4.29), with the largest number among SCI journals. One hundred and sixteen articles from Guangdong Province were covered, accounting for 21.09%. Over the past five years, the discipline of radiation oncology has been greatly developed. The literatures mainly focus on clinical radiation oncology and their regional distribution is uneven.

Ancient Chinese Sundials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Kehui

Timekeeping was essential in the agricultural society of ancient China. The use of sundials for timekeeping was associated with the use of the gnomon, which had its origin in remote antiquity. This chapter studies three sundials (guiyi 晷仪) from the Qin and Han dynasties, the shorter shadow plane sundial (duanying ping yi 短影平仪) invented by Yuan Chong in the Sui Dynasty, and the sundial chart (guiyingtu 晷影图) invented by Zeng Minxing in the Southern Song dynasty. This chapter also introduces Guo Shoujing's hemispherical sundial (yang yi 仰仪). A circular stone sundial discovered at the Small Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an is also mentioned. It is dated from the Sui and Tang dynasties. A brief survey of sundials from the Qing dynasty shows various types of sundials.

Historical development of Chinese dietary patterns and nutrition from the ancient to the modern society.

PubMed

Chen, J D; Xu, H

1996-01-01

Actually, food, diet and diet therapy germinated together with the change of meal patterns and traditional Chinese medicine from very ancient China; they appeared in an embryonic form till the Shang and Zhou Dynasties and received great importance from the governors who arranged officials to manage their diets and banquets. Moreover, food, diet and meal patterns were replenished through the Zhou, Qin, Han and Jin Dynasties and epitomized and reached thriving and prosperous standards till the Tang Dynasty. They then became perfected, developed, and formed a complete theory in the dynasties of Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing. The basis of modern nutrition was made up until the end of 19th century and the beginning of 20th century, which was the time when natural science, including microbiology, chemistry, food industry, etc. were extended into China, yet it was not fully formed until the established of the People's Republic of China. Practicing, teaching, training and research activities started regularly in 1950. With a big population and poor economy basis, the first problem that the Chinese people has now been basically solved. Chinese nutritional scientists worked hard to find out the nutritional problems and status of the people. Through the broad-scale 'Nationwide Nutrition Survey', we now understand our main problems. On this basis, RDA, dietary goal and dietary guidance have been put forward. Although the problem of adequate food and clothing has been basically solved, the Chinese are still facing both the problem of nutrition insufficiency and nutrition excess. However, although nutrition insufficiency and deficiency still extensively exist, nutrition excess and imbalance are emerging in other sections of the population. There is still a shortage of qualified nutritional scientists and technicians, and the training of nutritionists is urgent. Food supplies, including milk, beef, green vegetables and fruit should be increased, especially for some rural and remote areas. The good traditional eating habits and meal patterns should be kept, e.g., breakfast and lunch cannot be neglected, and plant protein meals and Chinese medicinal diets should be promoted. Animals fat intake and fried foods should be reduced, and exercise and fitness programs should be recommended for the overweight population. In the future, our meal pattern take on a mixed form with the advantages of both the eastern and western diets. Chinese scientists are confident of solving the nutritional problems and improving the whole nation's physical fitness and physique under the situation of gradual improvements of the economy and nutritional status of people.

Computer Cache. The Web Has Tales to Tell: Traditional Literature Websites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byerly, Greg; Brodie, Carolyn S.

2004-01-01

"Traditional Literature" is defined by Carl M. Tomlinson and Carol Lynch-Brown in "Essentials of Children's Literature (Allyn and Bacon, 2001) as "the body of ancient stories and poems that grew out of the human quest to understand the natural and spiritual worlds and that was preserved through time by the oral tradition of storytelling before…

Strange fires, weird smokes and psychoactive combustibles: entheogens and incense in ancient traditions.

PubMed

Dannaway, Frederick R

2010-12-01

This paper seeks to emphasize what may be the most primary mode of altering consciousness in the ancient world: namely, the burning of substances for inhalation in enclosed areas. While there is abundant literature on archaic uses of entheogenic plants, the literature on psychoactive incenses is quite deficient. From the tents of nomadic tribes to the small meditation rooms of Taoist adepts, the smoldering fumes of plants and resins have been used to invoke and banish and for shamanic travels since humanity mastered fire. The text provides details of primary "incense cults" while highlighting some commonalities and shared influences when possible. Further speculation suggests that selective burning of certain substances, such as mercury and sulphur, may have contributed to their lasting use and veneration in alchemy from India and China to the Arabian and European protochemists. This article would have a companion online database for images and further examples of ingredients in various incenses from China to ancient Greece.

An Advanced Reader in Chinese Literature. International Studies, East Asian Language Texts, No. 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Wallace, Ed.

This modern Chinese textbook offers three main features. It contains a graded selection of writings in Chinese by some of the most important modern Chinese writers, representing a wide range of viewpoints. Secondly, all new words and phrases encountered in the lessons are defined in Chinese, so that the reader becomes accustomed to the use of…

Standardized Testing in the Case of China and the Lessons to Be Learned for the U.S.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozturgut, Osman

2011-01-01

The Chinese have been using standardized testing for centuries. Ancient Greeks have tried it for centuries since 5th and 4th BC. There is no evidence that they have become successful in educating their children through an imperial or elitist system. The impact of standardizing the education on a nation is significant. This is not only true for not…

A re-investigation of the 'double dawn' event recorded in the Bamboo Annals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephenson, F. R.

1992-01-01

An allusion to a 'double dawn' phenomenon in an ancient Chinese chronicle, which has been identified as caused by a sunrise eclipse occurring in 899 BC, is discussed. This event has been regarded as of considerable importance in the investigation of earth's past rotation. It is shown that an eclipse interpretation is implausible, not least because the eclipse in question was only annular.

Neural strategies for reading Japanese and Chinese sentences: a cross-linguistic fMRI study of character-decoding and morphosyntax.

PubMed

Huang, Koongliang; Itoh, Kosuke; Kwee, Ingrid L; Nakada, Tsutomu

2012-09-01

Japanese and Chinese share virtually identical morphographic characters invented in ancient China. Whereas modern Chinese retained the original morphographic functionality of these characters (hanzi), modern Japanese utilizes these characters (kanji) as complex syllabograms. This divergence provides a unique opportunity to systematically investigate brain strategies for sentence reading in Japanese-Chinese bi-literates. Accordingly, we investigated brain activation associated with Japanese and Chinese reading in 14 native Japanese speakers literate in Mandarin and 14 native Mandarin speakers literate in Japanese using functional magnetic resonance imaging performed on a 3T system. The activation pattern exhibited clearly distinct features specific for each language. Regardless of the subject's native language literacy, Chinese reading activated an area significantly larger than Japanese reading, suggesting that brain processes involved in Chinese reading were much more complex than Japanese reading. Significant recruitment of corresponding cortical areas in the right hemisphere with Chinese reading was also apparent. The activation patterns associated with Japanese reading by native Japanese literates was highly consistent with previous reports, and included the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), left posterior temporal lobe (PTL), and left ventral premotor cortex (PMv). The activation pattern associated with Chinese reading by native Chinese literates was also highly consistent with previous reports, namely the left IFG, left PTL, left PMv, left anterior temporal lobe (ATL), and bilateral parieto occipital lobes (LPOL). The activation pattern associated with Chinese reading by native Japanese literates was virtually identical to that by native Chinese literates, whereas the activation pattern associated with Japanese reading by native Chinese literates was signified by additional activation of LPOL compared to that by native Japanese literate. The study indicated that IFG and PTL are universal language areas, while PMv is the area for decoding complex syllabograms. LPOL is the "Chinese language area," while ATL is essential for languages with analytic morphosyntax. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chinese International Students' Experiences in American Higher Education Institutes: A Critical Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang-Wu, Qianqian

2018-01-01

Using database searches in ProQuest Sociology, Education Research Complete, ERIC, and Google Scholar, this landscape literature review provides research synthesis and analysis on research designs, underlying assumptions and findings of 21 recent peer-reviewed scholarly articles focusing on Chinese international students' experiences in American…

China: A Guide to Reference Sources in English and Chinese.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Su, Comp.; Slavin, Suzy M., Ed.

This guide to selected reference sources in the McGill University (Quebec) Library for Sinology (the study of the language, history, literature, and civilization of China) contains annotated listings for English and Chinese language materials in the following categories: (1) guides to the literature (6 references); (2) encyclopedias (3…

Translation, Hybridization, and Modernization: John Dewey and Children's Literature in Early Twentieth Century China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Xu

2013-01-01

This essay examines how John Dewey's child-centered educational philosophy was adopted and adapted in the early twentieth century in China to create a Chinese children's literature. Chinese intellectuals applied Dewey's educational philosophy, which values children's interests and needs, to formulate a new concept of modern childhood that…

Chinese-English Machine Translation System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, William S-Y; And Others

The report documents results of a two-year R&D effort directed at the completion of a prototype system for Chinese-English machine translation of S&T literature. The system, designated QUINCE, accepts Chinese input exactly as printed, with no pre-editing of any kind, and produces English output on experimental basis. Coding of Chinese text via…

An early history of human breast cancer: West meets East.

PubMed

Yan, Shou-He

2013-09-01

Cancer has been increasingly recognized as a global issue. This is especially true in countries like China, where cancer incidence has increased likely because of changes in environment and lifestyle. However, cancer is not a modern disease; early cases have been recorded in ancient medical books in the West and in China. Here, we provide a brief history of cancer, focusing on cancer of the breast, and review the etymology of ai, the Chinese character for cancer. Notable findings from both Western and Chinese traditional medicine are presented to give an overview of the most important, early contributors to our evolving understanding of human breast cancer. We also discuss the earliest historical documents to record patients with breast cancer.

Cranial surgery in ancient Peru.

PubMed

Rifkinson-Mann, S

1988-10-01

Trephination is the oldest known surgical technique. Peru has been recognized as a major source of ancient trephined skulls, many of which date back 2300 years. This presentation reviews from a neurosurgical perspective many of the archaeological studies performed on these skulls. Comparative osteology has shown that almost 70% of patients survived the procedure. The various instruments, hemostatic agents, anesthetics, surgical techniques, and cranioplasties used are reconstructed from the anthropological literature. The possible reasons for the use of trephination are discussed. Analysis of the data leads to the conclusion that, despite their rudimentary knowledge of disease, the ancient Incas must have had some knowledge of anatomy and proper surgical procedure.

Transcultural use of narcotic water lilies in ancient Egyptian and Maya drug ritual.

PubMed

Emboden, W A

1981-01-01

Comparisons are made between ancient ritual uses of the flowers of Nymphaea (Nymphaeaceae) in Maya and Egyptian civilizations. Recurrent motifs encountered in the art of both of these ancient civilizations suggests that the role fo the water lily was that of a narcotic (psychodysleptic) used to mediate ecstasis among a priestly caste. Relevant literature is reviewed as are chemical data. Elements in the complex belief systems of these two civilizations need to be reinterpreted in view of the use of two water lilies as ritual narcotics. The species implicated are Nymphaea caerulea Sav., in Egypt, and N. ampla DC., among the Maya.

Tree Biomass Estimation of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) Based on Bayesian Method

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jianguo

2013-01-01

Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook.) is the most important conifer species for timber production with huge distribution area in southern China. Accurate estimation of biomass is required for accounting and monitoring Chinese forest carbon stocking. In the study, allometric equation was used to analyze tree biomass of Chinese fir. The common methods for estimating allometric model have taken the classical approach based on the frequency interpretation of probability. However, many different biotic and abiotic factors introduce variability in Chinese fir biomass model, suggesting that parameters of biomass model are better represented by probability distributions rather than fixed values as classical method. To deal with the problem, Bayesian method was used for estimating Chinese fir biomass model. In the Bayesian framework, two priors were introduced: non-informative priors and informative priors. For informative priors, 32 biomass equations of Chinese fir were collected from published literature in the paper. The parameter distributions from published literature were regarded as prior distributions in Bayesian model for estimating Chinese fir biomass. Therefore, the Bayesian method with informative priors was better than non-informative priors and classical method, which provides a reasonable method for estimating Chinese fir biomass. PMID:24278198

Tree biomass estimation of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) based on Bayesian method.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiongqing; Duan, Aiguo; Zhang, Jianguo

2013-01-01

Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook.) is the most important conifer species for timber production with huge distribution area in southern China. Accurate estimation of biomass is required for accounting and monitoring Chinese forest carbon stocking. In the study, allometric equation W = a(D2H)b was used to analyze tree biomass of Chinese fir. The common methods for estimating allometric model have taken the classical approach based on the frequency interpretation of probability. However, many different biotic and abiotic factors introduce variability in Chinese fir biomass model, suggesting that parameters of biomass model are better represented by probability distributions rather than fixed values as classical method. To deal with the problem, Bayesian method was used for estimating Chinese fir biomass model. In the Bayesian framework, two priors were introduced: non-informative priors and informative priors. For informative priors, 32 biomass equations of Chinese fir were collected from published literature in the paper. The parameter distributions from published literature were regarded as prior distributions in Bayesian model for estimating Chinese fir biomass. Therefore, the Bayesian method with informative priors was better than non-informative priors and classical method, which provides a reasonable method for estimating Chinese fir biomass.

Studying the Leaders of Classical Antiquity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moritz, Helen E.

This paper describes a graduate seminar for educational administrators, using works of ancient Greek and Roman literature as bases for the consideration of organization and leadership problems identified in theoretical literature. The seminar was team taught by professors from the Departments of Educational Administration and Classics at the…

A bittersweet story: the true nature of the laurel of the Oracle of Delphi.

PubMed

Harissis, Haralampos V

2014-01-01

It is known from ancient sources that "laurel," identified with sweet bay, was used at the ancient Greek oracle of Delphi. The Pythia, the priestess who spoke the prophecies, purportedly used laurel as a means to inspire her divine frenzy. However, the clinical symptoms of the Pythia, as described in ancient sources, cannot be attributed to the use of sweet bay, which is harmless. A review of contemporary toxicological literature indicates that it is oleander that causes symptoms similar to those of the Pythia, while a closer examination of ancient literary texts indicates that oleander was often included under the generic term laurel. It is therefore likely that it was oleander, not sweet bay, that the Pythia used before the oracular procedure. This explanation could also shed light on other ancient accounts regarding the alleged spirit and chasm of Delphi, accounts that have been the subject of intense debate and interdisciplinary research for the last hundred years.

Genomic Reconstruction of the History of Native Sheep Reveals the Peopling Patterns of Nomads and the Expansion of Early Pastoralism in East Asia

PubMed Central

Zhao, Yong-Xin; Yang, Ji; Lv, Feng-Hua; Hu, Xiao-Ju; Xie, Xing-Long; Zhang, Min; Li, Wen-Rong; Liu, Ming-Jun; Wang, Yu-Tao; Li, Jin-Quan; Liu, Yong-Gang; Ren, Yan-Ling; Wang, Feng; Hehua, EEr; Kantanen, Juha; Arjen Lenstra, Johannes; Han, Jian-Lin; Li, Meng-Hua

2017-01-01

Abstract China has a rich resource of native sheep (Ovis aries) breeds associated with historical movements of several nomadic societies. However, the history of sheep and the associated nomadic societies in ancient China remains poorly understood. Here, we studied the genomic diversity of Chinese sheep using genome-wide SNPs, mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal variations in > 1,000 modern samples. Population genomic analyses combined with archeological records and historical ethnic demographics data revealed genetic signatures of the origins, secondary expansions and admixtures, of Chinese sheep thereby revealing the peopling patterns of nomads and the expansion of early pastoralism in East Asia. Originating from the Mongolian Plateau ∼5,000‒5,700 years ago, Chinese sheep were inferred to spread in the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River ∼3,000‒5,000 years ago following the expansions of the Di-Qiang people. Afterwards, sheep were then inferred to reach the Qinghai-Tibetan and Yunnan-Kweichow plateaus ∼2,000‒2,600 years ago by following the north-to-southwest routes of the Di-Qiang migration. We also unveiled two subsequent waves of migrations of fat-tailed sheep into northern China, which were largely commensurate with the migrations of ancestors of Hui Muslims eastward and Mongols southward during the 12th‒13th centuries. Furthermore, we revealed signs of argali introgression into domestic sheep, extensive historical mixtures among domestic populations and strong artificial selection for tail type and other traits, reflecting various breeding strategies by nomadic societies in ancient China. PMID:28645168

Genomic Reconstruction of the History of Native Sheep Reveals the Peopling Patterns of Nomads and the Expansion of Early Pastoralism in East Asia.

PubMed

Zhao, Yong-Xin; Yang, Ji; Lv, Feng-Hua; Hu, Xiao-Ju; Xie, Xing-Long; Zhang, Min; Li, Wen-Rong; Liu, Ming-Jun; Wang, Yu-Tao; Li, Jin-Quan; Liu, Yong-Gang; Ren, Yan-Ling; Wang, Feng; Hehua, EEr; Kantanen, Juha; Arjen Lenstra, Johannes; Han, Jian-Lin; Li, Meng-Hua

2017-09-01

China has a rich resource of native sheep (Ovis aries) breeds associated with historical movements of several nomadic societies. However, the history of sheep and the associated nomadic societies in ancient China remains poorly understood. Here, we studied the genomic diversity of Chinese sheep using genome-wide SNPs, mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal variations in > 1,000 modern samples. Population genomic analyses combined with archeological records and historical ethnic demographics data revealed genetic signatures of the origins, secondary expansions and admixtures, of Chinese sheep thereby revealing the peopling patterns of nomads and the expansion of early pastoralism in East Asia. Originating from the Mongolian Plateau ∼5,000‒5,700 years ago, Chinese sheep were inferred to spread in the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River ∼3,000‒5,000 years ago following the expansions of the Di-Qiang people. Afterwards, sheep were then inferred to reach the Qinghai-Tibetan and Yunnan-Kweichow plateaus ∼2,000‒2,600 years ago by following the north-to-southwest routes of the Di-Qiang migration. We also unveiled two subsequent waves of migrations of fat-tailed sheep into northern China, which were largely commensurate with the migrations of ancestors of Hui Muslims eastward and Mongols southward during the 12th‒13th centuries. Furthermore, we revealed signs of argali introgression into domestic sheep, extensive historical mixtures among domestic populations and strong artificial selection for tail type and other traits, reflecting various breeding strategies by nomadic societies in ancient China. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

'Ancient episteme' and the nature of fossils: a correction of a modern scholarly error.

PubMed

Jordan, J M

2016-04-01

Beginning the nineteenth-century and continuing down to the present, many authors writing on the history of geology and paleontology have attributed the theory that fossils were inorganic formations produced within the earth, rather than by the deposition of living organisms, to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Some have even gone so far as to claim this was the consensus view in the classical period up through the Middle Ages. In fact, such a notion was entirely foreign to ancient and medieval thought and only appeared within the manifold of 'Renaissance episteme,' the characteristics of which have often been projected backwards by some historians onto earlier periods. This paper endeavors to correct this error, explain the development of the Renaissance view, describe certain ancient precedents thereof, and trace the history of the misinterpretation in the literature.

Literature on Early Literacy Instruction in Four Languages (Chinese, Korean, Navajo, Russian).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thurlow, Martha; Liu, Kristin; Albus, Debra; Shyyan, Vitaliy

2003-01-01

This report, sponsored by the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA), is a summary of evidence-based research on teaching reading to Chinese, Korean, Navajo, and Russian children. It complements a recent summary of the literature on teaching reading to Spanish speaking students. There is a significant need for evidence-based research on…

Representing Divorce, Reforming Interiority: Narratives of Gender, Class and Family in Post-Reform Chinese Literature and Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xiao, Hui

2009-01-01

This project stands at the juncture of modern Chinese literature, post-socialist studies, cultural history of divorce, and critical studies about global middle-class cultures. Employing analytical tools mainly from literary studies, cultural studies and feminist theories, I examine stories, novels, films and TV dramas about divorce produced…

Alternative Health Care Practitioners in a Chinese American Community: A Preliminary Report of Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kao, Jessica Ching-Yi

This paper provides a brief review of the literature on traditional Chinese medicine in both China and the United States and presents observations from a preliminary study of Chinese practitioners in the Chinatown section of Los Angeles, California. The dualistic health care system in Chinese culture is described as comprising both scholarly and…

Cultivating Morality in Chinese Families--Past, Present, and Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Xiao-lei

2017-01-01

This article examines past and present moral education practices in Chinese families. It begins with a brief overview of Confucian thought on moral education and its lasting influence on Chinese moral ethos. It then identifies the types of moral values emphasised by Chinese parents, as well as the kinds of moral education literature they use for…

Mössbauer study of the firing technology of the moon-white Jun porcelain in Chinese Yuan Dynasty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Songhua, Chen; Zhengyao, Gao; Zhongtian, Sun; Xiande, Chen

1994-12-01

The moon-white Jun porcelain glaze contains Fe2O3, Fe3O4 and structural iron. The firing atmosphere of ancient Jun kilns was modestly reductive. The firing temperature was slightly above 1250 ‡C. The glaze color appears moon-white, and is related to the low concentration of Fe2+. The coordination numbers of Fe2+ and Fe3+ are both 4.

Culture for Violence: The Strategic Impact of the Olmsted Scholar Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

Sun Tzu The Art of War Introduction Sun Tzu , the ancient Chinese military strategist, placed a premium...24. 2 Giles, Sun Tzu , 56. 3 Giles, Sun Tzu , 40. 2 B.C. (when The Art of War was written) or in the twenty-first century A.D., was and...in the German estimation, to command the invasion force.1 Knowing one’s enemy, as Sun Tzu implores, oftentimes translates into a quest for

An integrated natural remanent magnetization acquisition model for the Matuyama-Brunhes reversal recorded by the Chinese loess

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Chunsheng; Liu, Qingsong; Hu, Pengxiang; Jiang, Zhaoxia; Li, Cange; Han, Peng; Yang, Huihui; Liang, Wentian

2016-08-01

Geomagnetic polarity reversal boundaries are key isochronous chronological controls for the long Chinese loess sequences, and further facilitate paleoclimatic correlation between Chinese loess and marine sediments. However, owing to complexity of postdepositional remanent magnetization (pDRM) acquisition processes related to variable dust sedimentary environments on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), there is a long-standing dispute concerning the downward shift of the pDRM recorded in Chinese loess. In this study, after careful stratigraphic correlation of representative climatic tie points and the Matuyama-Brunhes boundaries (MBB) in the Xifeng, Luochuan, and Mangshan loess sections with different pedogenic environments, the downward shift of the pDRM is semiquantitatively estimated and the acquisition model for the loess natural remanent magnetization (NRM) is discussed. The measured MB transition zone has been affected by the surficial mixing layer (SML) and remagnetization. Paleoprecipitation is suggested to be the dominant factor controlling the pDRM acquisition processes. Rainfall-controlled leaching would restrict the efficiency of the characterized remanent magnetization carriers aligning along the ancient geomagnetic field. We conclude that the MBB in the central CLP with moderate paleoprecipitation could be considered as an isochronous chronological control after moderate upward adjustment. A convincing case can then be made to correlate L8/S8 to MIS 18/19.

Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and Lonicerae Flos: A Systematic Pharmacology Review

PubMed Central

Li, Yujie; Cai, Weiyan; Weng, Xiaogang; Li, Qi; Wang, Yajie; Chen, Ying; Zhang, Wei; Yang, Qing; Guo, Yan; Zhu, Xiaoxin; Wang, Hainan

2015-01-01

Lonicerae japonicae flos, a widely used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been used for several thousand years in China. Chinese Pharmacopeia once included Lonicerae japonicae flos of Caprifoliaceae family and plants of the same species named Lonicerae flos in general in the same group. Chinese Pharmacopeia (2005 Edition) lists Lonicerae japonicae flos and Lonicerae flos under different categories, although they have the similar history of efficacy. In this study, we research ancient books of TCM, 4 main databases of Chinese academic journals, and MEDLINE/PubMed to verify the origins and effects of Lonicerae japonicae flos and Lonicerae flos in traditional medicine and systematically summarized the research data in light of modern pharmacology and toxicology. Our results show that Lonicerae japonicae flos and Lonicerae flos are similar pharmacologically, but they also differ significantly in certain aspects. A comprehensive systematic review and a standard comparative pharmacological study of Lonicerae japonicae flos and Lonicerae flos as well as other species of Lonicerae flos support their clinical safety and application. Our study provides evidence supporting separate listing of Lonicerae japonicae flos and Lonicerae flos in Chinese Pharmacopeia as well as references for revision of relevant pharmacopeial records dealing with traditional efficacy of Lonicerae japonicae flos and Lonicerae flos. PMID:26257818

Genetic analysis and ethnic affinities from two Scytho-Siberian skeletons.

PubMed

Ricaut, François-Xavier; Keyser-Tracqui, Christine; Cammaert, Laurence; Crubézy, Eric; Ludes, Bertrand

2004-04-01

We extracted DNA from two skeletons belonging to the Sytho-Siberian population, which were excavated from the Sebÿstei site (dating back 2,500 years) in the Altai Republic (Central Asia). Ancient DNA was analyzed by autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) and by the sequencing of the hypervariable region 1 (HV1) of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region. The results showed that these two skeletons were not close relatives. Moreover, their haplogroups were characteristic of Asian populations. Comparison with the haplogroup of 3,523 Asian and American individuals linked one skeleton with a putative ancestral paleo-Asiatic population and the other with Chinese populations. It appears that the genetic study of ancient populations of Central Asia brings important elements to the understanding of human population movements in Asia. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Ancient genomes document multiple waves of migration in Southeast Asian prehistory.

PubMed

Lipson, Mark; Cheronet, Olivia; Mallick, Swapan; Rohland, Nadin; Oxenham, Marc; Pietrusewsky, Michael; Pryce, Thomas Oliver; Willis, Anna; Matsumura, Hirofumi; Buckley, Hallie; Domett, Kate; Hai, Nguyen Giang; Hiep, Trinh Hoang; Kyaw, Aung Aung; Win, Tin Tin; Pradier, Baptiste; Broomandkhoshbacht, Nasreen; Candilio, Francesca; Changmai, Piya; Fernandes, Daniel; Ferry, Matthew; Gamarra, Beatriz; Harney, Eadaoin; Kampuansai, Jatupol; Kutanan, Wibhu; Michel, Megan; Novak, Mario; Oppenheimer, Jonas; Sirak, Kendra; Stewardson, Kristin; Zhang, Zhao; Flegontov, Pavel; Pinhasi, Ron; Reich, David

2018-05-17

Southeast Asia is home to rich human genetic and linguistic diversity, but the details of past population movements in the region are not well known. Here, we report genome-wide ancient DNA data from eighteen Southeast Asian individuals spanning from the Neolithic period through the Iron Age (4100-1700 years ago). Early farmers from Man Bac in Vietnam exhibit a mixture of East Asian (southern Chinese agriculturalist) and deeply diverged eastern Eurasian (hunter-gatherer) ancestry characteristic of Austroasiatic speakers, with similar ancestry as far south as Indonesia providing evidence for an expansive initial spread of Austroasiatic languages. By the Bronze Age, in a parallel pattern to Europe, sites in Vietnam and Myanmar show close connections to present-day majority groups, reflecting substantial additional influxes of migrants. Copyright © 2018, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

[Advantages and problems of traditional Chinese medicine in treatment of acute pharyngitis].

PubMed

Zhang, Xia; Xie, Yan-Ming; Li, Guang-Xi; Gao, Yang; Zhao, Yuan-Chen; Tang, Jing-Jing; Yao, Xiao-Yan; Li, Meng

2017-10-01

This paper systematically studies relevant literatures at home and abroad in recent years. China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI) was used to collect the literatures for acute pharyngitis treated with traditional Chinese medicine from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2016, and the bibliometric method was employed for statistical analysis. A total of 493 papers were preliminarily selected. According to the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria, 182 eligible articles were selected. According to the evaluation and analysis of the literatures, the Guidelines for Clinical Research of New Drugs is currently used as the common standards for the diagnosis and treatment of acute pharyngitis; Chinese patent medicines are the main traditional Chinese medicine for treating this disease; Decoctions for treatment of this disease include Lonicerae Japonicae Flos, Scutellariae Radix, Platycodonis Radix, Forsythiae Fructus, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Scrophdlariae Radix, Isatidis Radix, and Ophiopogonis Radix; The bloodletting puncture is the common external therapy. Traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine have their own characteristics in the treatment of this disease. Western medicine for the treatment of acute pharyngitis are mainly antiviral, antibiotic and glucocorticoid drugs, whose disadvantages are toxicity, side effects, drug resistance and double infections. Traditional Chinese medicine doctors have rich experiences in the treatment of the disease, which is characterized by treatment determination based on syndrome differentiation, safe and reliable medication, significant curative effect, low drug resistance, and wide varieties of traditional Chinese medicine forms, convenient portability and taking, low price, and low toxic and side effects. It is an arduous and significant task to explore traditional Chinese medicine, and study and develop new-type effective drugs. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

A genetic contribution from the Far East into Ashkenazi Jews via the ancient Silk Road.

PubMed

Tian, Jiao-Yang; Wang, Hua-Wei; Li, Yu-Chun; Zhang, Wen; Yao, Yong-Gang; van Straten, Jits; Richards, Martin B; Kong, Qing-Peng

2015-02-11

Contemporary Jews retain a genetic imprint from their Near Eastern ancestry, but obtained substantial genetic components from their neighboring populations during their history. Whether they received any genetic contribution from the Far East remains unknown, but frequent communication with the Chinese has been observed since the Silk Road period. To address this issue, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation from 55,595 Eurasians are analyzed. The existence of some eastern Eurasian haplotypes in eastern Ashkenazi Jews supports an East Asian genetic contribution, likely from Chinese. Further evidence indicates that this connection can be attributed to a gene flow event that occurred less than 1.4 kilo-years ago (kya), which falls within the time frame of the Silk Road scenario and fits well with historical records and archaeological discoveries. This observed genetic contribution from Chinese to Ashkenazi Jews demonstrates that the historical exchange between Ashkenazim and the Far East was not confined to the cultural sphere but also extended to an exchange of genes.

A genetic contribution from the Far East into Ashkenazi Jews via the ancient Silk Road

PubMed Central

Tian, Jiao-Yang; Wang, Hua-Wei; Li, Yu-Chun; Zhang, Wen; Yao, Yong-Gang; van Straten, Jits; Richards, Martin B.; Kong, Qing-Peng

2015-01-01

Contemporary Jews retain a genetic imprint from their Near Eastern ancestry, but obtained substantial genetic components from their neighboring populations during their history. Whether they received any genetic contribution from the Far East remains unknown, but frequent communication with the Chinese has been observed since the Silk Road period. To address this issue, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation from 55,595 Eurasians are analyzed. The existence of some eastern Eurasian haplotypes in eastern Ashkenazi Jews supports an East Asian genetic contribution, likely from Chinese. Further evidence indicates that this connection can be attributed to a gene flow event that occurred less than 1.4 kilo-years ago (kya), which falls within the time frame of the Silk Road scenario and fits well with historical records and archaeological discoveries. This observed genetic contribution from Chinese to Ashkenazi Jews demonstrates that the historical exchange between Ashkenazim and the Far East was not confined to the cultural sphere but also extended to an exchange of genes. PMID:25669617

Chinese Armillary Spheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Xiaochun

The armillary sphere was perhaps the most important type of astronomical instrument in ancient China. It was first invented by Luoxia Hong in the first century BC. After Han times, the structure of the armillary sphere became increasingly sophisticated by including more and more rings representing various celestial movements as recognized by the Chinese astronomers. By the eighth century, the Chinese armillary sphere consisted of three concentric sets of rings revolving on the south-north polar axis. The relative position of the rings could be adjusted to reflect the precession of the equinoxes and the regression of the Moon's nodes along the ecliptic. To counterbalance the defect caused by too many rings, Guo Shoujing from the late thirteenth century constructed the Simplified Instruments which reorganized the rings of the armillary sphere into separate instruments for measuring equatorial coordinates and horizontal coordinates. The armillary sphere was still preserved because it was a good illustration of celestial movements. A fifteenth-century replica of Guo Shoujing's armillary sphere still exists today.

Empirical study on human acupuncture point network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jian; Shen, Dan; Chang, Hui; He, Da-Ren

2007-03-01

Chinese medical theory is ancient and profound, however is confined by qualitative and faint understanding. The effect of Chinese acupuncture in clinical practice is unique and effective, and the human acupuncture points play a mysterious and special role, however there is no modern scientific understanding on human acupuncture points until today. For this reason, we attend to use complex network theory, one of the frontiers in the statistical physics, for describing the human acupuncture points and their connections. In the network nodes are defined as the acupuncture points, two nodes are connected by an edge when they are used for a medical treatment of a common disease. A disease is defined as an act. Some statistical properties have been obtained. The results certify that the degree distribution, act degree distribution, and the dependence of the clustering coefficient on both of them obey SPL distribution function, which show a function interpolating between a power law and an exponential decay. The results may be helpful for understanding Chinese medical theory.

American Indian Reader: Literature. Book Three in a Series in Educational Perspectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Jeannette, Ed.

The reader should be considered a guide to Native American literature. It is designed as an introduction to the study of the Native literature of the Americas. Content begins with the poetic art of the ancients. Special space is given to the Walum Olum, an example of the epic quality of Native literary art. In contrast, but also as a natural…

Understanding Chinese TEFL Academics' Capacity for Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bai, Li; Hudson, Peter

2011-01-01

This study aims to benchmark Chinese TEFL academics' research productivities to identify and address research productivity issues. Using a literature-based survey, this study examined 182 Chinese TEFL academics' research output, perceptions about research, personal dispositions for conducting research and workplace context for conducting research…

Distribution and Diversity of Bacteria and Fungi Colonization in Stone Monuments Analyzed by High-Throughput Sequencing.

PubMed

Li, Qiang; Zhang, Bingjian; He, Zhang; Yang, Xiaoru

The historical and cultural heritage of Qingxing palace and Lingyin and Kaihua temple, located in Hangzhou of China, include a large number of exquisite Buddhist statues and ancient stone sculptures which date back to the Northern Song (960-1219 A.D.) and Qing dynasties (1636-1912 A.D.) and are considered to be some of the best examples of ancient stone sculpting techniques. They were added to the World Heritage List in 2011 because of their unique craftsmanship and importance to the study of ancient Chinese Buddhist culture. However, biodeterioration of the surface of the ancient Buddhist statues and white marble pillars not only severely impairs their aesthetic value but also alters their material structure and thermo-hygric properties. In this study, high-throughput sequencing was utilized to identify the microbial communities colonizing the stone monuments. The diversity and distribution of the microbial communities in six samples collected from three different environmental conditions with signs of deterioration were analyzed by means of bioinformatics software and diversity indices. In addition, the impact of environmental factors, including temperature, light intensity, air humidity, and the concentration of NO2 and SO2, on the microbial communities' diversity and distribution was evaluated. The results indicate that the presence of predominantly phototrophic microorganisms was correlated with light and humidity, while nitrifying bacteria and Thiobacillus were associated with NO2 and SO2 from air pollution.

Towards a Conceptual Model of Diabetes Self-Management among Chinese Immigrants in the United States

PubMed Central

Zeng, Bin; Sun, Wenjie; Gary, Rebecca A.; Li, Changwei; Liu, Tingting

2014-01-01

Background: Chinese immigrants have been disproportionally affected by type 2 diabetes. This paper presents the state of science regarding the factors that may influence diabetes self-management among Chinese immigrants in the US and the potential health outcomes. Design: Using Walker and Avant’s techniques, a search of the literature was conducted from CINAHL, PubMed, OVID, and Web of Science. Findings: Factors most relevant to diabetes self-management were grouped under five categories: socio-demographic characteristics, behavioral and psychological characteristics, social support, linguistic barriers, and cultural characteristics. Potential outcomes derived from improved diabetes self-management include quality of life, glycosylated hemoglobin, and blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors. Discussion: A conceptual model was provided to guide future research. Based on the review of the literature, specific research topics that need to fill the gaps in the literature were provided, including family-focused interventions for Chinese immigrant patients with diabetes and the effectiveness of these interventions to improve family functioning. PMID:24978878

Towards a conceptual model of diabetes self-management among Chinese immigrants in the United States.

PubMed

Zeng, Bin; Sun, Wenjie; Gary, Rebecca A; Li, Changwei; Liu, Tingting

2014-06-27

Chinese immigrants have been disproportionally affected by type 2 diabetes. This paper presents the state of science regarding the factors that may influence diabetes self-management among Chinese immigrants in the US and the potential health outcomes. Using Walker and Avant's techniques, a search of the literature was conducted from CINAHL, PubMed, OVID, and Web of Science. Factors most relevant to diabetes self-management were grouped under five categories: socio-demographic characteristics, behavioral and psychological characteristics, social support, linguistic barriers, and cultural characteristics. Potential outcomes derived from improved diabetes self-management include quality of life, glycosylated hemoglobin, and blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors. A conceptual model was provided to guide future research. Based on the review of the literature, specific research topics that need to fill the gaps in the literature were provided, including family-focused interventions for Chinese immigrant patients with diabetes and the effectiveness of these interventions to improve family functioning.

[Pharmaceutical research progress of rhynchophylla based on chemical stability].

PubMed

Hao, Bo; Yang, Xiu-Juan; Feng, Yi; Hong, Yan-Long

2014-12-01

Rhynchophylla is a Chinese herb commonly used in clinical practice. It's also the primary herb of some famous Chinese herbal compound such as Tianma Gouteng decoction, and Lingyang Gouteng decoction. According the record from many previous materia medica literatures, rhynchophylla should be added later during decoction. Pharmaceutical research showed that rhynchophylla alkaloids were not stable. Which has resulted in many problems in the research and its application. For example, there was not a quantitative determination method in "Chinese Pharmacopoeia" of past and present versions, which seriously impacted its quality control and product application. Firstly, records from previous materia medica literatures and "Chinese Pharmacopoeia" were systematically sorted based on the chemical stability of rhynchophylla. Secondly, pharmaceutical research including chemical compositions and their stability, pharmacological effects, extraction process and quality analysis, was reviewed after reference of literatures published at home and abroad in recent decades. Positive reference and evidence for further research and development of rhynchophylla will be provided in the article.

The experience of Chinese American parents of children with life-limiting illness: a comprehensive review.

PubMed

Wang, Jinjiao; Kearney, Joan A

2013-07-01

Life-limiting childhood illness is a traumatic experience presenting parents with psychological, physical, and social challenges. While cultural influences affect all parents coping with the life-limiting illness and end-of-life period of their child, little is known about the experiences of Chinese American parents. The purpose of this comprehensive literature review was to describe Chinese American parents' experiences during their children's end-of-life period from a culturally informed perspective. Important themes in the literature are revealed including culture-based phenomena regarding philosophy of life and illness that can affect treatment choices, cultural mores that influence parental behaviour in Western health-care systems, specific communication patterns within families and between families and providers, certain coping risks, and gender-based roles and caregiving activities that have implications for provider communication patterns. The findings are consonant with the larger literature regarding the impact of traditional culture and values on Chinese family and health behaviours. Health professionals must be sensitive to Chinese American parents' communication styles, unspoken concerns, and unresolved cultural conflicts in American health-care settings. Educational interventions may be very helpful in this regard.

The breast: from Ancient Greek myths to Hippocrates and Galen.

PubMed

Iavazzo, C R; Trompoukis, C; Siempos, I I; Falagas, M E

2009-01-01

This is a historical article about Ancient Greek literature from mythological times until the first centuries AD with regard to the female breast. We endeavoured to collect several elegant narratives on the topic as well as to explore the knowledge of Ancient Greek doctors on the role, physiology and pathology of breast and the treatment of its diseases. We identified such descriptions in myths regarding Amazons, Hercules, Zeus, Hera and Amaltheia. Furthermore, descriptions on the topic were also found in the work of Hippocrates, Aristoteles, Soranos, Alexander of Aphrodisias, Celsus, Archigenis, Leonides, Galen and Oribasius. We may conclude that some of today's medical knowledge or practice regarding the breast was also known in the historical period.

The rights of patients as consumers: An ancient view.

PubMed

Barapatre, Nishant Bhimraj; Joglekar, Vishnu Prabhakar

2016-01-01

As far as the rights of consumers are concerned, the International Organization of Consumer's Union (IOCU) in 1983 has specified about the eight rights of a consumer. The Consumer Protection Act (CPA), 1986 then prescribed six "Rights of Consumers," which are protected under the act. However, these rights can be observed in the ancient Indian texts such as Brihat-trayee , Narad Smruti , and Kautilya Arthashastra ., in the form of rights given to patients. For the purpose of present study, the implemented methodology includes - (1) study of the consumer rights described by IOCU and CPA, (2) detailed review of literature for observance of replication of these consumer rights in the ancient Indian texts and (3) a comparative study of the present consumer rights with the rights of patients observed in ancient Indian texts. This study shows that the substance of consumer rights is not a recent evolution, but the foundation of these rights has been laid well beforehand in the ancient times, which were provided to the patients by medical profession as well as by the rulers. The current scenario of protection of consumer rights is the replication of this ancient practice only.

The rights of patients as consumers: An ancient view

PubMed Central

Barapatre, Nishant Bhimraj; Joglekar, Vishnu Prabhakar

2016-01-01

As far as the rights of consumers are concerned, the International Organization of Consumer's Union (IOCU) in 1983 has specified about the eight rights of a consumer. The Consumer Protection Act (CPA), 1986 then prescribed six “Rights of Consumers,” which are protected under the act. However, these rights can be observed in the ancient Indian texts such as Brihat-trayee, Narad Smruti, and Kautilya Arthashastra., in the form of rights given to patients. For the purpose of present study, the implemented methodology includes – (1) study of the consumer rights described by IOCU and CPA, (2) detailed review of literature for observance of replication of these consumer rights in the ancient Indian texts and (3) a comparative study of the present consumer rights with the rights of patients observed in ancient Indian texts. This study shows that the substance of consumer rights is not a recent evolution, but the foundation of these rights has been laid well beforehand in the ancient times, which were provided to the patients by medical profession as well as by the rulers. The current scenario of protection of consumer rights is the replication of this ancient practice only. PMID:29491665

[Import and export of licorice and its products in China].

PubMed

Ma, Shuai; Wang, Nuo; Yang, Guang; Que, Ling

2017-06-01

Licorice is an important harmonic drug which has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine since ancient times. However, with the increasing demand of industrial production, the licorice resources in our country have been reduced rapidly and we have to import licorice resources from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan consequently. In order to find out the trade flow of licorice resources and evaluate the status of Chinese licorice in the world trade, the trade situation of licorice and its products from 2011 to 2015 May in Chinese customs was investigated and analyzed in this paper. The import and export volumes of licorice were declining; the import and export volumes of licorice were relatively concentrated in international trade, with greater risks of trade; and export quota management was not well executed. As one of the strategic resources of medicine, licorice resources must be based on domestic development, and we should adjust the export quota management from passive quota to active quota management and improve the intrinsic value of licorice resources to establish the international market position of our licorice and control the pricing power in international market. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

The way of sex: Joseph Needham and Jolan Chang.

PubMed

Rocha, Leon Antonio

2012-09-01

This paper analyses the understandings of Daoist alchemy and Chinese sexuality of Joseph Needham and his friend and correspondent, the Chinese-Swedish writer Jolan Chang (Chang Chung-lan, 1917-2002). Using the extensive correspondence between the two men, as well as Needham's files on "inner alchemy" deposited at the Needham Research Institute, the paper begins with a partial reconstruction of a 1977 symposium, chaired by Needham, to promote Chang's new book, The Tao of Love and Sex: The Ancient Chinese Way to Ecstasy. Needham and Chang's visions of Chinese sex are then read against excerpts from Science and Civilisation in China, specifically Volume V: Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Part 5: Spagyrical Discovery and Invention: Physiological Alchemy (1983). Three inter-related aspects are explored. First, reading Science and Civilisation in China against materials in the Needham archives offers crucial hints to Needham's historiography and historical practice. Second, the way that Daoist regimens came to be actively reconstructed and repackaged as practices concerned with the enhancement of sexual pleasure and intensity. Third, the investigation of the networks and circulations of assumptions, visions, fantasies about "China". Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relevance of ancient Indian wisdom to modern mental health – A few examples

PubMed Central

Shamasundar, C.

2008-01-01

The ancient Indian concepts and paradigms relating to mental health are holistic and cover aspects that have been neglected by the modern mental health literature. The latter can borrow, study, and incorporate them in their text books to advantage. The current trend in mental health research is heavily biased in favour of biological aspects of psychological phenomena neglecting the basic entity, the mind. Correction of this partisan tilt is urgently needed. PMID:19742213

Orthopedic surgery in ancient Egypt

PubMed Central

Blomstedt, Patric

2014-01-01

Background — Ancient Egypt might be considered the cradle of medicine. The modern literature is, however, sometimes rather too enthusiastic regarding the procedures that are attributed an Egyptian origin. I briefly present and analyze the claims regarding orthopedic surgery in Egypt, what was actually done by the Egyptians, and what may have been incorrectly ascribed to them. Methods — I reviewed the original sources and also the modern literature regarding surgery in ancient Egypt, concentrating especially on orthopedic surgery. Results — As is well known, both literary sources and the archaeological/osteological material bear witness to treatment of various fractures. The Egyptian painting, often claimed to depict the reduction of a dislocated shoulder according to Kocher’s method, is, however, open to interpretation. Therapeutic amputations are never depicted or mentioned in the literary sources, while the specimens suggested to demonstrate such amputations are not convincing. Interpretation — The ancient Egyptians certainly treated fractures of various kinds, and with varying degrees of success. Concerning the reductions of dislocated joints and therapeutic amputations, there is no clear evidence for the existence of such procedures. It would, however, be surprising if dislocations were not treated, even though they have not left traces in the surviving sources. Concerning amputations, the general level of Egyptian surgery makes it unlikely that limb amputations were done, even if they may possibly have been performed under extraordinary circumstances. PMID:25140982

A cognitive network for oracle bone characters related to animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dress, Andreas; Grünewald, Stefan; Zeng, Zhenbing

2016-01-01

In this paper, we present an analysis of oracle bone characters for animals from a “cognitive” point of view. After some general remarks on oracle-bone characters presented in Sec. 1 and a short outline of the paper in Sec. 2, we collect various oracle-bone characters for animals from published resources in Sec. 3. In the next section, we begin analyzing a group of 60 ancient animal characters from www.zdic.net, a highly acclaimed internet dictionary of Chinese characters that is strictly based on historical sources, and introduce five categories of specific features regarding their (graphical) structure that will be used in Sec. 5 to associate corresponding feature vectors to these characters. In Sec. 6, these feature vectors will be used to investigate their dissimilarity in terms of a family of parameterized distance measures. And in the last section, we apply the SplitsTree method as encoded in the NeighborNet algorithms to construct a corresponding family of dissimilarity-based networks with the intention of elucidating how the ancient Chinese might have perceived the “animal world” in the late bronze age and to demonstrate that these pictographs reflect an intuitive understanding of this world and its inherent structure that predates its classification in the oldest surviving Chinese encyclopedia from approximately the third century BC, the Er Ya, as well as similar classification systems in the West by one to two millennia. We also present an English dictionary of 70 oracle bone characters for animals in Appendix A. In Appendix B, we list various variants of animal characters that were published in the Jia Gu Wen Bian (cf. 甲骨文编, A Complete Collection of Oracle Bone Characters, edited by the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, published by the Zhonghua Book Company in 1965). We recall the frequencies of the 521 most frequent oracle bone characters in Appendix C as reported in [T. Chen, Yin-Shang Jiaguwen Zixing Xitong Zai Yanjiu, (The Structural System of Oracle Inscriptions) (Shanghai Renmin Chubanshe, Shanghai, 2010); Jiaguwen Shiwen Yongzi Pinlü Biao (A Frequency List of Oracle Characters), Center for the Study and Application of Chinese Characters (East China Normal University, Shanghai, 2010), http://www.wenzi.cn/en/default.aspx. And in Appendix D, we list the animals registered in the last five chapters of the Er Ya.

A cognitive network for oracle-bone characters related to animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dress. Andreas; Grünewald, Stefan; Zeng, Zhenbing

This paper is dedicated to HAO Bailin on the occasion of his eighties birthday, the great scholar and very good friend who never tired to introduce us to the wonderful and complex intricacies of Chinese culture and history. In this paper, we present an analysis of oracle-bone characters for animals from a `cognitive' point of view. After some general remarks on oraclebone characters presented in Section 1 and a short outline of the paper in Section 2, we collect various oracle-bone characters for animals from published resources in Section 3. In the next section, we begin analysing a group of 60 ancient animal characters from www.zdic.net, a highly acclaimed internet dictionary of Chinese characters that is strictly based on historical sources, and introduce five categories of specific features regarding their (graphical) structure that will be used in Section 5 to associate corresponding feature vectors to these characters. In Section 6, these feature vectors will be used to investigate their dissimilarity in terms of a family of parameterised distance measures. And in the last section, we apply the SplitsTree method as encoded in the NeighbourNet algorithms to construct a corresponding family of dissimilarity-based networks with the intention of elucidating how the ancient Chinese might have perceived the `animal world' in the late bronze age and to demonstrate that these pictographs reflect an intuitive understanding of this world and its inherent structure that predates its classification in the oldest surviving Chinese encyclopedia from approximately the 3rd century BC, the ErYa, as well as similar classification systems in the West by one to two millennia. We also present an English dictionary of 70 oracle-bone characters for animals in Appendix 1. In Appendix 2, we list various variants of animal characters that were published in the Jia Gu Wen Bian (cf. , A Complete Collection of Oracle Bone Characters, edited by the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, published by the Zhonghua Book Company in 1965). We recall the frequencies of the 521 most frequent oracle-bone characters in Appendix 3 as reported in [7, 8]. And in Appendix 4, we list the animals registered in the last five chapters of the ErYa.

A Brief History of Physics in China,

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-07-29

not attracted by magnets. Chang Hua noticed that a static charge was produced in combing hair and in undressing with silk and wool garments. He...after the expiration of the greenish white gas. It is at this moment that casting can be performed’. For the process of smelting and casting, since there...orange, then yellow, and appears white at about 1000°C. In the process of heating pottery and metals, the ancient Chinese mastered the knowledge of

An ancient Chinese wisdom for metabolic engineering: Yin-Yang

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Stephen G.; He, Lian; Wang, Qingzhao

In ancient Chinese philosophy, Yin-Yang describes two contrary forces that are interconnected and interdependent. This concept also holds true in microbial cell factories, where Yin represents energy metabolism in the form of ATP, and Yang represents carbon metabolism. Current biotechnology can effectively edit the microbial genome or introduce novel enzymes to redirect carbon fluxes. On the other hand, microbial metabolism loses significant free energy as heat when converting sugar into ATP; while maintenance energy expenditures further aggravate ATP shortage. The limitation of cell “powerhouse” prevents hosts from achieving high carbon yields and rates. Via an Escherichia coli flux balance analysismore » model, we further demonstrate the penalty of ATP cost on biofuel synthesis. To ensure cell powerhouse being sufficient in microbial cell factories, we propose five principles: 1. Take advantage of native pathways for product synthesis. 2. Pursue biosynthesis relying only on pathways or genetic parts without significant ATP burden. 3. Combine microbial production with chemical conversions (semi-biosynthesis) to reduce biosynthesis steps. 4. Create “minimal cells” or use non-model microbial hosts with higher energy fitness. 5. Develop a photosynthesis chassis that can utilize light energy and cheap carbon feedstocks. Meanwhile, metabolic flux analysis can be used to quantify both carbon and energy metabolisms. The fluxomics results are essential to evaluate the industrial potential of laboratory strains, avoiding false starts and dead ends during metabolic engineering« less

Polysaccharide of Danggui Buxue Tang, an Ancient Chinese Herbal Decoction, Induces Expression of Pro-inflammatory Cytokines Possibly Via Activation of NFκB Signaling in Cultured RAW 264.7 Cells.

PubMed

Gong, Amy Gw; Zhang, Laura Ml; Lam, Candy Tw; Xu, Miranda L; Wang, Huai Y; Lin, H Q; Dong, Tina Tx; Tsim, Karl Wk

2017-02-01

Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT) is an ancient Chinese herbal decoction containing two herbs, Astragali Radix (AR) and Angelicae Sinensis Radix (ASR): this herbal decoction serves as dietary supplement for women during menopause. DBT has been known to modulate immune responses, and its polysaccharide is proposed to be one of the active components. However, the polysaccharide-induced signaling in immune activation is not revealed. Here, we are identifying that the immune activation, triggered by DBT, could be mediated by polysaccharide. In cultured macrophages (RAW 264.7 cells), the application of polysaccharide-enriched extract of DBT significantly increased the expressions of mRNA and protein levels of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor. The induction was much stronger than the polysaccharide extract generated singly from AR, or from ASR, or from their simple mixture. The induced cytokine release in cultured macrophage was revealed to be triggered by activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling, including (i) degradation of IkBα; (ii) translocation of NF-κB p65 from cytosol to nuclei; and (iii) activation of NF-κB transcriptional elements. These results verified the possible role of DBT polysaccharide in modulating immune responses. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An ancient Chinese wisdom for metabolic engineering: Yin-Yang

DOE PAGES

Wu, Stephen G.; He, Lian; Wang, Qingzhao; ...

2015-03-20

In ancient Chinese philosophy, Yin-Yang describes two contrary forces that are interconnected and interdependent. This concept also holds true in microbial cell factories, where Yin represents energy metabolism in the form of ATP, and Yang represents carbon metabolism. Current biotechnology can effectively edit the microbial genome or introduce novel enzymes to redirect carbon fluxes. On the other hand, microbial metabolism loses significant free energy as heat when converting sugar into ATP; while maintenance energy expenditures further aggravate ATP shortage. The limitation of cell “powerhouse” prevents hosts from achieving high carbon yields and rates. Via an Escherichia coli flux balance analysismore » model, we further demonstrate the penalty of ATP cost on biofuel synthesis. To ensure cell powerhouse being sufficient in microbial cell factories, we propose five principles: 1. Take advantage of native pathways for product synthesis. 2. Pursue biosynthesis relying only on pathways or genetic parts without significant ATP burden. 3. Combine microbial production with chemical conversions (semi-biosynthesis) to reduce biosynthesis steps. 4. Create “minimal cells” or use non-model microbial hosts with higher energy fitness. 5. Develop a photosynthesis chassis that can utilize light energy and cheap carbon feedstocks. Meanwhile, metabolic flux analysis can be used to quantify both carbon and energy metabolisms. The fluxomics results are essential to evaluate the industrial potential of laboratory strains, avoiding false starts and dead ends during metabolic engineering« less

[Herbal textual research of common Mongolian medicine "Du Ge Mo Nong"].

PubMed

Xi, Jie; Zhong, Hua-Rong; Wucharila-Tu; Buhe Bater; Li, Hui-Hu; Zhong, Guo-Yue

2016-11-01

This study is aimed to provide the source for clinical medication by clarifing the common base of Mongolia medicinal materials "Du Ge Mo Nong". In this paper literature research and plant taxonomy method were adopted combined with investigation of the markets and clinical use status to clarify the origin of common traditional Mongolian medicine "Du Ge Mo Nong". The results showed that the Mongolian medicine "Du Ge Mo Nong" and Tibetan medicine "Du Mu Niu" were the same crude drug and originated from the seeds of Holarrhena antidysenteriaca of family Apocynaceae in earliest time. In Mongolian medicine clinic, the seed of Cynanchum thesioides of family Asclepiadaceae and the fruit of Forsythia suspense of family Oleaceae was used respectively about 18 century and recent time, as the substitutes of H. antidysenteriaca. In present standards on Mongolian material medicine, C. thesioides is including only, and H. antidysenterica is not used almost. In Tibetan medicine clinic, H. antidysenterica is being used so far. But there are various substitutes including the seeds, fruits or grass of many species classified to family Apocynaceae, Asclepiadaceae and Onagraceae from ancient time to the present, and C. forrestii and C. komarovii may be used at present. It's necessary to strengthen the arrangement on Mongolian medicine's varieties by the multidisciplinary methods including literature research, investigation of resources and the use state, and comparison of active substances and biological activities between the different substitutes,and so on. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Chinese Students' Perception of Out-of-Class Groupwork in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Dongmei; Remedios, Louisa; Clarke, David

2010-01-01

Despite increasing number of mainland Chinese students studying in western tertiary settings, there is limited information available on their learning experiences and responses to popular educational practices in these contexts. There is an assumption in the literature that Chinese students respond well to the collaborative demands of groupwork…

The Call for Balance: Implications of Chinese Educational History and Philosophy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prillaman, A. Renee; Day, Barbara D.

1987-01-01

Examines data gathered from a survey of literature, observations, and interviews conducted during a 1985 trip to China. Specifically focuses on changes in Chinese education as influenced by politics, economics, and social values. Includes a comparison of similarities and differences in current Chinese and U.S. education. (BSR)

The Teaching of Chinese as a Second or Foreign Language: a Systematic Review of the Literature 2005-2015

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Xiuli; Gong, Yang; Gao, Xuesong; Xiang, Yiqing

2017-01-01

This paper reports the results of a review of research articles on the teaching of Chinese as a second or foreign language published in four leading mainland Chinese journals during the years 2005-2015. The review found that Chinese language researchers are exploring a wide array of issues including language policy and planning, language learning…

[Origin of lifting and lowering theory and its herb pair study].

PubMed

Guo, Zhao-Juan; Yuan, Yi-Ping; Kong, Li-Ting; Jia, Xiao-Yu; Wang, Ning-Ning; Dai, Ying; Zhai, Hua-Qiang

2017-08-01

Lifting and lowering theory is one of the important basis for guiding clinical medication. Through the study of ancient books and literature, we learned that lifting and lowering theory was originated in Huangdi Neijing, practiced more in the Shanghan Zabing Lun, established in Yixue Qiyuan, and developed in Compendium of Materia Medica and now. However, lifting and lowering theory is now mostly stagnated in the theoretical stage, with few experimental research. In the clinical study, the guiding role of lifting and lowering theory to prescriptions?mainly includes opposite?role?of lift and lower medicine property, mutual promotion of lift and lower medicine property, main role of lift medicine property and main role of lower medicine property. Under the guidance of lifting and lowering theory, the herb pair compatibility include herb combination of lift medicine property, herb combination of lift and lower medicine property and herb combination of lower medicine property. Modern biological technology was used in this study to carry out experimental research on the lifting and lowering theory, revealing the scientific connotation of it, which will help to promote clinical rational drug use. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Egg clutch patterning in Lestes virens (Odonata, Lestidae) with evolutionary emphasis on endophytic oviposition in lestid dragonflies.

PubMed

Matushkina, Natalia A; Buy, Denis; Lambret, Philippe

2016-12-01

Egg deposition within plants is one of the most widely distributed and ancient behaviors in Odonata. The resulting clutch consists of eggs placed in peculiar pattern that can be a characteristic for certain groups of Odonata. Despite their importance for paleontological and evolutionary research, data on egg-clutch positioning are missing or insufficient for most species. Here, patterning of egg clutches in Lestes virens was measured and described in detail for the first time. The female usually produces a linear row of single eggs directed at an angle rightward or leftward to the longitudinal axis of plant substrate. Less often eggs are arranged in egg-sets consisting of up to 4 eggs. Apparently, the female insect follows the rigid behavior stereotypes during oviposition and is unable to easily switch to the alternate stereotypical behavior of single egg deposition or production of multiegg sets. Based on a literature review and original data, egg clutch patterning of European Lestidae is overlaid on preexisting phylogenies. The resulting evolutionary scenario of egg-clutch patterning can be considered in the framework of egg-laying behavior in Lestidae. © 2015 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The Role of Acculturation in Reading a Second Language: Its Relation to English Literacy Skills in Immigrant Chinese Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jia, Fanli; Gottardo, Alexandra; Koh, Poh Wee; Chen, Xi; Pasquarella, Adrian

2014-01-01

The main purpose of this study was to bridge the gap between the literature on cognitive variables related to English literacy learning skills, as suggested by the simple view of reading, and the literature on sociocultural variables, specifically acculturation. The sample consisted of 94 Chinese immigrant adolescents from grades 7-12 in Waterloo…

The Relationships between Chinese Higher Education Students' Epistemic Beliefs and Their Judgmental Standards of Searching for Literature Online: Undergraduate versus Graduate Comparisons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dong, Yan; Liang, Jyh-Chong; Yu, Yue-Yue; Wu, Jui-Chi; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2015-01-01

The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between Chinese higher education students' epistemic beliefs and their judgmental standards of searching for literature online. Data were collected from 449 higher education students (152 college students and 297 graduate students) in Beijing via two self-reported questionnaires: one…

Chinese herbs as immunomodulators and potential disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in autoimmune disorders.

PubMed

Ho, Ling-Jun; Lai, Jenn-Haung

2004-04-01

Autoimmune diseases are a group of illnesses with multiple organ involvement. The prototype of this group of disorders is rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that aside from systemic organ involvement mainly presents with progressive destruction of many joints. Both activation and defective apoptosis of immune effector cells like T and B lymphocytes and macrophages play critical roles in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders. Current therapy for autoimmune diseases recommends a combination of several disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) that preserve different immunomodulatory mechanisms. Because of limited success in prevention of RA joint destruction for currently available DMARDs, the development of more effective and less toxic DMARDs has been one of the major goals for pharmaceutical companies. The introduction of leflunomide and anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha therapies to the market recently serves as examples. In this context, the experience from ancient Chinese medicine gives an alternative consideration looking for potential DMARDs. Two commonly prescribed Chinese antirheumatic herbs are Tripterygium wilfordii hook f (TWHf) and tetrandrine (Tet) that preserve both anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. Importantly, the TWHf- or Tet-mediated immunomodulatory mechanisms are evidently different from the known DMARDs. The synergistic effects have also been demonstrated between these two Chinese antirheumatic herbs and DMARDs like FK506, cyclosporin and possibly chloroquine. Another potential Chinese herb for this consideration is Ginkgo biloba. This review summarizes evidence-based in vivo and in vitro studies on Chinese herbs as immunomodulators and potential DMARDs.

Textural and Carbon Isotopic Analyses of Modern Carbonate Microbialites: Possible Ancient and Martian Analogs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Joel B.

1998-01-01

Many modem and ancient carbonate deposits around the world have been recognized as microbial buildups or microbialites. Ancient microbialite structures have been divided into two basic categories based on their internal fabric or texture. They include stromatolites which have a predominantly laminated internal fabric and thrombolites which have an open-porous clotted fabric, that lacks laminae. The origin of these two basic microbial fabrics is still being debated in the literature. Understanding the origin and the various microorganisms involved in forming these modem fabrics is the key to the interpretation of similar fabrics in ancient and possibly Martian rocks. Therefore, detailed studies are needed on the microbiological makeup and origin of the fabrics in modem microbialites. Such studies may serve as analogs for ancient and Martian microbialites in the future. The purpose of this study is to examine the textures and carbon isotopic signatures of the following modem microbialites from the Bahamas: 1) a modem subtidal microbialite from Iguana Cay, Bahamas and 2) a modem microbial mat (stromatolite) from a hypersaline pond on Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas.

Use of patient safety culture instruments in operating rooms: A systematic literature review.

PubMed

Zhao, Pujng; Li, Yaqin; Li, Zhi; Jia, Pengli; Zhang, Longhao; Zhang, Mingming

2017-05-01

To identify and qualitatively describe, in a literature review, how the instruments were used to evaluate patient safety culture in the operating rooms of published studies. Systematic searches of the literature were conducted using the major database including MEDLINE, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, and four Chinese databases including Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Wanfang Data, Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), and Chinese Journals Full-text Database (CNKI) for studies published up to March 2016. We summarized and analyzed the country scope, the instrument utilized in the study, the year when the instrument was used, and fields of operating rooms. Study populations, study settings, and the time span between baseline and follow-up phase were evaluated according to the study design. We identified 1025 references, of which 99 were obtained for full-text assessment; 47 of these studies were deemed relevant and included in the literature review. Most of the studies were from the USA. The most commonly used patient safety culture instrument was Safety Attitude Questionnaire. All identified instruments were used after 2002 and across many fields. Most included studies on patient safety culture were conducted in teaching hospitals or university hospitals. The study population in the cross-sectional studies was much more than that in the before-after studies. The time span between baseline and follow-up phase of before-after studies were almost over three months. Although patient safety culture is considered important in health care and patient safety, the number of studies in which patient safety culture has been estimated using the instruments in operating rooms, is fairly small. © 2017 Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

[Metallurgic drugs in ancient Japan].

PubMed

Sugiyama, S

2001-01-01

Advancements in metallurgic and pharmaceutical chemistry in ancient Japan were made by people like Mangan-Shonin, who combined elements from Shinto, Buddhism, and Taoism to take advantage of technologies brought by Chinese and Korean immigrants. The Shonin himself, though it may be considered a wild speculation, could well be such an immigrant. Along with the immigrants, the Shonin established government-subsidized temples (Jingu-ji, Jogaku-ji) throughout the country under sponsorship by the Imperial Court for the purpose of raising funds through private donations. Research and educational activities conducted in these temples ultimately resulted in a well-established body of chemical engineers who could excavate chemical substances as well as alter their natures. According to a list of regional products (Sasaki,19) 1972) up to the 14th century, these chemical substances and their derivative products included iron from the Hitachi region, cast metal from Shimotsuke, swords from Sagami, face powder (lead carbonate) from Ise, mercury, and gold.

Mössbauer analysis of the firing process of the sky-green glaze of the imitative ancient Chinese Ru porcelain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Songhua, Chen; Zhengyao, Gao; Guoju, Hu; Xiande, Chen

1994-12-01

The variation of the Mössbauer parameters of the imitative ancient Ru porcelain skygreen glaze with the firing conditions is studied in detail in the present paper. The Mössbauer spectra show that the sky-green glaze contains three kinds of iron minerals, i.e. the structural iron (Fe2+ and Fe3+); Fe2O3 and Fe3O4. The relative intensity of the paramagnetic peak Fe2+ increases and the magnetic ratio of the magnetic peak decreases with increasing temperature. Based on the variation of the quadrupole splitting ( QS) of the paramagnetic peak Fe2+, the phase transformation characteristics of the sky-green glaze in the firing process is discussed. The coloring mechanism of the sky-green glaze and the variation of its magnetism in the firing process are also investigated in the present paper.

[Raman and EDXRF Study on Overglaze Decorations of Jingdezhen Ceramics].

PubMed

Wu, Juan; Zhang, Mao-lin; Wu, Jun-ming; Li, Qi-jiang; Cao, Jian-wen; Li, Qing-hui; Zhao, Hong-xia

2015-05-01

Overglaze decoration porcelain is an important category of ancient Chinese ceramics, which has significant artistic value and scientific value. Nondestructive analysis methods such as Raman spectroscopy and EDXRF were used to analyze the overglaze decorations on the Jingdezhen ceramic samples of Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasty. The recipe and color mechanism of the overglaze pigments were discussed according to the chemical composition and phase composition analysis. The study found that dark red overglaze decorations of ancient Honglvcai, Wucai and famille rose in Jingdezhen are colored by hematite, yellow color is lead tin yellow, carmine decoration is colored by gold less than 0. 1 % in concentration, and green decorations are colored by bivalent copper ion. The result also indicates that the effective combination of Raman spectroscopy and EDXRF can play an important role in the deep research on ceramic artifacts, especially for the overglaze decoration pigments which are interveined each other.

The Sufi, his headdress and its significance.

PubMed

Mahdihassan, S

1990-01-01

Etymologically Sufi, as an Arabic word, means woolen-clad. This is unsuitable in designating a devotee who tries to have union with God. When the word is taken to Chinese it means (my) master-and-father, my Guru. There are at least nine more words used in addressing the Sufi or speaking of him, all of Chinese origin. This leaves no word specially used for the sufi which is not derived from Chinese. Next comes a rite special to the sufis, it is whirling-dancing. It has no precedence in traditional Islam. On the contrary "Dancing in ancient China was a powerful means of seeking divine will, and producing ecstasy for calling down spirits from the invisible word." Thus sufism would be an adaptation from Chinese Shamanism. The headdress, rather than the dress covering the body, is special to the sufis; it is a long hat made to resemble the male generative organ. In ancient times this organ was sanctified and, as sacred object, its emblem formed the headdress of male and female deities. Even sages were buried with emblem of the male organ on their heads. The earlier form of Hindu Trinity was called Trai-Linga-Ishwara, where Linga literally means the male organ but semantically connotes creative power. To understand creation man had projected Birth as Creation when the male organ of reproduction was sublimated as power of creation. The prehistoric word was Chhiu, meaning phallus. This was pronounced as Shiu or Shew and later became Shiva, who was Phallus-god. In Greece Hermes was Phallus-god. With Shiva there was the Trinity Trai-Linga-Ishwara; Hermes was correspondingly called Tris-Majestis. The headdress, originally formed to resemble the male organ of reproduction underwent modifications. It grew in length while the top, from being round became flat. In this form it could be used without a cloth wrapped round to support it on the head. This was again unique and used only by the Sufis. Its past took it to the emblem of male generative organ but in all stages represented creative power.

Systematic Review of Chinese Medicine for Miscarriage during Early Pregnancy

PubMed Central

Leung, Ping Chung; Chung, Tony Kwok Hung; Wang, Chi Chiu

2014-01-01

Background. Miscarriage is a very common complication during early pregnancy. So far, clinical therapies have limitation in preventing the early pregnancy loss. Chinese Medicine, regarded as gentle, effective, and safe, has become popular and common as a complementary and alternative treatment for miscarriages. However, the evidence to support its therapeutic efficacy and safety is still very limited. Objectives and Methods. To summarize the clinical application of Chinese Medicine for pregnancy and provide scientific evidence on the efficacy and safety of Chinese medicines for miscarriage, we located all the relevant pieces of literature on the clinical applications of Chinese Medicine for miscarriage and worked out this systematic review. Results. 339,792 pieces of literature were identified, but no placebo was included and only few studies were selected for systematic review and conducted for meta-analysis. A combination of Chinese medicines and Western medicines was more effective than Chinese medicines alone. No specific safety problem was reported, but potential adverse events by certain medicines were identified. Conclusions. Studies vary considerably in design, interventions, and outcome measures; therefore conclusive results remain elusive. Large scales of randomized controlled trials and more scientific evidences are still necessary to confirm the efficacy and safety of Chinese medicines during early pregnancy. PMID:24648851

Assessing the Quality of Research Supervision in Mainland Chinese Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peng, Hongbing

2015-01-01

This article assesses the quality of research supervision in mainland Chinese higher education by critiquing the related literature. It provides an evaluative overview of the Chinese graduate supervisor-student relationship after presenting the supervision system that is at work. The study has revealed that despite the general satisfaction felt…

Exploring Career Agency during Self-Initiated Repatriation: A Study of Chinese Sea Turtles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guo, Chun; Porschitz, Emily T.; Alves, Jose

2013-01-01

Purpose: Drawing on career and self-initiated expatriation/repatriation literatures, this paper aims to examine the career experiences of Chinese self-initiated repatriates after their return to China. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted an exploratory, qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with 20 Chinese individuals who…

British Chinese Children: Agency and Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clayton, Carmen Lau

2013-01-01

The assumption that Chinese young people are passive beings with little or no agency is a dominant theme within the academic literature. However PhD research findings demonstrate how British Chinese adolescents (aged 11-14) do exhibit varying degrees of agency in their lives. Here, agency is understood as individuals having the capacity to act, to…

Component Theories for Human Resource Development in China: A Proposition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidtke, Carsten; Chen, Peng

2016-01-01

Chinese scholars have not yet achieved consensus on the specific theories that should be part of a Chinese HRD theory base. A review of the Chinese HRD literature has identified four theory domains frequently mentioned as a possible foundation for the discipline: management, economics, sociology, and psychology/learning. Considering Swanson and…

Primary intraocular ancient schwannoma: a case report and review of the literature.

PubMed

Mortuza, Shaikh; Esmaeli, Bita; Bell, Diana

2014-04-01

Schwannomas comprise 8% to 10% of all primary intracranial tumors. Primary intraorbital schwannomas are rare, accounting for 1% to 2% of all intracranial tumors. Schwannomas arise from Schwann cells in the myelin sheaths of sensory and cranial nerves. We present the case of a 56-year-old white man blind since 1970 who presented to an outside hospital for a painful right eye. Physicians identified no clinical or radiologic features of neurofibromatosis. The patient underwent enucleation; the final pathologic diagnosis was ancient schwannoma. We describe herein a case of intrascleral schwannoma with ancient changes arising within the globe of the right eye occupying the subretinal space and completely replacing the vitreous body. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Outline of the history of caesarean section – from ancient times to the end of 17th Century].

PubMed

Torbé, Andrzej; Ustianowski, Przemysław; Ustianowska, Maria; Celewicz, Zbigniew; Torbé, Dorota

Problems with the childbirth accompanied the human civilization since its beginning. From the ancient times, physicians and other people specializing in healing, tried to help women in this special moment of life. At the base of this exceptional meaning of childbirth for humans lies the fact, that if something is going wrong there are two victims - mother and the child. As a result, many times there had been very dramatic attempts of help in this the most difficult journey which in his life every man is undergoing. In this paper a comprehensive review of literature about the history of caesarean section from ancient times to the end of 17th century was done.

An early-stage epidemic: a systematic review of correlates of smoking among Chinese women.

PubMed

Ding, Ding; Gebel, Klaus; Oldenburg, Brian F; Wan, Xia; Zhong, Xuefeng; Novotny, Thomas E

2014-08-01

Despite the historically low smoking prevalence among Chinese women, there is a trend of future increase. We systematically reviewed the correlates of smoking among Chinese girls and women. We conducted a systematic review of literature on correlates of smoking among Chinese women using Medline and China Academic Journals databases. Following the PRISMA statement, two investigators independently searched for literature, identified and reviewed papers, assessed the quality of the papers, and extracted information. The characteristics of studies and correlates of smoking were synthesized separately for youth and adults. A total of 15 articles (11 on adults, 4 on youth) met the inclusion criteria. Based on these studies, peer smoking was the most consistent correlate of smoking among Chinese girls. Among Chinese women, partner smoking, job-related stress, and exposure to cigarettes made for women were consistent correlates of smoking. Knowledge of harms and negative attitudes towards smoking were found to be negatively associated with smoking. Overall, the evidence base for smoking among Chinese women is limited. Although smoking among Chinese women is still at an early stage, it is becoming more prevalent among specific population subgroups, such as rural-to-urban migrant workers. Although further research is needed, findings from the current study provide a roadmap for research and policy on prevention of smoking among Chinese girls and women.

Body integrity identity disorder crosses culture: case reports in the Japanese and Chinese literature.

PubMed

Blom, Rianne M; Vulink, Nienke C; van der Wal, Sija J; Nakamae, Takashi; Tan, Zhonglin; Derks, Eske M; Denys, Damiaan

2016-01-01

Body integrity identity disorder (BIID) is a condition in which people do not perceive a part of their body as their own, which results in a strong desire for amputation or paralyzation. The disorder is likely to be congenital due to its very early onset. The English literature describes only Western patients with BIID, suggesting that the disorder might be merely prevalent in the West. To scrutinize this assumption, and to extend our knowledge of the etiology of BIID, it is important to trace cases with BIID in non-Western populations. Our objective was to review Chinese and Japanese literature on BIID to learn about its presence in populations with a different genetic background. A systematic literature search was performed in databases containing Japanese and Chinese research, published in the respective languages. Five Japanese articles of BIID were identified which described two cases of BIID, whereas in the Chinese databases only BIID-related conditions were found. This article reports some preliminary evidence that BIID is also present in non-Western countries. However, making general statements about the biological background of the disorder is hampered by the extremely low number of cases found. This low number possibly resulted from the extreme secrecy associated with the disorder, perhaps even more so in Asian countries.

The Translatable Element in Literature: Critical Theory and Classroom Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slate, Joseph Evans

If the best criticism of art is another work of art, studying the act of translation (the movement of ideas from one area or method of expression to another, such as between languages, between ancient and modern, between literature and life) can be of value to the English teacher. Bad translations, as exemplified in the condensation and…

Review of Periodical Literature on the History of Education Published in 2016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Mark; Kirke, Alice

2017-01-01

This review considers the periodical literature on the history of education published in 2016. It discusses general long-term trends in the field, but focuses mainly on the key areas of research in 2016 itself. The review is divided into several sections: ancient, medieval and early modern history; schooling and education policy; the history of…

Counseling with Pocket Pets: Using Small Animals in Elementary Counseling Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flom, Barbara L.

2005-01-01

The power of the human-animal bond has been described in sources as diverse as ancient literature, modern fiction, and research reports in the professional literature (Chandler, 2001; Mallon, 1992; Parshall, 2003; Siegel, 1993). Educators have used classic examples, such as those found in the children's books Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern…

Mössbauer study of the Ru porcelain of Chinese Song Dynasty and Yuan Dynasty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhengyao, Gao; Songhua, Chen; Xiande, Chen

1994-12-01

The Mössbauer spectra from the glazes of the Song Dynasty and the Yuan Dynasty Ru porcelains and the imitative ancient Ru porcelain are compared and analyzed. It is determined that the original firing atmosphere of the Yuan Dynasty Ru porcelain was reductive. The firing temperature was 1250±20 ‡C. The original firing atmosphere of the Song Dynasty Ru porcelain was also reductive; the firing temperature was above 1200 ‡C. The coloring mechanism of these glazes is discussed.

Mythological and Prehistorical Origins of Neurosurgery.

PubMed

Nanda, Anil; Filis, Andreas; Kalakoti, Piyush

2016-05-01

Mythology has a cultural appeal, and the description of some neurosurgical procedures in the Hindu, Greek, Egyptian, and Chinese mythology has a bearing to the origins of our professions. The traces to some of our modern-day practices also can be linked back to the ancient prehistoric eras of the Siberian, Persian, and the Andean region. In this historical perspective, we briefly dwell into individual accounts through the prism of different cultures to highlight the development of neurosurgery in mythology and prehistoric era. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Influence of corrosion layers on quantitative analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denker, A.; Bohne, W.; Opitz-Coutureau, J.; Rauschenberg, J.; Röhrich, J.; Strub, E.

2005-09-01

Art historians and restorers in charge of ancient metal objects are often reluctant to remove the corrosion layer evolved over time, as this would change the appearance of the artefact dramatically. Therefore, when an elemental analysis of the objects is required, this has to be done by penetrating the corrosion layer. In this work the influence of corrosion was studied on Chinese and Roman coins, where removal of oxidized material was possible. Measurements on spots with and without corrosion are presented and the results discussed.

Ancient Chinese medicine and mechanistic evidence of acupuncture physiology.

PubMed

Yang, Edward S; Li, Pei-Wen; Nilius, Bernd; Li, Geng

2011-11-01

Acupuncture has been widely used in China for three millennia as an art of healing. Yet, its physiology is not yet understood. The current interest in acupuncture started in 1971. Soon afterward, extensive research led to the concept of neural signaling with possible involvement of opioid peptides, glutamate, adenosine and identifying responsive parts in the central nervous system. In the last decade scientists began investigating the subject with anatomical and molecular imaging. It was found that mechanical movements of the needle, ignored in the past, appear to be central to the method and intracellular calcium ions may play a pivotal role. In this review, we trace the technique of clinical treatment from the first written record about 2,200 years ago to the modern time. The ancient texts have been used to introduce the concepts of yin, yang, qi, de qi, and meridians, the traditional foundation of acupuncture. We explore the sequence of the physiological process, from the turning of the needle, the mechanical wave activation of calcium ion channel to beta-endorphin secretion. By using modern terminology to re-interpret the ancient texts, we have found that the 2nd century B.C.: physiologists were meticulous investigators and their explanation fits well with the mechanistic model derived from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and confocal microscopy. In conclusion, the ancient model appears to have withstood the test of time surprisingly well confirming the popular axiom that the old wine is better than the new.

Genome-wide analysis of the diversity and ancestry of Korean dogs.

PubMed

Choi, Bong Hwan; Wijayananda, Hasini I; Lee, Soo Hyun; Lee, Doo Ho; Kim, Jong Seok; Oh, Seok Il; Park, Eung Woo; Lee, Cheul Koo; Lee, Seung Hwan

2017-01-01

There are various hypotheses on dog domestication based on archeological and genetic studies. Although many studies have been conducted on the origin of dogs, the existing literature about the ancestry, diversity, and population structure of Korean dogs is sparse. Therefore, this study is focused on the origin, diversity and population structure of Korean dogs. The study sample comprised four major categories, including non-dogs (coyotes and wolves), ancient, modern and Korean dogs. Selected samples were genotyped using an Illumina CanineHD array containing 173,662 single nucleotide polymorphisms. The genome-wide data were filtered using quality control parameters in PLINK 1.9. Only autosomal chromosomes were used for further analysis. The negative off-diagonal variance of the genetic relationship matrix analysis depicted, the variability of samples in each population. FIS (inbreeding rate within a population) values indicated, a low level of inbreeding within populations, and the patterns were in concordance with the results of Nei's genetic distance analysis. The lowest FST (inbreeding rate between populations) values among Korean and Chinese breeds, using a phylogenetic tree, multi-dimensional scaling, and a TreeMix likelihood tree showed Korean breeds are highly related to Chinese breeds. The Korean breeds possessed a unique and large diversity of admixtures compared with other breeds. The highest and lowest effective population sizes were observed in Korean Jindo Black (485) and Korean Donggyeong White (109), respectively. The historical effective population size of all Korean dogs showed declining trend from the past to present. It is important to take immediate action to protect the Korean dog population while conserving their diversity. Furthermore, this study suggests that Korean dogs have unique diversity and are one of the basal lineages of East Asian dogs, originating from China.

Genome-wide analysis of the diversity and ancestry of Korean dogs

PubMed Central

Lee, Doo Ho; Kim, Jong Seok; Oh, Seok Il; Park, Eung Woo; Lee, Cheul Koo; Lee, Seung Hwan

2017-01-01

There are various hypotheses on dog domestication based on archeological and genetic studies. Although many studies have been conducted on the origin of dogs, the existing literature about the ancestry, diversity, and population structure of Korean dogs is sparse. Therefore, this study is focused on the origin, diversity and population structure of Korean dogs. The study sample comprised four major categories, including non-dogs (coyotes and wolves), ancient, modern and Korean dogs. Selected samples were genotyped using an Illumina CanineHD array containing 173,662 single nucleotide polymorphisms. The genome-wide data were filtered using quality control parameters in PLINK 1.9. Only autosomal chromosomes were used for further analysis. The negative off-diagonal variance of the genetic relationship matrix analysis depicted, the variability of samples in each population. FIS (inbreeding rate within a population) values indicated, a low level of inbreeding within populations, and the patterns were in concordance with the results of Nei’s genetic distance analysis. The lowest FST (inbreeding rate between populations) values among Korean and Chinese breeds, using a phylogenetic tree, multi-dimensional scaling, and a TreeMix likelihood tree showed Korean breeds are highly related to Chinese breeds. The Korean breeds possessed a unique and large diversity of admixtures compared with other breeds. The highest and lowest effective population sizes were observed in Korean Jindo Black (485) and Korean Donggyeong White (109), respectively. The historical effective population size of all Korean dogs showed declining trend from the past to present. It is important to take immediate action to protect the Korean dog population while conserving their diversity. Furthermore, this study suggests that Korean dogs have unique diversity and are one of the basal lineages of East Asian dogs, originating from China. PMID:29182674

Ancient Glass: A Literature Search and its Role in Waste Management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Strachan, Denis M.; Pierce, Eric M.

2010-07-01

When developing a performance assessment model for the long-term disposal of immobilized low-activity waste (ILAW) glass, it is desirable to determine the durability of glass forms over very long periods of time. However, testing is limited to short time spans, so experiments are performed under conditions that accelerate the key geochemical processes that control weathering. Verification that models currently being used can reliably calculate the long term behavior ILAW glass is a key component of the overall PA strategy. Therefore, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was contracted by Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC to evaluate alternative strategies that can be usedmore » for PA source term model validation. One viable alternative strategy is the use of independent experimental data from archaeological studies of ancient or natural glass contained in the literature. These results represent a potential independent experiment that date back to approximately 3600 years ago or 1600 before the current era (bce) in the case of ancient glass and 106 years or older in the case of natural glass. The results of this literature review suggest that additional experimental data may be needed before the result from archaeological studies can be used as a tool for model validation of glass weathering and more specifically disposal facility performance. This is largely because none of the existing data set contains all of the information required to conduct PA source term calculations. For example, in many cases the sediments surrounding the glass was not collected and analyzed; therefore having the data required to compare computer simulations of concentration flux is not possible. This type of information is important to understanding the element release profile from the glass to the surrounding environment and provides a metric that can be used to calibrate source term models. Although useful, the available literature sources do not contain the required information needed to simulate the long-term performance of nuclear waste glasses in a near-surface or deep geologic repositories. The information that will be required include 1) experimental measurements to quantify the model parameters, 2) detailed analyses of altered glass samples, and 3) detailed analyses of the sediment surrounding the ancient glass samples.« less

[Cervical necrotizing fasciitis caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae: three cases report and review of literature].

PubMed

Cong, Tiechuan; Liu, Yuhe; Gao, Weihua; Li, Tiancheng; Wang, Quangui; Xiao, Shuifang; Qin, Yong

2013-10-01

To analyze the clinical manifestations of three cases of cervical necrotizing fasciitis caused by klebsiella pneumoniae and to analyze the published articles concerning the relationship between invasive klebsiella syndrome and necrotizing fasciitis in Chinese Mainland. We have retrospectively analyzed three cases of cervical necrotizing fasciitis caused by klebsiella pneumoniae treated in our department between 2003 and 2012. We also reviewed the Chinese-language scientific literature included in the WanFang data by searching with the following key words: necrotizing fasciitis, klebsiella pneumoniae and liver abscess. These patients recovered uneventfully without obvious complications or disseminated infection foci. Sporadic cases of invasive klebsiella syndrome were reported without necrotizing fasciitis involvement in Chinese Mainland. Cervical necrotizing fasciitis caused by klebsiella pneumoniae may give rise to disseminated infection but there has been no such case report in Chinese Mainland.

The Application of the Chinese Sense of "Balance" to Agreements Signed between Chinese and Foreign Institutions in the Chinese Higher Education Sector: Adding Depth to a Popular Cultural Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willis, Mike

2004-01-01

The Chinese sense of "balance" has been widely researched in the literature from several perspectives including culture (where it has been traced back to Confucian, neo-Confucian and Taoist roots), and business and market entry (where it has been linked to issues such as the development of trust, relationship building, and guanxi between…

Nanoindentation and the micromechanics of Van Gogh oil paints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvant, Johanna; Barthel, Etienne; Menu, Michel

2011-08-01

Understanding the mechanical properties of ancient paintings is a major issue for conservation and restoration. One strategy is to measure the mechanical properties of reconstructed paints: however, the aging process is poorly known, so it is also desirable to measure mechanical properties directly on ancient paint samples. Using nanoindentation, we have characterized submillimetric samples recovered from restoration of two Van Gogh paintings and compared the results with reconstructed paint samples. We demonstrate that the reduced modulus and hardness of historical paints can be measured at a very local scale, even differentiating between each paint layer. Our reconstructed paint samples exhibit elastic moduli comparable to values of the literature, but the values measured on the two 19th century paint samples are found to be significantly larger. Similarly, the compositional dependence of the elastic modulus is consistent with literature results for our reconstructed samples while our preliminary results for ancient samples do not readily fall into the same pattern. These results all point out to a significant impact of long term aging, in a manner which is difficult to predict in our present state of understanding. They demonstrate that nanoindentation is a very adequate tool to improve our knowledge of art paint mechanics and aging.

Language Anxiety: Experiences of Chinese Graduate Students at U.S. Higher Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Rui; Erben, Antony

2012-01-01

It is very common for Chinese graduate students to experience language anxiety in the U.S. higher institutions, yet the literature on this topic is limited. This research study focused on the influence of the length of stay in U.S. higher institutions, various programs, gender, and acculturation process on Chinese graduate students' language…

The Successors to Confucianism or a New Generation? A Questionnaire Study on Chinese Students' Culture of Learning English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shi, Lijing

2006-01-01

With an increasing number of Chinese learners pursuing higher education in Western universities, the characteristics of Chinese students have raised many discussions and debates (e.g. Carson, 1992; Watkins & Biggs, 2001). Two contradictory views are commonly reflected in the existing literature: being passive, quiet, submissive, or disciplined…

The Effect of Radical-Based Grouping in Character Learning in Chinese as a Foreign Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Yi; Chang, Li-Yun; Perfetti, Charles A.

2014-01-01

The logographic nature of the Chinese writing system creates a huge hurdle for Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) learners. Existing literature (e.g., Shen, [Shen, H. H., 2010]; Taft & Chung, [Taft, M., 1999]) suggests that radical knowledge facilitates character learning. In this project, we selected 48 compound characters in eight radical…

Review on "BBS Are Our Kids Tough Enough: Chinese Schools" Based on History, Literature and Personal Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhao, Yiran

2015-01-01

The aim behind this article is to clear up some misunderstandings about British and Chinese education approaches in the popular BBC documentary "Are our kids tough enough: Chinese Schools". The article evaluates the differences in academic performance, class disciplines and education values of two education practices that have caused…

Rethinking Lifelong Learning through Online Distance Learning in Chinese Educational Policies, Practices and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Min

2008-01-01

This paper offers a critique of the Chinese philosophy of online distance learning as a means of building a lifelong learning society. Literature about lifelong learning and its implications for online distance learning is reviewed. Documents, reports and research papers are examined to explore the characteristics of the Chinese philosophy of…

A Chinese Learner and Her Self-Regulated Learning: An Autoethnography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heng, Jiang

2015-01-01

In this paper, I use an autoethnographical approach, coupled with existing research literature on Chinese learners and learning, to reflect upon my own experiences as a junior high school student in order to explore how Chinese students perceive their learning, and how they establish and justify their own sense of self-regulation in learning. It…

Conceptual issues behind the Chinese translations of the term 'Bipolar Disorder'.

PubMed

Leung, Chi-Ming; Ungvari, Gabor S; Xiang, Yu-Tao

2016-12-01

The paper examines the problems of the existing nomenclature in Chinese psychiatry with special reference to the Chinese translation of bipolar disorder in the context of stigma of mental illness in the Chinese culture. The development of the concept of bipolar disorder is reviewed, followed by a critical examination of the accuracy and validity of the current translation of bipolar disorder in the Chinese psychiatric literature. A new translation is suggested with consideration for literal accuracy and social acceptance. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

[Monsters of Phlegon--hermaphrodites, sex-changers and other strange beings in Phlegon's marvellous stories].

PubMed

Pataricza, Dóra

2010-01-01

The 1st-2nd century greek writer, Phlegon was a representative of the genre "paradoxography". In his book entitled Peri thaumasion (Book of wonders) he collected 35 extraordinary stories among which he described hermaphrodites, sex-changers and strange births. Phlegon's stories are only a part of the more than 79 ancient writings from Greek and Roman literature that describe children born with congenital defects. The article discusses the aspects of hermaphroditism in ancient times as well as ancient teratology. These stories might have had a core of truth. Although it is extremely difficult to identify a single potential cause for it, already ancient writers tried to give an explanation. With the help of modern teratology sciences many teratogenous causes can be partly identified. A part of the most probable factors among these were the same as today: malnutrition, viruses, alcohol, vitamin deficiencies etc., but lead poisoning has also be taken into account as a principal cause.

The Amazing Labyrinth: An Ancient-Modern Humanities Unit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ladensack, Carl

1973-01-01

The image of the labyrinth from mythology can find modern day parallelisms in architecture, art, music, and literature--all of which contributes to a humanities unit combining the old with the new. (MM)

Discovering Astronomy Through Poetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mannone, John C.

2011-05-01

The literature is replete with astronomical references. And much of that literature is poetry. Using this fact, not only can the teacher infuse a new appreciation of astronomy, but also, the student has the opportunity to rediscover history through astronomy. Poetry can be an effective icebreaker in the introduction of new topics in physics and astronomy, as well as a point of conclusion to a lecture. This presentation will give examples of these things from the ancient literature (sacred Hebraic texts), classical literature (Homer's Iliad and Odyssey), traditional poetry (Longfellow, Tennyson and Poe) and modern literature (Frost, Kooser, and others, including the contemporary work of this author).

Speech pathology in ancient India--a review of Sanskrit literature.

PubMed

Savithri, S R

1987-12-01

This paper aims at highlighting the knowledge of the Sanskrit scholars of ancient times in the field of speech and language pathology. The information collected here is mainly from the Sanskrit texts written between 2000 B.C. and 1633 A.D. Some aspects of speech and language that have been dealt with in this review have been elaborately described in the original Sanskrit texts. The present paper, however, being limited in its scope, reviews only the essential facts, but not the details. The purpose is only to give a glimpse of the knowledge that the Sanskrit scholars of those times possessed. In brief, this paper is a review of Sanskrit literature for information on the origin and development of speech and language, speech production, normality of speech and language, and disorders of speech and language and their treatment.

From "Kidneys Govern Bones" to Chronic Kidney Disease, Diabetes Mellitus, and Metabolic Bone Disorder: A Crosstalk between Traditional Chinese Medicine and Modern Science.

PubMed

Wang, Xiao-Qin; Zou, Xin-Rong; Zhang, Yuan Clare

2016-01-01

Although traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine have evolved on distinct philosophical foundations and reasoning methods, an increasing body of scientific data has begun to reveal commonalities. Emerging scientific evidence has confirmed the validity and identified the molecular mechanisms of many ancient TCM theories. One example is the concept of "Kidneys Govern Bones." Here we discuss the molecular mechanisms supporting this theory and its potential significance in treating complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes mellitus. Two signaling pathways essential for calcium-phosphate metabolism can mediate the effect of kidneys in bone homeostasis, one requiring renal production of bioactive vitamin D and the other involving an endocrine axis based on kidney-expressed Klotho and bone-secreted fibroblast growth factor 23. Disruption of either pathway can lead to calcium-phosphate imbalance and vascular calcification, accelerating metabolic bone disorder. Chinese herbal medicine is an adjunct therapy widely used for treating CKD and diabetes. Our results demonstrate the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of a Chinese herbal formulation, Shen-An extracts, in diabetic nephropathy and renal osteodystrophy. We believe that the smart combination of Eastern and Western concepts holds great promise for inspiring new ideas and therapies for preventing and treating complications of CKD and diabetes.

A report on the medieval mining and ore processing complex: Zilan valley, Van, Turkey.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ateş, Yusuf; Kılıη, Sinan

Literature has records of the use of obsidian that shows the existence of a knowledge base on raw material resources around Lake Van extending to very ancient times. Against this background, very little information can be obtained from literature about accurate location of historical mining activities in the region today. An ancient mining and processing complex, located northwest of the city of Van (Turkey) has been discovered by chance in 2007. The purpose of this article is to describe this historical mining area. The site contains mining structures such as shafts and galleries, and heaves of stone chips indicating some ore enrichment activities taking place there. The XRD and chemical analyses show the samples taken from the ore vein are rich in Manganese (Mn) and Barium (Ba), and it is concluded that the Zilan Valley Mining and Processing Complex was for Pyrolusite (MnO2), Barium or both. The site is being described for the first time in the literature and offers an opportunity to fulfill the gap in literature regarding mining history. The discovery and the description of the site would also have implications in a wide multidisciplinary scientific community, including metallurgy, archeology, and world heritage.

[Textual criticized and collated on names and breeds of Tibetan medicine "Dida"].

PubMed

Zhong, Guoyue; Gu, Rui; Zhou, Huarong; Whang, Changhua; Zhao, Jifeng; Liu, Xiang; Zeweng, Yongzhong; Qin, Songyun

2009-12-01

Integrating textual criticism literatures with field survey, the name, classification and botanical originals of breeds of Tibetan medicine "Dida" were discussed in this paper. The results showed that it's very intricate and confusion in the names, breeds and botanical originals of "Dida", and those were the key restricting factors resulting in shortfall and difficult formulation in quality standard of "Dida". The similar situations are existing universally in ethnodrugs, and reflecting the necessity and urgency to collate ethnodrug breeds. On the other hand, Because of the morphologic description on the botanical origins of drug was often simple in the ancient literatures, and in most cases, the botanical origins of the drug were difficult to identify accurately on the basis of the literatures. So, in the collating the breeds, it's necessary to follow the principle of "according to the ancient literatures but no rigidly", and to pay attention to the historical vicissitude of the drug breeds and origins, and the survey of present resources and clinical using, draw actively on outcome of chemical and biological active researches. That inherited the characteristics and advantages of ethnodrugs, and promoted them them modernization.

The embryo in ancient Rabbinic literature: between religious law and didactic narratives. An interpretive essay.

PubMed

Lepicard, Etienne

2010-01-01

At a time when bioethical issues are at the top of public and political agendas, there is a renewed interest in representations of the embryo in various religious traditions. One of the major traditions that has contributed to Western representations of the embryo is the Jewish tradition. This tradition poses some difficulties that may deter scholars, but also presents some invaluable advantages. These derive from two components, the search for limits and narrativity, both of which are directly connected with the manner in which Jewish tradition was constructed in Antiquity. The article accomplishes three goals: To introduce some central elements in ancient Rabbinic literature on the subject of the embryo and its representation; To present this body of literature as clearly as possible, noting some of the difficulties encountered by scholars who engage in its study; To explain how the literature's textuality came about, examining the particular sociopolitical circumstances of Judaism at that time, including the reasons for the delay in the production of scientific texts, transmitted as such, as compared to other philosophical or religious traditions. The article claims that these circumstances engendered a tradition peculiarly relevant for the study and teaching of medical ethics today.

The nose between ethics and aesthetics: Sushruta's legacy.

PubMed

Sorta-Bilajac, Iva; Muzur, Amir

2007-11-01

The aim of this article is to determine the origin of interest in rhinoplasty in ancient India, as well as to discuss the ethical and aesthetic implications of the nose in human history. Literature review. Articles on history of medical ethics and rhinoplastic surgery were reviewed. Sushruta is considered "the father of plastic surgery," and ancient India a cradle of rhinoplastic method called "the Indian method." Origin of interest in and need for rhinoplasty is deeply rooted in ancient Indian society due to the practice of nose mutilations as a form of public punishment for immoral conduct. The nose, once symbol of morality expressed through physical integrity, today becomes an important factor of human beauty. Rhinoplastic surgery is, both then and now, deeply pervaded with both ethics and aesthetics.

[Ginseng prescription rules and molecular mechanism in treating coronary heart disease based on data mining and integrative pharmacology].

PubMed

Li, Sen; Tang, Shi-Huan; Liu, Jin-Ling; Su, Jin; He, Fu-Yuan

2018-04-01

The ancient dragon Materia Medica, Compendium of Materia Medica and other works recorded that the main effect of ginseng is tonifying qi. It is reported that the main active ingredient of ginseng is ginsenoside. Modern studies have found that ginseng mono saponins are effective for cardiovascular related diseases. This paper preliminary clarified the efficacy of traditional ginseng-nourishing qi and cardiovascular disease through the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) inheritance auxiliary platform and integration platform of association of pharmacology. With the help of TCM inheritance auxiliary platform-analysis of "Chinese medicine database", Chinese medicine treatment of modern diseases that ginseng rules, so the traditional effect associated with modern medicine and pharmacology; application integration platform enrichment analysis on the target of drug and gene function, metabolic pathway, to further explore the molecular mechanism of ginseng in the treatment of coronary heart disease, aimed at mining the molecular mechanism of ginseng in the treatment of coronary heart disease. Chinese medicine containing ginseng 307 prescriptions, 87 kinds of disease indications, western medicine disease Chinese medicine therapy for ginseng main coronary heart disease; analysis of molecular mechanism of ginseng pharmacology integration platform for the treatment of coronary heart disease. Ginsenosides（Ra₁, Ra₂, Rb₁, Rb₂, Rg₁, Ro) bind these targets, PRKAA1, PRKAA2, NDUFA4, COX5B, UQCRC1, affect chemokines, non-alcoholic fatty liver, gonadotropin, carbon metabolism, glucose metabolism and other pathways to treat coronary heart disease indirectly. The molecular mechanism of Panax ginseng's multi-component, multi-target and synergistic action is preliminarily elucidated in this paper. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

[Present situation and prospects of special fertilizer for traditional Chinese medicine herbs].

PubMed

Yan, Zhang; Liu, Yong; Wang, Ji-Yong; Wang, Wen-Quan

2004-08-01

To find out the present situation and the development trend special fertilizer of the traditional Chinese medicina plants. By consulting a great deal of literatures on special fertilizer and fertilization on traditional Chinese medicine herbs, and based on the scientific research and manufacture experience of the author, and the theoretic actuality of the researches on the fertilization of traditional Chinese medicine herbs, the present study of the special fertilizer inside and outside of our country was analyzed. The view points of developing special fertilizer for Chinese traditional medicine were put forward, and the development trend of special fertilizer for traditional Chinese medicine herbs was forecasted.

Antecedents of Chinese Parents' Autonomy Support and Psychological Control: The Interplay between Parents' Self-Development Socialization Goals and Adolescents' School Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Qian; Chan, Hoi-Wing; Lin, Li

2012-01-01

Despite ample evidence for the benefits of parental autonomy support and the harms of parental psychological control to Chinese adolescents' well-being, little is known about what foreshadows these parenting behaviors among Chinese parents. The current research addressed this gap in the literature. It tested the hypothesis that parents'…

The Role of Emotionality in Teacher Change: The Case of Chinese Language Teachers in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loh, Elizabeth K. Y.; Tam, Loretta C. W.

2017-01-01

Over the past decade, Chinese language teachers in Hong Kong have experienced a series of educational reforms. They are now expected to design and implement their own school-based Chinese language curriculum, and adopt innovative pedagogies and customized materials in the classroom. The current literature suggests that some teachers are not ready…

Older Chinese Immigrants' Relationships With Their Children: A Literature Review From a Solidarity-Conflict Perspective.

PubMed

Lin, Xiaoping; Bryant, Christina; Boldero, Jennifer; Dow, Briony

2015-12-01

Older Chinese immigrants are one of the largest and fastest growing groups in Western societies. This article used the solidarity-conflict model to synthesize current research examining parent-child relationships in this group. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the CINAHL, Medline, and PubMed databases to identify relevant articles. A narrative approach was used to review the literature. Thirty-six articles were identified. Compared with Caucasians, older Chinese immigrants are more likely to live with children and have higher filial expectations. However, considerable numbers live independently. Of these, most live in public housing and rely on the community rather than their children for instrumental help. Many older Chinese immigrants have adjusted their filial expectations and valued being independent. They also provide extensive household help to their children. There are indications of intergenerational conflict, probably due to generational differences in attitudes toward life and limited intergenerational contact. This review suggests that although filial piety continues to influence older parent-child relationship in Chinese immigrant families, many changes have occurred. These findings have important implications for service planning and delivery for this cultural group. This review also provides evidence for the utility of the solidarity-conflict model. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Imbalanced network biomarkers for traditional Chinese medicine Syndrome in gastritis patients.

PubMed

Li, Rui; Ma, Tao; Gu, Jin; Liang, Xujun; Li, Shao

2013-01-01

Cold Syndrome and Hot Syndrome are thousand-year-old key therapeutic concepts in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which depict the loss of body homeostasis. However, the scientific basis of TCM Syndrome remains unclear due to limitations of current reductionist approaches. Here, we established a network balance model to evaluate the imbalanced network underlying TCM Syndrome and find potential biomarkers. By implementing this approach and investigating a group of chronic superficial gastritis (CSG) and chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) patients, we found that with leptin as a biomarker, Cold Syndrome patients experience low levels of energy metabolism, while the CCL2/MCP1 biomarker indicated that immune regulation is intensified in Hot Syndrome patients. Such a metabolism-immune imbalanced network is consistent during the course from CSG to CAG. This work provides a new way to understand TCM Syndrome scientifically, which in turn benefits the personalized medicine in terms of the ancient medicine and complex biological systems.

Breast-conserving therapy for early-stage breast cancer in Chinese women: a meta-analysis of case-control studies.

PubMed

Cai, Xiaopeng; Liu, Xu; Yu, Haitao; Li, Jiguang; Zheng, Xinyu

2012-01-01

Breast cancer has a high incidence worldwide, while Chinese patients have some special characteristics compared to Western patients. A meta-analysis was carried out to determine the effectiveness of breast-conserving therapy (BCT) or mastectomy therapy (MT) for early-stage breast cancers in Chinese women. A fully recursive literature search was conducted in the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. Case-control trials were considered for inclusion. Analyses were carried out using the Review Manager software (RevMan, version 5.0). The meta-analysis showed that the 3-year or 5-year overall survival, the locoregional recurrence rate, and the metastasis rate were not statistically different between the BCT group and the MT group, but the complication recurrence rate increased in the MT group. Subgroup analysis indicated that no significant differences were observed in the affected limb swelling recurrence rate between the BCT group and the MT group. BCT was the better choice than MT for Chinese women with early-stage breast cancer. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

[Historical investigation of dentifrice in China].

PubMed

Kubo, M; Song, Q; Tang, F

2001-01-01

A herbal literature survey was carried out on data concerning historical pharmacognostical changes of "dentifrice" in China and how diseases of the teeth and gums had been treated there in ancient times. It had been considered to be a matter of utmost importance that to prevent teeth from decaying, only the brushing of teeth with a toothbrush was necessary. Over time, various tooth agents have been found to treat oral diseases the teeth and gums. Glycyrrhizae Radix, Ginseng Radix, Scutellariae Radix, Menthae Herbal, and salt were widely used materials. Investigations from all approaches are being carried out to develop remedies for oral diseases, including Kampo medicine and the pharmacological effects of numerous crude drugs. When tracing the pharmacognostical changes of dentifrice in ancient China, we felt wonder at and admiration for the abundance of clinical experiences described in the old herbal and medical literature we researched.

[Spread of Chinese variolation art to the western world and its influence].

PubMed

Xie, S; Zhang, D

2000-07-01

Smallpox inoculation or variolation is a great invention of medicine in ancient China. In this paper, we introduced the process of spread of smallpox inoculation technique from China to western world (mainly to England), and reviewed the royal experiment of smallpox inoculation on human being and its influence on the prevention of smallpox in western countries. The spread and practice of smallpox inoculation in western world was an important event in the history of intercommunication between eastern and western medicines, which is worth emphasizing and further studying.

Creation of the universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Li Zhi; Li, Shu Xian

Philosophical aspects of current cosmological theories are explored in an introduction for general readers. Chapters are devoted to the physical implications of an ancient Chinese story, expansion without a center, the age of the universe, the finiteness or infiniteness of space, visible and invisible matter, the birth of order from chaos, and the thermal history of the universe. Consideration is given to the synthesis of elements, the origin of asymmetry, the inflation of vacuum, the physics of the first move, and the anthropic principle and physical constants. Diagrams and drawings are provided.

A comprehensive search for sunspots without the aid of a telescope, 1981-1982

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mossman, J. E.

1989-03-01

Results are presented from a daily sunspot survey conducted in Crosby, UK between February 1, 1981 and Febrary 28, 1982. It is found that spots or spot groups as small as 0.4 arcmin can be detected without the aid of a telescope. A total of 278 spots or spot groups corresponding to 72 long-lived active regions were observed. It is shown that periods of high sunspot activity are visible to the naked eye, suggesting that ancient Chinese observations of solar activity might be accurate.

Observation of Celestial Phenomena in Ancient China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Xiaochun

Because of the need for calendar-making and portent astrology, the Chinese were diligent and meticulous observers of celestial phenomena. China has maintained the longest continuous historical records of celestial phenomena in the world. Extraordinary or abnormal celestial events were particularly noted because of their astrological significance. The historical records cover various types of celestial phenomena, which include solar and lunar eclipses, sunspots, "guest stars" (novae or supernovae as we understand today), comets and meteors, and all kinds of planetary phenomena. These records provide valuable historical data for astronomical studies today.

A Brief Analysis on the Redesign of Traditional Cave Dwellings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xuanchen; Feng, Xinqun

2018-05-01

Cave dwelling, the treasure of ancient architecture, is the unique product of Chinese Loess Plateau. However, recently due to the continuous development of social economy and industrial civilization, traditional cave dwelling in our country has represented the backwardness and poverty of the country, and it had been gradually abandoned in the history. In order to effectively avoid this phenomenon and protect the traditional cave dwelling to the greatest extent. This paper makes relevant introduction about traditional cave dwelling, and meanwhile, the redesign of traditional cave dwelling houses has also been studied in detail.

A Bowl of Rice Too Far: The Burma Campaign of the Japanese Fifteen Army

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-26

subordinates. ― Sun Tzu , The Art of War “In the rain, with no place to sit, we took short spells of sleep standing on our feet. The bodies of our comrades...concepts from an Eastern military theorist. Sun Tzu , the ancient Chinese general, shares the common cultural background of Taoism with the Japanese. 39...T. Ames, “Introduction,” Sun - Tzu The Art of Warfare (New York: Ballantine Books, 1993), 3-4. 40 Sun Tzu , The Art of Warfare, 73-74, 93. 41 Edward J

[Social network analysis of traditional Chinese medicine on treatment of constipation].

PubMed

Du, Li-Dong; Tian, Jin-Hui; Wu, Guo-Tai; Niu, Ting-Hui; Chen, Zhen-He; Ren, Yuan

2017-01-01

The methods of literature metrology and data mining were used to study the research topics and social network analysis of traditional Chinese medicine for constipation. The major Chinese databases were searched to include the research studies of traditional Chinese medicine for constipation. BICOMS analysis software was used to extract and collect the main information and produce co-occurrence Matrix; gCLUTO software was used for cluster analysis. Data analysis was conducted by using SPSS 19.0 software. The results showed that the number of studies on traditional Chinese medicine for constipation was constantly increased, with two literature volume peaks respectively in 2003 and 2006. Related studies have been published in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities have published, but the studies in developed areas were more than those in developing areas. There was little cooperation between research institutions and the authors, especially the cooperation between different areas. At present, the research field of Chinese medicine for constipation is divided into five research topics. In terms of specific traditional Chinese medicine, angelica sinensis is in the core position. The results showed regional imbalance in the number of studies on Chinese medicine treatment for constipation, as well as little cooperation between researchers and research institutions. The research topics mainly focused on the evaluation of clinical efficacy, but the research on optimizing the prescriptions was still not enough, so the future researchers shall pay more attention to the studies of constipation prescriptions with Angelica sinensis as the core herb. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

[Risk control of traditional Chinese medicines containing aristolochis acids (AAs) based on influencing factors of content of AAs].

PubMed

Tian, Jing-Zhuo; Liang, Ai-Hua; Liu, Jing; Zhang, Bo-Li

2017-12-01

Aristolochic acids (AAs) widely exist in such plants as Aristolochia and Asarum. The renal toxicity of AAs as well as its carcinogenicity to urinary system have been widely known. In 2003 and 2004, China prohibited the use of Aristolochiae Radix, Aristolochiae Manshuriensis Caulis and Aristolochiae Fangchi Radix, and required administering other AAs-containing medicines in accordance with the regulations for prescription drugs. In this paper, we retrieved literatures on the content determination of AAs in recent 10 years in China. It suggested that the AAs content is lower in Asarum herb, especially in its roots and rhizomes, and most of which do not show detectable amount of AA-I. Some of traditional Chinese medicines show fairly small amount of detectable AA-I. The AAs content in Aristolochia herb (including Fructus Aristolochiae, kaempfer dutchmanspipe root) is relatively high; however, there are fewer literatures for studying the content determination of AAs in Chinese patent medicines. There were many factors affecting AAs content, including the parts used, origins, processing methods, extraction process. It suggested that we should pay attention to the toxicity of Chinese medicines containing AAs and use these decoction pieces and traditional Chinese medicines cautiously. In addition, basic studies for the origins, processing methods and extraction process of Chinese patent medicines containing AAs, as well as supervision and detection of AAs content in traditional Chinese medicinal materials, decoction pieces and Chinese patent medicines shall be strengthened for reducing medication risk and guaranteeing clinical medication safety. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

History of Smallpox and Its Spread in Human Populations.

PubMed

Thèves, Catherine; Crubézy, Eric; Biagini, Philippe

2016-08-01

Smallpox is considered among the most devastating of human diseases. Its spread in populations, initiated for thousands of years following a probable transmission from an animal host, was concomitant with movements of people across regions and continents, trade and wars. Literature permitted to retrace the occurrence of epidemics from ancient times to recent human history, smallpox having affected all levels of past society including famous monarchs. The disease was officially declared eradicated in 1979 following intensive vaccination campaigns.Paleomicrobiology dedicated to variola virus is restricted to few studies, most unsuccessful, involving ancient material. Only one recent approach allowed the identification of viral DNA fragments from lung tissue of a 300-year-old body excavated from permafrost in Eastern Siberia; phylogenetic analysis revealed that this ancient strain was distinct from those described during the 20th century.

Polyherbal formulation: Concept of ayurveda

PubMed Central

Parasuraman, Subramani; Thing, Gan Siaw; Dhanaraj, Sokkalingam Arumugam

2014-01-01

Ayurveda is one of the traditional medicinal systems of Indian. The philosophy behind Ayurveda is preventing unnecessary suffering and living a long healthy life. Ayurveda involves the use of natural elements to eliminate the root cause of the disease by restoring balance, at the same time create a healthy life-style to prevent the recurrence of imbalance. Herbal medicines have existed world-wide with long recorded history and they were used in ancient Chinese, Greek, Egyptian and Indian medicine for various therapies purposes. World Health Organization estimated that 80% of the word's inhabitants still rely mainly on traditional medicines for their health care. The subcontinent of India is well-known to be one of the major biodiversity centers with about 45,000 plant species. In India, about 15,000 medicinal plants have been recorded, in which the communities used 7,000-7,500 plants for curing different diseases. In Ayurveda, single or multiple herbs (polyherbal) are used for the treatment. The Ayurvedic literature Sarangdhar Samhita’ highlighted the concept of polyherbalism to achieve greater therapeutic efficacy. The active phytochemical constituents of individual plants are insufficient to achieve the desirable therapeutic effects. When combining the multiple herbs in a particular ratio, it will give a better therapeutic effect and reduce the toxicity. This review mainly focuses on important of the polyherbalism and its clinical significance. PMID:25125878

Comparison of the conceptualization of wisdom in ancient Indian literature with modern views: focus on the Bhagavad Gita.

PubMed

Jeste, Dilip V; Vahia, Ipsit V

2008-01-01

The study of wisdom has recently become a subject of growing scientific interest, although the concept of wisdom is ancient. This article focuses on conceptualization of wisdom in the Bhagavad Gita, arguably the most influential of all ancient Hindu philosophical/religious texts. Our review, using mixed qualitative/quantitative methodology with the help of Textalyser and NVivo software, found the following components to be associated with the concept of wisdom in the Gita: Knowledge of life, Emotional Regulation, Control over Desires, Decisiveness, Love of God, Duty and Work, Self-Contentedness, Compassion/Sacrifice, Insight/Humility, and Yoga (Integration of Personality). A comparison of the conceptualization of wisdom in the Gita with that in modern scientific literature shows several similarities, such as rich knowledge about life, emotional regulation, insight, and a focus on common good (compassion). Apparent differences include an emphasis on control over desires and renunciation of materialistic pleasures. Importantly, the Gita suggests that at least certain components of wisdom can be taught and learned. We believe that the concepts of wisdom in the Gita are relevant to modern psychiatry in helping develop psychotherapeutic interventions that could be more individualistic and more holistic than those commonly practiced today, and they aim at improving personal well-being rather than just psychiatric symptoms.

Searching the seat of the soul in Ancient Greek and Byzantine medical literature.

PubMed

Lykouras, Eleftherios; Poulakou-Rebelakou, Effie; Ploumpidis, Demetrios N

2010-12-01

The objective of this paper was to examine the ancient and medieval concepts about the seat of the mental functions, as exposed in Greek texts from Antiquity to Byzantine times. The review of the philosophical and medical literature from the original ancient Greek language from the Homeric epics to the Holy Fathers of Christianity, as the problem of the seat of the soul remained without a certain answer through the centuries. Primitive concepts attributed great significance to the soul and dictated cannibal behaviours for the possession and eating of the defeated enemy's heart. Mental functions, such as thinking, feeling and mainly those related to affective manifestations, were attributed to the heart and to some other internal organs (liver, diaphragm) from the times of Greek mythology. Philosophy and empirical medicine had underestimated the brain probably because it is a 'silent' organ, contrary to the palpitating heart, with its obvious participations in the emotional reactions. The role of the brain as the mental organ and the seat of emotions has been gradually recognized. The permanent question of the seat of the soul had been for many centuries a critical dispute and the contribution of Greek philosophical and medical thought was decisive for the contemporary transformation of the whole concept.

Comparison of the Conceptualization of Wisdom in Ancient Indian Literature with Modern Views

PubMed Central

Jeste, Dilip V.; Vahia, Ipsit V.

2008-01-01

The study of wisdom has recently become a subject of growing scientific interest, although the concept of wisdom is ancient. This article focuses on conceptualization of wisdom in the Bhagavad Gita, arguably the most influential of all ancient Hindu philosophical/religious texts. Our review, using mixed qualitative/quantitative methodology with the help of Textalyser and NVivo software, found the following components to be associated with the concept of wisdom in the Gita: Knowledge of life, Emotional Regulation, Control over Desires, Decisiveness, Love of God, Duty and Work, Self-Contentedness, Compassion/Sacrifice, Insight/Humility, and Yoga (Integration of personality). A comparison of the conceptualization of wisdom in the Gita with that in modern scientific literature shows several similarities, such as rich knowledge about life, emotional regulation, insight, and a focus on common good (compassion). Apparent differences include an emphasis in the Gita on control over desires and renunciation of materialistic pleasures. Importantly, the Gita suggests that at least certain components of wisdom can be taught and learned. We believe that the concepts of wisdom in the Gita are relevant to modern psychiatry in helping develop psychotherapeutic interventions that could be more individualistic and more holistic than those commonly practiced today, and aimed at improving personal well-being rather than just psychiatric symptoms. PMID:18834271

Adverse drug reactions and adverse events of 33 varieties of traditional Chinese medicine injections on National Essential medicines List (2004 edition) of China: an overview on published literatures.

PubMed

Wang, Li; Yuan, Qiang; Marshall, Gareth; Cui, Xiaohua; Cheng, Lan; Li, Yuanyuan; Shang, Hongcai; Zhang, Boli; Li, Youping

2010-05-01

We conducted a literature review on adverse drug reactions (ADRs) related to 33 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine injections (CMIs) on China's National Essential medicines List (2004 edition). We aimed to retrieve basic ADR information, identify trends related to CMIs, and provide evidence for the research, development, and application of CMIs. We electronically searched the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM, January 1978-April 2009), the China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI, January 1979-April 2009), the Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (January 1989-April 2009) and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Database (January 1984-April 2009). We used the terms of 'adverse drug reaction', 'adverse event', 'side effects', 'side reaction', 'toxicity', and 'Chinese medicine injections', as well as the names of the 33 CMIs to search. We also collected CMI-related ADR reports and regulations from the Chinese Food and Drug Administration's 'Newsletter of Adverse Drug Reactions' (Issue 1 to 22). Then we descriptively analyzed all the articles by year published, periodical, and study design. We also analyzed regulations relevants to ADRs. (1) We found 5405 relevant citations, of which 1010 studies met the eligibility criteria. (2) The rate of publishing of research articles on CMI-linked ADRs has risen over time. (3) The included 1010 articles were scattered among 297 periodicals. Of these, 55 journals on pharmaceutical medicine accounted for 39.5% of the total (399/1010); the 64 journals on traditional Chinese medicine, accounted for only 19.5% (197/1010). Only 22 periodicals with relevant articles were included on the core journals of the Beijing University List (2008 edition); these published 129 articles (12.8% of the included articles). (4) The relevant articles consisted of 348 case reports (34.5%), 254 case series (25.2%), 119 reviews (11.8%), 116 randomized controlled trials (11.5%), 78 cross-sectional studies (7.7%), 61 literature analyses of ADR (6.0%), and 28 non-randomized controlled clinical studies (2.8%). (5) Three journals, Adverse Drug Reactions Journal, China Medical Herald, and Chinese Pharmaceuticals, together published 12.3% of the included literature. (6) The most commonly-reported CMI-related ADRs were to Shuanghuanglian, Qingkailing, and Yuxingcao injections, each of which had ADRs mentioned in more than 200 articles. Four of the five CMIs with the most ADR reports (Shuanghuanglian, Ciwujia, Yuxingcao, and Yinzhihuang injections) had been suspended use or sale in the market. (1) Articles published on CMI-related ADRs increased over time, but overall the research is of low quality and is scattered through a large number of sources. (2) Four CMIs (Shuanghuanglian, Ciwujia, Yuxingcao, and Yinzhihuang injections) had been suspended for clinical use or sale. (3) There is an urgent need for a clear standard to grade ADRs of CMIs in order to better risk manage. (4) It is necessary to continually re-evaluate the safety of CMIs and to promote rational use of CMIs. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd and Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University.

[Standardization of names in prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicines].

PubMed

Li, Chao-Feng; Zhang, Yu-Jun; Fan, Dong-He; Zhang, Meng-Jie; Bai, Xue; Yang, Wen-Hua; Qi, Shu-Ya; Zhang, Zhi-Jie; Xue, Chun-Miao; Mao, Liu-Ying; Cao, Jun-Ling

2017-01-01

Chinese medicine prescriptions are a type of medical documents written by doctors after they understand the patients' conditions for syndrome differentiation. Chinese medicine prescriptions are also the basis for pharmacy personnel to dispense medicines and guide patients to use drugs. It has the legal, technical and economic significances. Chinese medicine prescriptions contain such information of names, quantity and usage. Whether the names of drugs in Chinese medicine prescriptions are standardized or not is directly related to the safety and efficacy of the drugs. At present, nonstandard clinical prescriptions are frequently seen. With "Chinese medicine prescription", "names of drug in Chinese medicine prescription" and "standards of Chinese medicine prescription" as key words, the author searched CNKI, Wanfang and other databases, and consulted nearly 100 literatures, so as to summarize current names of drugs in traditional Chinese medicine prescription, analyze the reasons, and give suggestions, in the expectation of standardizing the names of drugs used in traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Characteristics of Chinese-English bilingual dyslexia in right occipito-temporal lesion.

PubMed

Ting, Simon Kang Seng; Chia, Pei Shi; Chan, Yiong Huak; Kwek, Kevin Jun Hong; Tan, Wilnard; Hameed, Shahul; Tan, Eng-King

2017-11-01

Current literature suggests that right hemisphere lesions produce predominant spatial-related dyslexic error in English speakers. However, little is known regarding such lesions in Chinese speakers. In this paper, we describe the dyslexic characteristics of a Chinese-English bilingual patient with a right posterior cortical lesion. He was found to have profound spatial-related errors during his English word reading, in both real and non-words. During Chinese word reading, there was significantly less error compared to English, probably due to the ideographic nature of the Chinese language. He was also found to commit phonological-like visual errors in English, characterized by error responses that were visually similar to the actual word. There was no significant difference in visual errors during English word reading compared with Chinese. In general, our patient's performance in both languages appears to be consistent with the current literature on right posterior hemisphere lesions. Additionally, his performance also likely suggests that the right posterior cortical region participates in the visual analysis of orthographical word representation, both in ideographical and alphabetic languages, at least from a bilingual perspective. Future studies should further examine the role of the right posterior region in initial visual analysis of both languages. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Patented technology status quo and development trend for Chinese herbal medicines].

PubMed

Li, Chang; Huang, Luqi

2009-06-01

Patent technology is regarded as technological trends under the market economy condition. The case showed the information form patent literature can be widely used in technology or economy. In this study, we analyzed the patent technology status quo and development trend for Chinese herbal medicines based on China patent database. The patent technology status quo is divided from the technology of biotechnology, quality control, cultivation and herb processing on Chinese herbal medicines. Furthermore, some recommendations of technology development and advices on patent protection for Chinese herbal medicines were suggested.

[Diseases in the metaphor of Persius].

PubMed

Gazzaniga, V

1990-01-01

Medical metaphora is quite widespread in ancient literature; the description of a sick body is often used by Greek and Roman philosophers and writers to define a critical condition of the State, in which just one corrupt part can ruin the entire system. Especially Persius, in his Satire, uses this way of expression to flog Roman people's corrupt habits. Reading Persius' poems and studying his satiric metaphora, in comparing it to Ippocrates' description of a considerabe number of diseases, we can reconstruct the degree of diffusion of the Greek ancient medicine in Rome in the I century A.D., before Galen's arrival.

A Hannibal's Treck Across The Alps: Geomorphological Analysis Of Sites Of Geoarchaeologicals Interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahaney, William C.; Kalm, Volli; Dirszowsky, Randy W.; Milner, Michael W.; Sodhi, Rana; Beukens, Roelf; Dorn, Ron; Tricart, Pierre; Schwartz, Stéphane; Chamorro-Perez, Eva; Boccia, Sal; Barendregt, René W.; Krinsley, D. H.; Seaquist, E. R.; Merrick, David; Kapran, Barbara

A ~2200 year-old question related to Hannibal's invasion route across the Alps into Italia, has been argued by classicists without recovery of material evidence. A comparison of topographical descriptions in the ancient literature with environmental parameters in the Alps, attempted here for the first time, provides a database against which various pathways can be assessed. Identification of sites using geological, geomorphological, astronomical, chemical and petrological methods leads to the exclusion of certain transit points and targeting of others where geoarchaeological excavation might yield important evidence related to the military culture of ancient Carthage.

[Textual research for Tibetan medicine Qumazi].

PubMed

Luo, Wu-zheng; Li, Qi-en; Chen, Jing; Dor, Jerenchen; Tao, Si-yu; Shi Jin-bo; Xu, Ying-zhou; Yan, Xing-li

2015-05-01

Qumazi is a commonly used Tibetan medicine. With a long history, it can be found in the Four Medical Tantras written by gYu-thog rNying-ma Yon-tan mGon-po since the 8th century AD. Qumazi grows in mudflats and fields, including species growing in highlands, lowlands, mountains and farmlands. According to records in Crystal Beads Materia Medica, it features green sword-shaped leaves, thin stems with red veins, inserted panicles, white chicken-like flowers and copper needle row-like roots. However, there are many inconsistent morphological descriptions for Qumazi plants in many Chinese versions of Tibetan medicine books. In this article, after studying ancient and modern Tibetan medicine books, consulting experts and conducting surveys, the authors confirmed that Qumazi belongs to Rheum of Polygonaceae, including Rheum nobile Hook. f. et. Thoms, R. globulosum Gage, R. alexandrae Hook. f. et. Thoms, R. pumilum Maxim and R. delavayi Franch. In some regions, Qumazi is substituted by R. spiciforme Royle and R. przewalskyi Losinsk. After the Chinese version of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Drug Illustrations was published in 1972, Qumazi has been miswritten as P. sibiricum Laxm in many Chinese versions of Tibetan medicine books, perhaps because P. sibiricum Laxm has many similar features with Qumazi as described in Crystal Beads Materia Medica and then is mistranslated from Tibetan to Chinese versions. According to records, Qumazi can reduce edema and is mainly applied to treat the minamata disease in clinic.

Phylogeographic Differentiation of Mitochondrial DNA in Han Chinese

PubMed Central

Yao, Yong-Gang; Kong, Qing-Peng; Bandelt, Hans-Jürgen; Kivisild, Toomas; Zhang, Ya-Ping

2002-01-01

To characterize the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation in Han Chinese from several provinces of China, we have sequenced the two hypervariable segments of the control region and the segment spanning nucleotide positions 10171–10659 of the coding region, and we have identified a number of specific coding-region mutations by direct sequencing or restriction-fragment–length–polymorphism tests. This allows us to define new haplogroups (clades of the mtDNA phylogeny) and to dissect the Han mtDNA pool on a phylogenetic basis, which is a prerequisite for any fine-grained phylogeographic analysis, the interpretation of ancient mtDNA, or future complete mtDNA sequencing efforts. Some of the haplogroups under study differ considerably in frequencies across different provinces. The southernmost provinces show more pronounced contrasts in their regional Han mtDNA pools than the central and northern provinces. These and other features of the geographical distribution of the mtDNA haplogroups observed in the Han Chinese make an initial Paleolithic colonization from south to north plausible but would suggest subsequent migration events in China that mainly proceeded from north to south and east to west. Lumping together all regional Han mtDNA pools into one fictive general mtDNA pool or choosing one or two regional Han populations to represent all Han Chinese is inappropriate for prehistoric considerations as well as for forensic purposes or medical disease studies. PMID:11836649

From “Kidneys Govern Bones” to Chronic Kidney Disease, Diabetes Mellitus, and Metabolic Bone Disorder: A Crosstalk between Traditional Chinese Medicine and Modern Science

PubMed Central

Zou, Xin-Rong

2016-01-01

Although traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine have evolved on distinct philosophical foundations and reasoning methods, an increasing body of scientific data has begun to reveal commonalities. Emerging scientific evidence has confirmed the validity and identified the molecular mechanisms of many ancient TCM theories. One example is the concept of “Kidneys Govern Bones.” Here we discuss the molecular mechanisms supporting this theory and its potential significance in treating complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes mellitus. Two signaling pathways essential for calcium-phosphate metabolism can mediate the effect of kidneys in bone homeostasis, one requiring renal production of bioactive vitamin D and the other involving an endocrine axis based on kidney-expressed Klotho and bone-secreted fibroblast growth factor 23. Disruption of either pathway can lead to calcium-phosphate imbalance and vascular calcification, accelerating metabolic bone disorder. Chinese herbal medicine is an adjunct therapy widely used for treating CKD and diabetes. Our results demonstrate the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of a Chinese herbal formulation, Shen-An extracts, in diabetic nephropathy and renal osteodystrophy. We believe that the smart combination of Eastern and Western concepts holds great promise for inspiring new ideas and therapies for preventing and treating complications of CKD and diabetes. PMID:27668003

Continuity and Variation in Chinese Patterns of Socialization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, David Y. F.

1989-01-01

Reviews literature on Chinese patterns of socialization. Discusses methodological issues with respect to continuity versus change through time, and variation across geographical locations, systematically considering variables of gender, age, and social class. Concludes that departures from traditional pattern in different locations are evident,…

1979 National Unified Entrance Examination for Institutions of Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chinese Education, 1979

1979-01-01

The article presents translations of Chinese college entrance examinations in the fields of politics, Chinese language and literature, mathematics, humanities, physics, chemistry, history, geography, and English. Translations are also presented of the 1979 review syllabus for 1979 for the same subject areas. (DB)

The geographical distribution of grey wolves (Canis lupus) in China: a systematic review.

PubMed

Wang, Lu; Ma, Ya-Ping; Zhou, Qi-Jun; Zhang, Ya-Ping; Savolaimen, Peter; Wang, Guo-Dong

2016-11-18

The grey wolf ( Canis lupus ) is one of the most widely distributed terrestrial mammals, and its distribution and ecology in Europe and North America are largely well described. However, the distribution of grey wolf in southern China is still highly controversial. Several well-known western literatures stated that there are no grey wolves in southern China, while the presence of grey wolf across China has been indicated in A Guide to the Mammals of China , published by Princeton University Press. It is essential to solve this discrepancy since dogs may have originated from grey wolfs in southern China. Therefore, we systematically investigated Chinese literatures about wild animal surveys and identified more than 100 articles and books that included information of the distribution of grey wolves in China. We also surveyed the collections of three Chinese natural museums and found 26 grey wolf skins specimens collected across China. Moreover, we investigated the fossil records of wolf in China and identified 25 archaeological sites with wolf remains including south China. In conclusion, with the comprehensive summary of Chinese literatures, museum specimens and fossil records, we demonstrate that grey wolves does distribute across all parts of the Chinese mainland, including the most southern parts of China.

The geographical distribution of grey wolves (Canis lupus) in China: a systematic review

PubMed Central

WANG, Lu; MA, Ya-Ping; ZHOU, Qi-Jun; ZHANG, Ya-Ping; SAVOLAINEN, Peter; WANG, Guo-Dong

2016-01-01

The grey wolf (Canis lupus) is one of the most widely distributed terrestrial mammals, and its distribution and ecology in Europe and North America are largely well described. However, the distribution of grey wolf in southern China is still highly controversial. Several well-known western literatures stated that there are no grey wolves in southern China, while the presence of grey wolf across China has been indicated in A Guide to the Mammals of China, published by Princeton University Press. It is essential to solve this discrepancy since dogs may have originated from grey wolfs in southern China. Therefore, we systematically investigated Chinese literatures about wild animal surveys and identified more than 100 articles and books that included information of the distribution of grey wolves in China. We also surveyed the collections of three Chinese natural museums and found 26 grey wolf skins specimens collected across China. Moreover, we investigated the fossil records of wolf in China and identified 25 archaeological sites with wolf remains including south China. In conclusion, with the comprehensive summary of Chinese literatures, museum specimens and fossil records, we demonstrate that grey wolves does distribute across all parts of the Chinese mainland, including the most southern parts of China. PMID:28105796

Fueling the dragon: Alternative Chinese oil futures and their implications for the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eberling, George G.

This study examines how Chinese oil energy will likely shape future Sino-American relations under conditions of dependency and non-dependency. The study will list and describe three possible Chinese oil energy futures or scenarios (Competitive Dependency, Competitive Surplus and Cooperative Surplus) using Scenario Analysis to subsequently estimate their associated likelihoods using the PRINCE forecasting system and discuss and evaluate their strategic implications for the United States. Further, this study will determine the most likely oil energy future or scenario. Finally, the study will list and describe the most likely United States political, economic and/or military policy responses for each future or scenario. The study contributes to the literature on Chinese and United States energy security, foreign policy, political economy and political risk analysis by showing how China will most likely address its growing oil energy dependence and by determining what will be the most likely U.S. foreign policy consequences based on the most current literature available on energy security and foreign policy.

Antheraea pernyi (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) and Its Importance in Sericulture, Food Consumption, and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

PubMed

Li, Wenli; Zhang, Zhengyao; Lin, Lan; Terenius, Olle

2017-08-01

Sericulture was developed in China in ancient times. Antheraea pernyi Guérin-Méneville was domesticated at least 2,000 yr ago, and Chinese farmers developed artificial rearing of A. pernyi before the 17th century. Today, >60,000 tons of cocoons are produced in China each year, which accounts for 90% of the world production. Despite the widespread utilization of A. pernyi in China and a long history of domestic research, the knowledge of A. pernyi outside China is limited. Therefore, we have in this paper summarized the production, usage, and breeding of A. pernyi. The foremost usage of A. pernyi is as silk producers; however, about 55-70% is used for other purposes. In this paper, we give examples of how the different developmental stages are used as a food source for human consumption and in traditional Chinese medicine, both directly in different preparations and also as a nutrient source for rearing medicinal fungi. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Instructor Middle Years. September 1993.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Robin; And Others

1993-01-01

This "Instructor" Supplement on middle school education, presents articles on new research and materials, adolescent development, reasons for teaching middle school, moving toward a middle school curriculum, peer teaching, multimedia software, murder mysteries, ancient China, geometry, teamwork, descriptive writing, literature, problem solving,…

The Integration of Chuji Calendars in the Late Western Zhou Dynasty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Y.

2017-03-01

In this paper, we investigate 23 four-element-materials contained Chuji (characters usually on bronze vessels, perhaps represent the moon phase) in the late Western Zhou Dynasty. It is assumed that all 5 elder-year data (kings' year>25 yr) should belong to the periods of king Li or king Xuan. At the same time, in order to guarantee the completeness, compatibility, and objectivity of these kinds of calendars, in the paper we build up them respectively according to the 24 characters of Chinese ancient calendar. We use the transformation platform for Chinese ancient dates to finish the calendars, consider the five different first years when both kings took their powers, set the moon age of Chuji cover any day in a lunar month, and as far as possible give every result for each material as in different kings' period. As a result, we totally derive 13 calendars according to different combinations of the characters of ancient calendars. When subdivided by the different combinations of the kings' periods, 33 solutions are obtained, but the moon phases of Chuji are usually in the second half month. The best result, with Jian Mao and the leap month in the end of the year, is related with the BC878 (BC827) as the first year of king Li (king Xuan). The coincidence rate of 23 data is 100%, and average moon phases are 19.84 days. The suboptimum choices have four solutions; the coincidence rate is 95.7%, respectively with Jian Chen and the leap month in the middle of the year; together with Jian Wu and the leap month in the middle or end of the year. We point out that these results may constitute and link respectively with other materials (even with other moon phases) as long as have the same calendar features. After adopting more materials and higher qualification, the scope of the solutions can be further limited and narrow. In addition, the different researchers can easily obtain or intercept their needed results respectively from this paper.

Anxieties in Mainland Chinese and Singapore Chinese adolescents in comparison with the American norm.

PubMed

Li, Huijun; Ang, Rebecca P; Lee, Jiyoon

2008-10-01

There is a growing literature base on child and adolescent anxiety. Cross-cultural research on child and adolescent anxiety, however, has been relatively limited. This study examined whether there were similarities and differences in the self reported anxieties in Mainland Chinese and Singapore Chinese adolescents (12-17 years of age), and whether these similarities or differences were related to gender and/or grade. This study also compared anxiety levels of Mainland Chinese and Singapore Chinese adolescents with the American normative sample (12-17 years of age). The results indicate that the levels of anxieties did not differ based on country (China and Singapore). Gender differences were evident. Gender and grade interaction effects were found on the anxiety scales. Mixed results were found when comparing Mainland Chinese and Singapore Chinese with the American normative sample on the different anxiety scales.

Some recommendations to assess depression in Chinese people in Australasia.

PubMed

Chan, Bibiana; Parker, Gordon

2004-03-01

To provide some general recommendations for psychiatric assessment of depression among Chinese patients within a predominately Western society. A literature review is provided with interpretive comments. The prevalence of depression reported in community studies undertaken in Chinese communities is very low. To what extent Chinese people experience and seek help for depression, and how they report depressive symptoms have long been topics of some importance. The impact of acculturation as well as concepts and interpretations of illness in traditional Chinese medicine are discussed. Awareness of sensitive issues and practices within the Chinese culture will facilitate communication between medical professionals and patients, resulting in more accurate identification and diagnosis of depressive disorders. Direct but culturally sensitive and empathic questioning of psychological symptoms is needed to unveil patients' explanatory models, as most Chinese initially nominate only somatic symptoms to health practitioners. Successfully treated patients can promote earlier and wider utilization of mental health services to other Chinese people.

The Chinese Translations of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in China: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Li, Qing; Babor, Thomas F.; Hao, Wei; Chen, Xinguang

2011-01-01

Aims: To systematically review the literature on the Chinese translations of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and their cross-cultural applicability in Chinese language populations. Methods: We identified peer-reviewed articles published in English (n = 10) and in Chinese (n = 11) from 1980 to September 2009, with key words China, Chinese and AUDIT among PubMed, EBSCO, PsycInfo, FirstSearch electronic databases and two Chinese databases. Results: Five teams from Beijing, Tibet, Taiwan and Hong Kong reported their region-specific translation procedures, cultural adaptations, validity (0.93–0.95 in two versions) and reliability (0.63–0.99). These Chinese translations and short versions demonstrated relatively high sensitivity (0.880–0.997) and moderate specificity (0.709–0.934) for hazardous/harmful drinking and alcohol dependence, but low specificity for alcohol dependence among Min-Nan Taiwanese (0.58). The AUDIT and its adaptations were most utilized in workplace- and hospital-settings for screening and brief intervention. However, they were under-utilized in population-based surveys, primary care settings, and among women, adolescents, rural-to-urban migrants, the elderly and minorities. Among 12 studies from mainland China, four included both women and men, and only one in Tibet was published in English. Conclusion: There is a growing amount of psychometric, epidemiologic and treatment research using Chinese translations of the AUDIT, much of it still unavailable in the English-language literature. Given the increase in burden of disease and injury attributable to alcohol use in the Western Pacific region, the use of an internationally comparable instrument (such as the AUDIT) in research with Chinese populations presents a unique opportunity to expand clinical and epidemiologic knowledge about alcohol problem epidemics. PMID:21467046

The Chinese translations of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in China: a systematic review.

PubMed

Li, Qing; Babor, Thomas F; Hao, Wei; Chen, Xinguang

2011-01-01

To systematically review the literature on the Chinese translations of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and their cross-cultural applicability in Chinese language populations. We identified peer-reviewed articles published in English (n = 10) and in Chinese (n = 11) from 1980 to September 2009, with key words China, Chinese and AUDIT among PubMed, EBSCO, PsycInfo, FirstSearch electronic databases and two Chinese databases. Five teams from Beijing, Tibet, Taiwan and Hong Kong reported their region-specific translation procedures, cultural adaptations, validity (0.93-0.95 in two versions) and reliability (0.63-0.99). These Chinese translations and short versions demonstrated relatively high sensitivity (0.880-0.997) and moderate specificity (0.709-0.934) for hazardous/harmful drinking and alcohol dependence, but low specificity for alcohol dependence among Min-Nan Taiwanese (0.58). The AUDIT and its adaptations were most utilized in workplace- and hospital-settings for screening and brief intervention. However, they were under-utilized in population-based surveys, primary care settings, and among women, adolescents, rural-to-urban migrants, the elderly and minorities. Among 12 studies from mainland China, four included both women and men, and only one in Tibet was published in English. There is a growing amount of psychometric, epidemiologic and treatment research using Chinese translations of the AUDIT, much of it still unavailable in the English-language literature. Given the increase in burden of disease and injury attributable to alcohol use in the Western Pacific region, the use of an internationally comparable instrument (such as the AUDIT) in research with Chinese populations presents a unique opportunity to expand clinical and epidemiologic knowledge about alcohol problem epidemics.

3D reconstruction of wooden member of ancient architecture from point clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ruiju; Wang, Yanmin; Li, Deren; Zhao, Jun; Song, Daixue

2006-10-01

This paper presents a 3D reconstruction method to model wooden member of ancient architecture from point clouds based on improved deformable model. Three steps are taken to recover the shape of wooden member. Firstly, Hessian matrix is adopted to compute the axe of wooden member. Secondly, an initial model of wooden member is made by contour orthogonal to its axis. Thirdly, an accurate model is got through the coupling effect between the initial model and the point clouds of the wooden member according to the theory of improved deformable model. Every step and algorithm is studied and described in the paper. Using the point clouds captured from Forbidden City of China, shaft member and beam member are taken as examples to test the method proposed in the paper. Results show the efficiency and robustness of the method addressed in the literature to model the wooden member of ancient architecture.

Self-identity Changes and English Learning among Chinese Undergraduates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yihong, Gao; Ying, Cheng; Yuan, Zhao; Yan, Zhou

2005-01-01

This quantitative study investigated Chinese college students' self-identity changes associated with English learning. The subjects were 2,278 undergraduates from 30 universities, obtained from a stratified sampling. Based on existing literature of bilinguals identities, the self-designed questionnaire defined six categories of self-identity…

Transforming Turnaround Schools in China: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Peng

2017-01-01

This article reviews the literature on how Chinese turnaround schools are improved in practice. It starts by defining turnaround schools in the Chinese context, and then discusses the essential reasons why such schools exist. Approaches to improving turnaround schools, successful experiences of transforming turnaround schools, and the challenges…

[Analysis on quotations in the articles issued in Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion from 2000 to 2006].

PubMed

Chen, Wen; Huang, Juan; Huang, Ai-Ming

2007-10-01

To investigate the quoted regular patterns for the quotations and informative absorbing capability of the Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion, and analyze the characteristics of literature requirement of scientific researcher and clinical workers in the acupuncture and moxibustion field, so as to offer suggestion on literature utilization and provide references to development of the Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion. Bibliometrical Citation analysis was used to analyze the references cited from 2000 to 2006 according to the time sequence of publishing. The citation rate was 76.6%, and citations per article was 4.3. Most of the citations were mainly cited from journals (82.0%) and books (17.2%). The Price Index was 43.7%, and the self-citation rates for author and periodical were 16.3% and 9.1% respectively. The citations from the high-ranked 10 journals were accounted for 31.4% of all citations. Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion is a highly authorized academic periodical in the field of acupuncture and moxibustion. The citations are mainly cited from periodicals written in Chinese and English. They are of good novelty and quality, but the citation rate should be further raised.

Chinese perspectives on primary care for common mental disorders: Barriers and policy implications.

PubMed

Sun, Kai Sing; Lam, Tai Pong; Wu, Dan

2018-05-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for integration of mental health into primary care for a decade. In Western countries, around 15% to 25% of patients with common mental disorders including mood and anxiety disorders seek help from primary care physicians (PCPs). The rate is only about 5% in China. This article reviews the Chinese findings on the barriers to primary care for common mental disorders and how they compared with Western findings. A narrative literature review was conducted, focusing on literature published from mid-1990s in English or Chinese. Patient, PCP and health system factors were reviewed. Although Chinese and Western findings show similar themes of barriers, the Chinese have stronger barriers in most aspects, including under-recognition of the need for treatment, stigma on mental illness, somatization, worries about taking psychiatric drugs, uncertainties in the role, competency and legitimacy of PCPs in mental health care and short consultation time. Current policies in China emphasize enhancement of mental health facilities and workforce in the community. Our review suggests that patients' intention to seek help and PCPs' competency in mental health care are other fundamental factors to be addressed.

Dreams in ancient Greek Medicine.

PubMed

Laios, K; Moschos, M M; Koukaki, E; Vasilopoulos, E; Karamanou, M; Kontaxaki, M-I; Androutsos, G

2016-01-01

Dreams preoccupied the Greek and Roman world in antiquity, therefore they had a prominent role in social, philosophical, religious, historical and political life of those times. They were considered as omens and prophetic signs of future events in private and public life, and that was particularly accentuated when elements of actions which took place in the plot of dreams were associated directly or indirectly with real events. This is why it was important to use them in divination, and helped the growth of superstition and folklore believes. Medicine as a science and an anthropocentric art, could not ignore the importance of dreams, having in mind their popularity in antiquity. In ancient Greek medicine dreams can be divided into two basic categories. In the first one -which is related to religious medicine-dreams experienced by religionists are classified, when resorted to great religious sanctuaries such as those of Asclepius (Asclepieia) and Amphiaraos (Amfiaraeia). These dreams were the essential element for healing in this form of religious medicine, because after pilgrims underwent purifications they went to sleep in a special dwelling of the sanctuaries called "enkoimeterion" (Greek: the place to sleep) so that the healing god would come to their dreams either to cure them or to suggest treatment. In ancient Greek literature there are many reports of these experiences, but if there may be phenomena of self-suggestion, or they could be characterized as propaganda messages from the priesthood of each sanctuary for advertising purposes. The other category concerns the references about dreams found in ancient Greek medical literature, where one can find the attempts of ancient Greek physicians to interpret these dreams in a rational way as sings either of a corporal disease or of psychological distress. This second category will be the object of our study. Despite the different ways followed by each ancient Greek physician in order to explain dreams, their common intention was to give a rational answer for the creation and content of dreams setting aside any supernatural beliefs. In addition they tried to explain in a scientific way the correlation that could have emerged between the story that took place in dreams and the events that happened in everyday life. Nevertheless, ancient Greek physicians focused especially on nightmares, which were associated with physical problems. For those physicians these nightmares included information about the corporal disease of the patient, which had a reflection in the dream, and they could help them to diagnose the problem in order to restore balance of the body.

A comprehensive review of Cataract (Kaphaja Linganasha) and its Surgical Treatment in Ayurvedic Literature.

PubMed

Dhiman, K S; Dhiman, Kamini; Puri, Samita; Ahuja, Deepak

2010-01-01

Ayurveda the science of life, since its origin is serving the mankind throughout in health & disease state of life. Shalakyatantra, one of its specialized branch deals with the science of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, Orodental surgery & Head; was contributed and developed by Rajrishi Nimi, the King of Videha, who was a colleague of Atreya, Punarvasu, Dhanwantri, Bharadwaja, Kashyapa etc. The available literature related to this speciality is reproduced from original text of Nimitantra in Uttartantra of Sushruta samhita. So Rajrishi Nimi deserves all the credit and regards for Shalakyatantra and for being the first eye surgeon on this earth. The fact regarding the technique of cataract surgery adopted by ancient surgeons is still a matter of debate. Most of the medical fraternity accepts cataract surgery of ancient surgeons as couching procedure but after going through forth coming pages, the prevailing concept will prove to be a myth. It started with extra capsular extraction through small incision during the period of Sushruta Samhita but later shifted to couching like technique by Acharya Vagbhatta. Secondly, the objective of this literary research paper is to find proper co-relation of the disease cataract to those mentioned in Ancient Ayurvedic classic. Linganasha has been inadvertently taken as cataract but this is neither logical nor in accordance with classics. We find detailed description of cataract's differential diagnosis, indications, contra- indications, pre/intra/post operative procedures and complication in ancient texts of Ayurveda. Not only this, vivid description of treatment of various complications of cataract surgery are also given. Needless to say, no other surgically treatable diseases & its complications except Kaphaja Linganasha are given this much attention.

The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for Chinese people: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ng, Ting Kin; Wong, Daniel Fu Keung

2018-07-01

Over the past decade, cognitive behavioral therapy has been applied to an increasingly wider range of disorders and problems in Chinese societies. However, no meta-analysis has been conducted to synthesize the studies on cognitive behavioral therapy for Chinese clients. The purpose of this meta-analytic study was to examine the overall efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for Chinese people. A literature search was conducted using electronic databases, including Web of Science, PsycINFO and PubMed. Pooled mean effect sizes were calculated using the random-effects model. The literature search identified 55 studies with 6763 Chinese participants. The overall short-term effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on the primary outcome was medium in size. Effect sizes were medium for anxiety, depression/well-being and caregiving stress and small for psychotic symptoms and addictive behaviors. The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on process variables, dysfunctional thoughts and coping, were in the small range. The overall longer-term effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on the primary outcome was medium in size. Moderator analyses showed that the short-term effect was stronger for culturally adapted cognitive behavioral therapy than for unadapted cognitive behavioral therapy. Type of primary outcome, type of control group, recruitment method, study design, the format of delivery and region were found to moderate the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy. The findings of this study provide evidence for the overall efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for Chinese people and the benefit of cultural adaptation of cognitive behavioral therapy to Chinese culture.

Planet Earth, Humans, Gravity and Their Connection to Natural Medicine-Essence from a 5000 Yrs Old Ancient Pedagogy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lakshmanan, S.; Monsanto, C.; Radjendirane, B.

2015-12-01

According to the Ancient Indian Science, the fundamental constituents of planet earth are the five elements (Solid, Liquid, Heat, Air and Akash (subtlest energy field)). The same five elements constitute the human body. The Chinese and many other native traditions have used their deep understanding of these elements to live in balance with the planet. David Suzuki has elaborated on this key issue in his classic book, The Legacy: "Today we are in a state of crisis, and we must join together to respond to that crisis. If we do so, Suzuki envisions a future in which we understand that we are the Earth and live accordingly. All it takes is imagination and a determination to live within our, and the planet's, means". Gravity, the common force that connects both the body and earth plays a major role in the metabolism as well as the autonomous function of different organs in the body. Gravity has a direct influence on the fruits and vegetables that are grown on the planet as well. As a result, there is a direct relationship among gravity, food and human health. My talk will cover the missing link between the Earth's Gravity and the human health. A new set of ancient axioms will be used to address this and many other issues that are remain as "major unsolved problems" linking modern Geophysical and Health sciences.

Business English as a Lingua Franca (BELF)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Yan

2013-01-01

This paper examines BELF (Business English as a Lingua Franca) teaching and researching in China. A literature review is conducted using the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database. This survey includes a cursory literature search on BELF and a thorough literature study of 12 Chinese major academic journals. From the data collected…

[Current situations and problem analysis of influencing factors of traditional Chinese medicine tablets on forming quality].

PubMed

Li, Yan-Nian; Wu, Zhen-Feng; Wan, Na; Li, Yuan-Hui; Li, Hui-Ting; Yang, Ming

2018-04-01

The compressibility of tablets is the essential operating unit during the preparation of traditional Chinese medicine tablets, as well as a complicated process. Therefore, it is of great significance to comprehensively study the influencing factors on the formation process. This paper aimed to review the evaluation methods for the tablet forming quality and highlight the effects of material powder properties, excipients and preparation technology on the quality of traditional Chinese medicine tablets on the basis of relevant literatures. Furthermore, the common problems in tablet forming process are also analyzed to provide useful references for the development of tablet forming quality of traditional Chinese medicines. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis for sustainable cultivation of Chinese medicinal plants: a promising research direction.

PubMed

Zeng, Yan; Guo, Lan-Ping; Chen, Bao-Dong; Hao, Zhi-Peng; Wang, Ji-Yong; Huang, Lu-Qi; Yang, Guang; Cui, Xiu-Ming; Yang, Li; Wu, Zhao-Xiang; Chen, Mei-Lan; Zhang, Yan

2013-01-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) are symbiotic systems in nature and have great significance in promoting the growth and stress resistance of medicinal plants. During our literature search from the Chinese Scientific Information Database (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, CNKI) we obtained 65 articles with "AM fungi" and "medicinal plant" as the key words, which indicates that in China, research efforts on these topics have been increasing. The main purposes of this review are to discuss the effects of mycorrhiza on the active ingredients of Chinese medicinal plants in comparison with results obtained in other plants in studies conducted by the international research community, and to introduce works published in Chinese journals to international colleagues.

Sexuality, Power, and Politics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartsock, Nancy C. M.

The source of contemporary attitudes toward sexuality, power, and politics is found in the literature of the ancient Greeks, specifically, Plato's "Republic" and "Symposium," Aristotle's "Politics," and the plays of Aeschylus and Aristophanes. The "Symposium" can be read as an account of how sexuality can be…

Mother Tongue Education in Singapore: Concerns, Issues and Controversies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Chin Leong Patrick

2014-01-01

In 1966, the Singapore Government implemented the English-knowing bilingual policy which made it mandatory for all Chinese students to study English as a "First Language" and the Chinese language (CL) as a "Mother Tongue Language" in Singapore schools. Using key literature relevant to Singapore's bilingual educational policy…

A Survey on Chinese Scholars' Adoption of Mixed Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Yuchun

2018-01-01

Since the 1980s when mixed methods emerged as "the third research methodology", it was widely adopted in Western countries. However, inadequate literature revealed how this methodology was accepted by scholars in Asian countries, such as China. Therefore, this paper used a quantitative survey to investigate Chinese scholars' perceptions…

Language, Relationships and Skills in Mixed-Nationality Active Learning Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, Colin

2017-01-01

Based on a phenomenological exploration of Chinese students at a UK university business school, this article supports a growing body of research questioning the assumptions underpinning the putative Socratic/Confucian dichotomy of academic cultures. Beginning with a review of research literature on the experiences of Chinese students on Active…

Styling the Occidental Other: Interculturality in Chinese University Performances

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grimshaw, Trevor

2010-01-01

Essentialist representations of the Orientalised Other abound within the literature of intercultural communication. The dominant discourse constructs Chinese-speaking students as members of a homogenised collective: passive recipients of knowledge who are reliant on a reproductive approach to learning. This article seeks to offer a corrective to…

Leveraging Chinese Culture for Effective Organizational Leadership: The China Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Jia

2008-01-01

This article examined organizational leadership in the context of China. Taking a cultural perspective, this literature review traced the cultural roots of Chinese leadership and analyzed the cultural impact on leadership practice in organizations. It further provided general guidelines for leadership development in China, followed by…

THE MARK TWAIN SUMMER INSTITUTE. 1964 ANNUAL REPORT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LEMEN, ROBERT F.; AND OTHERS

INTELLECTUALLY ABLE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS APPLIED FOR THE INSTITUTE. COURSES OFFERED WERE NOT FOR CREDIT BUT WERE SUPPLEMENTARY TO THE REGULAR CURRICULUM. A SMALL TUITION WAS PAID FOR THE ONE COURSE CHOSEN. THE COURSES OFFERED INCLUDED ENGLISH COMPOSITION AND LITERATURE, BEGINNING CHINESE, ADVANCED CHINESE, GERMAN, JAPANESE, BEGINNING RUSSIAN,…

[Bibliometric analysis of literature regarding integrated schistosomiasis control strategy with emphasis on infectious source control].

PubMed

Qian, Yi-Li; Wang, Wei; Hong, Qing-Biao; Liang, You-Sheng

2014-12-01

To evaluate the outcomes of implementation of integrated schistosomiasis control strategy with emphasis on infectious source control using a bibliometric method. The literature pertaining to integrated schistosomiasis control strategy with emphasis on infectious source control was retrieved from CNKI, Wanfangdata, VIP, PubMed, Web of Science, BIOSIS and Google Scholar, and a bibliometric analysis of literature captured was performed. During the period from January 1, 2004 through September 30, 2014, a total of 94 publications regarding integrated schistosomiasis control strategy with emphasis on infectious source control were captured, including 78 Chinese articles (82.98%) and 16 English papers (17.02%). The Chinese literature was published in 21 national journals, and Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control had the largest number of publications, consisting of 37.23% of total publications; 16 English papers were published in 12 international journals, and PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases had the largest number of publications (3 publications). There were 37 affiliations publishing these 94 articles, and National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (16 publications), Anhui Institute of Schistosomiasis Control (12 publications) and Hunan Institute of Schistosomiasis Control (9 publications) ranked top three affiliations in number of publications. A total of 157 persons were co-authored in these 94 publications, and Wang, Zhou and Zhang ranked top 3 authors in number of publications. The integrated schistosomiasis control strategy with emphasis on infectious source control has been widely implemented in China, and the achievements obtained from the implementation of this strategy should be summarized and transmitted internationally.

[Effect and regulation of drying on quality of traditional Chinese medicine pills].

PubMed

Qi, Ya-Ru; Li, Yuan-Hui; Han, Li; Wu, Zhen-Feng; Yue, Peng-Fei; Wang, Xue-Cheng; Xiong, Yao-Kun; Yang, Ming

2017-06-01

The dry quality of traditional Chinese medicine pills is the hot spot of pills research, because their quality has a crucial effect on the efficacy and development of dosage forms. Through literature research and statistical analysis, we would review the current problems on the drying of traditional Chinese medicine pills in this paper, and surrounding the evaluation system for traditional Chinese medicine pills, analyze the characteristics of common drying equipment and processes as well as their effect on quality of pills, discuss the problems in drying equipment and process as well as quality, and put forward the corresponding strategies, hoping to provide new ideas and new methods for the quality improvement of traditional Chinese medicine pills and quality standards. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Literary evidence for taro in the ancient Mediterranean: A chronology of names and uses in a multilingual world.

PubMed

Grimaldi, Ilaria Maria; Muthukumaran, Sureshkumar; Tozzi, Giulia; Nastasi, Antonino; Boivin, Nicole; Matthews, Peter J; van Andel, Tinde

2018-01-01

Taro, Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott, is a vegetable and starchy root crop cultivated in Asia, Oceania, the Americas, Africa, and the Mediterranean. Very little is known about its early history in the Mediterranean, which previous authors have sought to trace through Classical (Greek and Latin) texts that record the name colocasia (including cognates) from the 3rd century BC onwards. In ancient literature, however, this name also refers to the sacred lotus, Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. and its edible rhizome. Like taro, lotus is an alien introduction to the Mediterranean, and there has been considerable confusion regarding the true identity of plants referred to as colocasia in ancient literature. Another early name used to indicate taro was arum, a name already attested from the 4th century BC. Today, this name refers to Arum, an aroid genus native to West Asia, Europe, and the Mediterranean. Our aim is to explore historical references to taro in order to clarify when and through which routes this plant reached the Mediterranean. To investigate Greek and Latin texts, we performed a search using the Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (TLG) and the Thesaurus Linguae Latinae (TLL), plus commentaries and English and French translations of original texts. Results show that while in the early Greek and Latin literature the name kolokasia (Greek κολοκάσια) and its Latin equivalent colocasia refer to Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., after the 4th century AD a poorly understood linguistic shift occurs, and colocasia becomes the name for taro. We also found that aron (Greek ἄρον) and its Latin equivalent arum are names used to indicate taro from the 3rd century BC and possibly earlier.

Literary evidence for taro in the ancient Mediterranean: A chronology of names and uses in a multilingual world

PubMed Central

Muthukumaran, Sureshkumar; Tozzi, Giulia; Nastasi, Antonino; Boivin, Nicole

2018-01-01

Taro, Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott, is a vegetable and starchy root crop cultivated in Asia, Oceania, the Americas, Africa, and the Mediterranean. Very little is known about its early history in the Mediterranean, which previous authors have sought to trace through Classical (Greek and Latin) texts that record the name colocasia (including cognates) from the 3rd century BC onwards. In ancient literature, however, this name also refers to the sacred lotus, Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. and its edible rhizome. Like taro, lotus is an alien introduction to the Mediterranean, and there has been considerable confusion regarding the true identity of plants referred to as colocasia in ancient literature. Another early name used to indicate taro was arum, a name already attested from the 4th century BC. Today, this name refers to Arum, an aroid genus native to West Asia, Europe, and the Mediterranean. Our aim is to explore historical references to taro in order to clarify when and through which routes this plant reached the Mediterranean. To investigate Greek and Latin texts, we performed a search using the Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (TLG) and the Thesaurus Linguae Latinae (TLL), plus commentaries and English and French translations of original texts. Results show that while in the early Greek and Latin literature the name kolokasia (Greek κολοκάσια) and its Latin equivalent colocasia refer to Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., after the 4th century AD a poorly understood linguistic shift occurs, and colocasia becomes the name for taro. We also found that aron (Greek ἄρον) and its Latin equivalent arum are names used to indicate taro from the 3rd century BC and possibly earlier. PMID:29870533

Chinese research on shock physics. Studies in Chinese Science

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mao, N.H.

1992-07-01

Shock wave research encompasses many different disciplines. This monograph limits the scope to Chinese research on solids and is based on available open literature sources. For the purpose of this monograph, the papers are divided into seven groups, i.e. review and tutorial; equations of state; phase transitions; geological materials; modeling and simulations; experimental techniques; and mechanical properties. The largest group of papers is experimental techniques and numbers 22, or about 40% of the total sources.

[Medicinal laws and application examples of traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions for multiple aorto-arteritis].

PubMed

Zhang, Xin-Gen; Cai, Hai-Ying

2016-05-01

To collect the literature on traditional Chinese medicine treatment for multiple aorto-arteritis from China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI), establish prescriptions database after screening and normalizing the prescriptions reported in these literature, and analyze their medicinal rules by using traditional Chinese medicine inheritance support system. A total of 126 prescriptions for multiple aorto-arteritis were screened, containing 212 kinds of Chinese herbs. 26 core herb combinations were obtained by analysis of the commonly used herbs and their use frequencies. The treatment for multiple aorto-arteritis was manly of tonifying qi to nourish blood, promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis, warming yang to dredge collaterals, and four new prescriptions were obtained. On this basis, two clinical cases were taken as the examples by analyzing the medicinal rules and the features of multiple aorto-arteritis. The first case showed that the herb combination of this study conformed to the basic core drug application mode and the core pathogenesis of multiple aorto-arteritis. The second case reflected the characteristics of the new prescriptions' herb combinations based on entropy hierarchical clustering. The practical analysis of the two clinical cases further indicated the reliability of the results. This study has certain guiding significance and reference value on new medicine research and development as well as clinical traditional Chinese medicine treatment for multiple aorto-arteritis. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Chinese physicists educated in Germany and America: Their scientific contributions and their impact on China's higher education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qu, Jing Cheng

1998-11-01

This dissertation records the historical paths of Chinese physicists educated in Germany and America, explores their representative achievements in modern physics that have not been recognized by Chinese scholars, and provides sociological analyses of their contributions to China's higher education. We have found that Chinese students of physics in Germany and America were not passive recipients of Western science, but active contributors. They were also crucial contributors to science education and important scientific projects upon their return to China. Chapter One briefly describes physics knowledge in ancient China and introduces the transplantation of modern science and technology to China. Three distinct historical periods have been identified. In Chapter Two and Chapter Three, 30 Chinese physicists educated in Germany and 89 in America have been investigated. This research analyzes the significant achievements of these physicists. It also examines the political changes, the social background, and other factors impacting on their studies in the two countries. The selected cases in the two chapters are Li Fo-ki, Chinese physics students in Berlin, Werner Heisenberg and his Chinese students, Max Born and his Chinese students, Robert Millikan and Chinese physicists, the first two Chinese physicists from Harvard, and the Science Society of China. Chapter Four explores the geographical distribution, education and careers, return and expatriation, and the social influence exerted by these Chinese physicists. Statistical compilation and quantitative analyses comprise the basic methodology. In terms of two periods and two generations, this dissertation explores the physicists' contributions to the development of modern science in China and to education in China. Significant cases from Beijing University, Qinghua University, and Yanjing University are analyzed. The last chapter, Chapter Five, concludes that some of the achievements of these Chinese physicists were critical steps in modern physics even though China remained domestically rather weak in the development of modern science. Returning to China, most of them became pioneers and active contributors to modern science and to higher education in China. They comprised the majority of the physics community of China and played a leading role in the formation of modern science in China. After 1949, China continued to benefit from the contributions of these physicists. China independently constructed an atomic bomb in 1964 and a hydrogen bomb in 1967. In 1970, China successfully launched a man-made satellite. The Chinese physicists trained in Western countries constituted the main research force behind these projects.

Study of electrical properties of meridian on human body surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Feng; Uematsu, Haruyuki; Otani, Nobuo

2007-12-01

This paper presents the study of the subcutaneous electrical impedance on the human body surface. Measurements of the electrical impedance on five adult male subjects were carried out and analyzed for the possible detection of the acupuncture meridian lines of ancient Chinese medicine on the human body. The distribution of electrical impedance measured at 40 points over the volar side of the right upper limb of the subjects. The results show that electrical impedance varies at different locations of the human body surface, and the locations with lower electrical impedance coincide with the locations where the meridian is believed to exist.

Planning for giving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitten, Charles A.

This ancient Chinese proverb stresses the importance of the role of AGU in the field of continuing education. When the Committee on Financial Resources made the recommendation that the Union should be on a firmer basis and the Council approved the 5-year fund drive, the vision was toward the future—decades at least—and far beyond ‘rice’ and ‘trees.’A large percentage of AGU members contribute regularly and liberally to their alma maters. This financial support to universities and colleges is essential. The donors are well rewarded with the knowledge that their gifts are to be used for education.

Mineral resource of the month: arsenic

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brooks, William E.

2008-01-01

Arsenic has a long and varied history: Although it was not isolated as an element until the 13th century, it was known to the ancient Chinese, Egyptians and Greeks in compound form in the minerals arsenopyrite, realgar and orpiment. In the 1400s, “Scheele’s Green” was first used as an arsenic pigment in wallpaper, and leached arsenic from wallpaper may have contributed to Napoleon’s death in 1821. The 1940s play and later movie, Arsenic and Old Lace, dramatizes the metal’s more sinister role. Arsenic continues to be an important mineral commodity with many modern applications.

Animations, games, and virtual reality for the Jing-Hang Grand Canal.

PubMed

Chen, Wenzhi; Zhang, Mingmin; Pan, Zhigeng; Liu, Gengdai; Shen, Huaqing; Chen, Shengnan; Liu, Yong

2010-01-01

Digital heritage, an effective method to preserve and present natural and cultural heritage, is engaging many heritage preservation specialists and computer scientists. In particular, computer graphics researchers have become involved, and digital heritage has employed many CG techniques. For example, Daniel Pletinckx and his colleagues employed VR in a real museum at Ename, Belgium, and Zhigeng Pan and his colleagues applied it to construct a virtual Olympics museum. Soo-Chang Pei and his colleagues focused on restoring ancient Chinese paintings. Here, we describe how we've applied animations, computer games, and VR to China's famous Jing-Hang Grand Canal.

[Historical Study of the Etymological Form and Translational Process of Gout (Tongfeng,)].

PubMed

Cho, Jae-Heung; Jung, Jae Young

2015-08-01

This study aims to address questions regarding the translation of 'gout' into 'tongfeng ()' in East Asia. To this end, the formation process of the origins, 'gout' from Western medicine and 'tongfeng' from Oriental medicine, and the translational process were investigated through the relevant records and literature dating from the 16th century on. Symptoms associated with gout were originally mentioned in ancient Egypt and various terminologies were used to refer to gout, such as podagra, cheiragra and gonogra. The word 'gout', which is derived from Latin, was used for the first time in the 13th century. The reason for this linguistic alteration is thought to be the need for a comprehensive term to cover the various terms for gout in symptomatic body parts, since it can occur concurrently in many joints. However, it took hundreds of years before gout was independently established as a medical term. In oriental medicine, terms describing diseases with features similar to gout include bibing (), lijiefeng (), baihufeng () and tongfeng (). Among them, the concept of 'tongfeng' has been established since the Jin and Yuan dynasties. The cause, prevention and various treatments for tongfeng were proposed throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. The early translation of gout and tongfeng in East Asia, respectively, is estimated to have occurred in the 18th century. The first literature translating gout in China was 'An English and Chinese Vocabulary in the Court Dialect (yinghua yunfu lijie, )'. From the publication of this book until the late 19th century, gout was translated into an unfamiliar Chinese character 'Jiu feng jiao ()', likely because the translation was done mostly by foreign missionaries at the time, and they created a new word on the basis of Western medicine instead of researching and translating similar diseases in oriental medicine. In Japan, the first book translating gout was 'A Pocket Dictionary of the English and Japanese Language (Eiwa taiyaku shuchin jisho, )', Japan's the first English-Japanese translation dictionary. In this book, gout was translated into tongfeng, a word adopted from oriental medicine. These differences from China are thought to be caused by Rangaku doctors (), who, influenced by oriental medicine in the Jin and Yuan dynasties, played an important role in translating medical terminology at that time.

Chinese herbs for memory disorders: a review and systematic analysis of classical herbal literature.

PubMed

May, Brian H; Lu, Chuanjian; Lu, Yubo; Zhang, Anthony L; Xue, Charlie C L

2013-02-01

Text mining and other literature-based investigations can assist in identifying natural products for experimental and clinical research. This article details a method for systematically analyzing data derived from the classical Chinese medical literature. We present the results of electronic searches of Zhong Hua Yi Dian ("Encyclopaedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine"), a CD of 1000 premodern (before 1950) medical books, for single herbs, and other natural products used for dementia, memory disorders, and memory improvement. This review explores how the terminology for these disorders has changed over time and which herbs have been used more or less frequently, and compares the results from the premodern literature with the herbs indexed for memory disorders in a modern pharmacopoeia. The searches located 731 citations deriving from 127 different books written between ca. 188 ad and ca. 1920. Of the 110 different natural products identified, those most frequently cited for forgetfulness were yuan zhi (Polygala tenuifolia), fu shen (Poria cocos), and chang pu (Acorus spp.), all of which have been cited repeatedly over the past 1800 years and appear among the 31 herbs indexed in a modern pharmacopoeia. By providing a complete, hierarchically organized list of herbs for a specific disorder, this approach can assist researchers in selecting herbs for research. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Finding Meaning in PDS Stories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breault, Rick A.

2010-01-01

The Professional Development School (PDS) literature is filled with the stuff of good storytelling--archetypes of an ancient profession, struggles of marginalized individuals against powerful structures, personal triumphs, and devotion to a quest. However, much of the writing about PDS experiences that could be considered storytelling tends to…

Literary and Documentary Evidence for Lay Medical Practice in the Roman Republic and Empire.

PubMed

Draycott, Jane

2016-01-01

The majority of surviving ancient medical literature was written by medical practitioners and produced for the purpose of ensuring the effective diagnosis and treatment of their patients, suggesting an audience of medical professionals ranging from instructors to students. This has led historians to concentrate on the professional medical practitioner and their theories, methods and practices, rather than on lay medical practitioners, or even patients themselves. This chapter seeks to redress this imbalance, and examine the ancient literary and documentary evidence for lay medical theories, methods and practices in the Roman Republic and Empire in an attempt to reconstruct the experiences of lay medical practitioners and their patients. The Roman agricultural treatises of Cato, Varro and Columella, papyri and ostraca from Egypt, and tablets from Britain are investigated, and it is established that the individual's personal acquisition of knowledge and expertise, not only from medical professionals and works of medical literature, but also from family members and friends, and through trial and error, was considered fundamental to domestic medical practice.

Ancient Greek Terminology in Hepatopancreatobiliary Anatomy and Surgery.

PubMed

Papoulas, Michail; Douvetzemis, Stergios

2015-08-01

Most of the terminology in medicine originates from Greek or Latin, revealing the impact of the ancient Greeks on modern medicine. However, the literature on the etymology of Greek words used routinely in medical practice is sparse. We provide a short guide to the etymology and meaning of Greek words currently used in the field of hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) anatomy and surgery. Focusing on HPB medical literature, the etymology and origin of Greek words including suffixes and prefixes are shown and analyzed. For example, anatomy (anatomia) is a Greek word derived from the prefix ana- (on, upon) and the suffix -tomy from the verb temno meaning to cut. Surgery, however, is not a Greek word. The corresponding Greek word is chirourgiki derived from cheir (hand) and ergon (action, work) meaning the action made by hands. Understanding the root of Greek terminology leads to an accurate, precise and comprehensive scientific medical language, reflecting the need for a universal medical language as a standardized means of communication within the health care sector.

Evaluation in Moves: An Integrated Analysis of Chinese MA Thesis Literature Reviews

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xie, Jianping

2017-01-01

The ultimate communicative purpose of literature reviews is to convince the reader of the worthiness of the writer's research, which is realized stage by stage and evaluation plays an important role in achieving this end. However, concerns about evaluation demonstration in novice academic writers' literature reviews have been repeatedly voiced in…

Exploring the Characteristics of Professional Learning Communities in China: A Mixed-Method Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Jia; Pang, Nicholas Sun-Keung

2016-01-01

This mixed-method study explored the characteristics of professional learning communities (PLCs) in Chinese schools. Informed by the existing literature on PLCs, the authors conducted a questionnaire survey of teachers in seven schools in Shanghai to explore the characteristics of Chinese PLCs. Follow-up qualitative interviews were also conducted…

Chinese Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of Effects of Teacher Self-Disclosure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Shaoan; Shi, Qingmin; Luo, Xiao; Ma, Xueyu

2008-01-01

Background: As an instructional tool, teacher self-disclosure is used widely by teachers. While researchers abroad have conducted a number of studies, scarce literature on teacher self-disclosure has been found. Aims: This study aims to explore the Chinese pre-service teachers' perceived effects of teacher self-disclosure on student learning,…

Chinese Students' Perceptions of the Teaching in an Australian Accounting Programme--An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Grace; Cooper, Barry J.; Dellaportas, Steven

2015-01-01

This exploratory study is designed to elicit and understand the views of Mainland Chinese students concerning their learning experience in an Australian accounting education programme. The article contributes to the literature by investigating the issues and implications associated with international students' perceptions of teaching, as little…

The Dynamics of Chinese Face Mechanisms and Classroom Behaviour: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Xiaoxin

2009-01-01

Research on cross-cultural psychology, anthropology and sociology reveals that the impact of face on social interactions is both pervasive and powerful in Asia. Face, however, has not gained general acceptance as an important theoretical concept in the literature on Asian (Chinese in particular) classroom behaviour and management. This article…

Counseling Psychology in Chinese Communities in Asia: Indigenous, Multicultural, and Cross-Cultural Considerations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leung, S. Alvin; Chen, Ping-Hwa

2009-01-01

This article examines the need to develop an indigenous counseling psychology in Chinese communities in Asia. The cross-cultural limitations and applications of counseling psychology are discussed, using the literature on multicultural counseling and competence as illustrations. The authors elaborate on the scope and nature of indigenous…

Why Study Abroad? Sorting of Chinese Students across British Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cebolla-Boado, Héctor; Hu, Yang; Soysal, Yasemin Nuhog¯lu

2018-01-01

This research contributes to the booming literature on the mobility of international students in higher education. We analyse university-level factors that affect the sorting of Chinese international students across British universities. We produced a unique data-set merging university-level data from the 2014 UK Higher Education Statistics Agency…

Western Practices in Chinese Governance: A Case Study of the Implementation of Action Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horváth, Miklós

2017-01-01

This article argues that action learning has been incorporated into the Chinese administrative system because of a functional need for Western learning technology. This finding contrasts with those presented in the existing literature, which assert that Western practices have only been partially implemented, if implemented at all, because they…

Chinese Postgraduate Students' Perspectives on Developing Critical Thinking on a UK Education Masters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fakunle, Labake; Allison, Pete; Fordyce, Ken

2016-01-01

Statistics on enrolment of international students in higher education, and studies on limitations of their adaptation to other (usually Western) cultural and learning norms dominate literature. There is much less emphasis on a specific aspect of the student experience. This study examined Chinese postgraduate students' perspectives on how they…

Mandarin Chinese Immersion Program for Preschool Children in an Urban Private School in California: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cao, Yuan

2013-01-01

This study enlisted language immersion practitioners in highlighting and exploring the issues and challenges that accompany language immersion education. Comprehensive focused personal interviews of preschool Mandarin Chinese language immersion educators in a private school provided the basis of the study. The research literature reviewed…

Living in-Between: Chinese Sojourner Families' Experiences in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Xiaoning

2013-01-01

This ethnographic study closely examines Chinese sojourner families' experiences in the United States. While immigrant children's home and school experiences have been documented, this study extends the literature by highlighting the unique needs and challenges of sojourner children and their parents. The findings suggest that it is critical for…

Influential Factors for Mobile Learning Acceptance among Chinese Users

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hao, Shuang; Dennen, Vanessa P.; Mei, Li

2017-01-01

This study examines the factors that influence mobile learning adoption among Chinese university students. China's higher education market is large and mobile device ownership is considered a status symbol. Combined, these two factors suggest mobile learning could have a big impact in China. From the literature, we identified three major areas…

Post-Mao Chinese Literary Women's Rhetoric Revisited: A Case for an "Enlightened" Feminist Rhetorical Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Hui

2010-01-01

Identifying the specific complexities and historical context of post-Mao Chinese literary women's rhetoric, along with ways they have been misread, the author argues in general that Western feminist critics need to be cautious about applying their concepts to non-Western women's literature. (Contains 7 notes.)

Carers' representations of affective mental disorders in British Chinese communities.

PubMed

Koo, Kevin

2012-11-01

Infrequent use of and delayed presentation to professional services have increased the burden of mental illness in minority ethnic communities. Within the growing literature on informal carers, the Chinese remain relatively unstudied. This article reports a qualitative study of 14 carers to explore illness representations of affective disorders in British Chinese communities. Firstly, it places the study within a theoretical framework that permits an understanding of mental health and illness in different sociocultural belief systems. Next, it presents carers' narrative accounts in conceptualising mental illness, including its causes, manifestations and impact on patients and carers, and contextualises the findings within the existing literature. Finally, the article examines how the caring role may be constructed from the broader social experience of carers and their relationships within a community structure that values the group over the individual. Coping mechanisms are discussed in the context of the practice of caring as a moral obligation and of policy implications for more culturally appropriate support services for both Chinese carers and mental health patients. © 2012 The Author. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2012 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

[Contribution to the history of pharmacology (the late antique period)].

PubMed

Tesařová, Drahomíra

2015-01-01

Pharmacological literature in the Late Antique period followed the Roman tradition and widely used Scribonius Largus and excerpts from the writings of Pliny the Elder. Literature was created both in the western part of the Roman Empire and in North Africa in Carthage. Manuals have been written about medicinal plants (Herbarius of Pseudo-Apuleius, De herba vettonica of Pseudo-Musa), for drugs obtained from the animal kingdom (Liber medicinae of Sextus Placitus) or documents containing both (De medicina of Cassius Felix, De medicamentis of Marcellus Empiricus). The contribution of this literature is the mediation of ancient knowledge into the Middle Ages.

Analytical Techniques and Pharmacokinetics of Gastrodia elata Blume and Its Constituents.

PubMed

Wu, Jinyi; Wu, Bingchu; Tang, Chunlan; Zhao, Jinshun

2017-07-08

Gastrodia elata Blume ( G. elata ), commonly called Tianma in Chinese, is an important and notable traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which has been used in China as an anticonvulsant, analgesic, sedative, anti-asthma, anti-immune drug since ancient times. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the abundant efforts of scientists in developing analytical techniques and performing pharmacokinetic studies of G. elata and its constituents, including sample pretreatment methods, analytical techniques, absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion (ADME) and influence factors to its pharmacokinetics. Based on the reported pharmacokinetic property data of G. elata and its constituents, it is hoped that more studies will focus on the development of rapid and sensitive analytical techniques, discovering new therapeutic uses and understanding the specific in vivo mechanisms of action of G. elata and its constituents from the pharmacokinetic viewpoint in the near future. The present review discusses analytical techniques and pharmacokinetics of G. elata and its constituents reported from 1985 onwards.

Role of Tai Chi in the treatment of rheumatologic diseases.

PubMed

Wang, Chenchen

2012-12-01

Rheumatologic diseases (e.g., fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis) consist of a complex interplay between biologic and psychological aspects, resulting in therapeutically challenging chronic conditions to control. Encouraging evidence suggests that Tai Chi, a multi-component Chinese mind-body exercise, has multiple benefits for patients with a variety of chronic disorders, particularly those with musculoskeletal conditions. Thus, Tai Chi may modulate complex factors and improve health outcomes in patients with chronic rheumatologic conditions. As a form of physical exercise, Tai Chi enhances cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, balance, and physical function. It also appears to be associated with reduced stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as improved quality of life. Thus, Tai Chi can be safely recommended to patients with fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis as a complementary and alternative medical approach to improve patient well-being. This review highlights the current body of knowledge about the role of this ancient Chinese mind-body medicine as an effective treatment of rheumatologic diseases to better inform clinical decision-making for our patients.

Imbalanced network biomarkers for traditional Chinese medicine Syndrome in gastritis patients

PubMed Central

Li, Rui; Ma, Tao; Gu, Jin; Liang, Xujun; Li, Shao

2013-01-01

Cold Syndrome and Hot Syndrome are thousand-year-old key therapeutic concepts in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which depict the loss of body homeostasis. However, the scientific basis of TCM Syndrome remains unclear due to limitations of current reductionist approaches. Here, we established a network balance model to evaluate the imbalanced network underlying TCM Syndrome and find potential biomarkers. By implementing this approach and investigating a group of chronic superficial gastritis (CSG) and chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) patients, we found that with leptin as a biomarker, Cold Syndrome patients experience low levels of energy metabolism, while the CCL2/MCP1 biomarker indicated that immune regulation is intensified in Hot Syndrome patients. Such a metabolism-immune imbalanced network is consistent during the course from CSG to CAG. This work provides a new way to understand TCM Syndrome scientifically, which in turn benefits the personalized medicine in terms of the ancient medicine and complex biological systems. PMID:23529020

Stress and health Huangshan-style.

PubMed

Qian, Lingjia; Tanguay, Robert M; Wu, Tangchun; Hightower, Lawrence E

2016-05-01

The Seventh International Congress of the Cell Stress Society International (CSSI) was held as a joint meeting with the newly organized committee of Stress Physiology, the Chinese Association for Physiological Sciences (CAPS). There were over 200 colleagues and their students in attendance from 22 different countries. The topics of the congress were core scientific areas in the field of stress and health. The keynote speakers were Fu-Chu He (China), E.R. (Ron) de Kloet (The Netherlands), and Kazuhiro Nagata (Japan). The CSSI Medallion for Career Achievement in the cell stress and chaperones field was awarded to Kazutoshi Mori (Japan). Twelve student post awards were given in recognition of a very high quality poster session. In the tradition of this series of congresses, cultural events were an important part of the program. In addition, participants became better acquainted during trips to the ancient shopping street, an evening at the Chinese opera, and a lesson in Tai Chi from a master. The first groups of CSSI Fellows and Senior Fellows were presented their rosettes and certificates during the congress.

[Herbological study on the botanical origin of the Chinese crude drug shan-zhu-yu].

PubMed

Mikage, Masayuki; Hutagi, Yukari

2008-01-01

The historical change in the botanical origin of the Chinese herbal drug Shan-zhu-yu, San-syu-yu in Japanese) was studied herbologically. The results obtained were as follows: The original plant, described in Shen-nong-ben-cao-jing written in the Hou-Han Dynasty (A.D. 25-220) and Wu-pu-ben-cao written in the Wei dynasty (A.D. 220-265), was Prunus pseudocerasus or an allied species such as P. tomentosa. However, the original plant described in Ming-yi-bie-lu, written in the same era, was thought to be Cornus officinalis; the fruit of which is used commonly today as Shan-zhu-yu. In addition to Prunus and Cornus, the plants of the genus Berberis, of the family Berberidaceae, and Zanthoxylum of Rutaceae were also used in China until the Ming Dynasty. The plants of Elaeagnus, of the family Elaeagnaceae, were possibly used in ancient Japan. Cornus officinalis was determined to be the origin of Shan-zhu-yu during the Qing Dynasty, China.

Study on the Spectral Mixing Model for Mineral Pigments Based on Derivative of Ratio Spectroscopy-Take Vermilion and Stone Yellow for Example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, H.; Hao, Y.; Liu, X.; Hou, M.; Zhao, X.

2018-04-01

Hyperspectral remote sensing is a completely non-invasive technology for measurement of cultural relics, and has been successfully applied in identification and analysis of pigments of Chinese historical paintings. Although the phenomenon of mixing pigments is very usual in Chinese historical paintings, the quantitative analysis of the mixing pigments in the ancient paintings is still unsolved. In this research, we took two typical mineral pigments, vermilion and stone yellow as example, made precisely mixed samples using these two kinds of pigments, and measured their spectra in the laboratory. For the mixing spectra, both fully constrained least square (FCLS) method and derivative of ratio spectroscopy (DRS) were performed. Experimental results showed that the mixing spectra of vermilion and stone yellow had strong nonlinear mixing characteristics, but at some bands linear unmixing could also achieve satisfactory results. DRS using strong linear bands can reach much higher accuracy than that of FCLS using full bands.

Beyond parental control and authoritarian parenting style: understanding Chinese parenting through the cultural notion of training.

PubMed

Chao, R K

1994-08-01

This study addresses a paradox in the literature involving the parenting style of Asians: Chinese parenting has often been described as "controlling" or "authoritarian". These styles of parenting have been found to be predictive of poor school achievement among European-Americans, and yet the Chinese are performing quite well in school. This study suggests that the concepts of authoritative and authoritarian are somewhat ethnocentric and do not capture the important features of Chinese child rearing, especially for explaining their school success. Immigrant Chinese and European-American mothers of preschool-aged children were administered standard measures of parental control and authoritative-authoritarian parenting style as well as Chinese child-rearing items involving the concept of "training." After controlling for their education, and their scores on the standard measures, the Chinese mothers were found to score significantly higher on the "training" ideologies. This "training" concept has important features, beyond the authoritarian concept, that may explain Chinese school success.

Identification and characterization of toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the Chinese tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis).

PubMed

Yu, Dandan; Wu, Yong; Xu, Ling; Fan, Yu; Peng, Li; Xu, Min; Yao, Yong-Gang

2016-07-01

In mammals, the toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a major role in initiating innate immune responses against pathogens. Comparison of the TLRs in different mammals may help in understanding the TLR-mediated responses and developing of animal models and efficient therapeutic measures for infectious diseases. The Chinese tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis), a small mammal with a close relationship to primates, is a viable experimental animal for studying viral and bacterial infections. In this study, we characterized the TLRs genes (tTLRs) in the Chinese tree shrew and identified 13 putative TLRs, which are orthologs of mammalian TLR1-TLR9 and TLR11-TLR13, and TLR10 was a pseudogene in tree shrew. Positive selection analyses using the Maximum likelihood (ML) method showed that tTLR8 and tTLR9 were under positive selection, which might be associated with the adaptation to the pathogen challenge. The mRNA expression levels of tTLRs presented an overall low and tissue-specific pattern, and were significantly upregulated upon Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. tTLR4 and tTLR9 underwent alternative splicing, which leads to different transcripts. Phylogenetic analysis and TLR structure prediction indicated that tTLRs were evolutionarily conserved, which might reflect an ancient mechanism and structure in the innate immune response system. Taken together, TLRs had both conserved and unique features in the Chinese tree shrew. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the complete mitochondrial genome of the Zhedong White goose and characterization of NUMTs: Reveal domestication history of goose in China and Euro.

PubMed

Ren, Ting; Liang, Shiri; Zhao, Ayong; He, Ke

2016-02-10

To understand the phyletic evolution of geese, the complete mitogenome of the Zhedong goose was sequenced for the first time. It is composed of 37 genes and 1 control region, and the structure and arrangement of all genes sequenced are identical to those of other goose breeds. We confirmed the accuracy of the mitogenome sequence through RT-PCR and found numts from amplification in genomic DNA. Comparisons of the phylogenetic trees and sequences of geese that were suggested a clade of Chinese geese, except the Yili goose, were classified in the Euro clade. Several breed-specific mutations and Chinese breed-specific mutations were found. Our results suggest that Chinese geese evolved from the swan goose, splitting from their common ancestors at different times, which was consistent with studies before. Furthermore, numts in most genes of Zhedong goose clustered with European geese in the phylogenetic tree, suggesting that the haplotypes in the Euro clade might be more ancient. However, the mitogenome of the swan goose shows distinctive evolutionary positions in some genes, which suggest its unclear relationship with Chinese geese and European geese. The current study added to the understanding of the evolution of geese and provided evidence that the typing of numts is an encouraging way for the evolutionary study of geese and the mitochondrial genomes of geese deserve further investigation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Analysis on "component-target-pathway" of Paeonia lactiflora in treating cardiac diseases based on data mining].

PubMed

Liu, Yang; Zhang, Fang-Bo; Tang, Shi-Huan; Wang, Ping; Li, Sen; Su, Jin; Zhou, Rong-Rong; Zhang, Jia-Qi; Sun, Hui-Feng

2018-04-01

Based on the literature review and modern application of Paeonia lactiflora in heart diseases, this article would predict the target of drug and disease by intergrative pharmacology platform of traditional Chinese medicine (TCMIP, http://www.tcmip.cn), and then explore the molecular mechanism of P. lactiflora in treatment of heart disease, providing theoretical basis and method for further studies on P. lactiflora. According to the ancient books, P. lactiflora with functions of "removing the vascular obstruction, removing the lumps, relieving pain, diuretic, nutrient qi" and other effects, have been used for many times to treat heart disease. Some prescriptions are also favored by the modern physicians nowadays. With the development of science, the chemical components that play a role in heart disease and the interrelation between these components and the body become the research hotspot. In order to further reveal the pharmacological substance base and molecular mechanism of P. lactiflora for the treatment of such diseases, TCM-IP was used to obtain multiple molecular targets and signaling pathways in treatment of heart disease. ATP1A1, a common target of drug and disease, was related to energy, and HDAC2 mainly regulated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy gene and cardiomyocyte expression. Other main drug targets such as GCK, CHUK and PRKAA2 indirectly regulated heart disease through many pathways; multiple disease-associated signaling pathways interfered with various heart diseases including coronary heart disease, myocardial ischemia and myocardial hypertrophy through influencing energy metabolism, enzyme activity and gene expression. In conclusion, P. lactiflora plays a role in protecting heart function by regulating the gene expression of cardiomyocytes directly. Meanwhile, it can indirectly intervene in other pathways of heart function, and thus participate in the treatment of heart disease. In this paper, the molecular mechanism of P. lactiflora for treatment of heart disease was in computer prediction analysis level, and the specific mechanism of action still needs further experimental verification. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Shamanic Daughters, Three-Minute Records, and "Deaducation" in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steel, Sean

2014-01-01

This article examines the underlying modern-day assumptions about curricular objectives and the meaning of education by inviting readers to consider the ancient, historical relationship between shamanism, shamanic experience, teaching, and education. Where academic literature on this topic most commonly points to the similarities between teachers…

In Situ Identification of Pigment Composition and Particle Size on Wall Paintings Using Visible Spectroscopy as a Noninvasive Measurement Method.

PubMed

Li, Junfeng; Wan, Xiaoxia; Bu, Yajing; Li, Chan; Liang, Jinxing; Liu, Qiang

2016-11-01

Noninvasive examination methods of chemical composition and particle size are presented here based on visible spectroscopy to achieve the identification and recording of mineral pigments used on ancient wall paintings. The normalized spectral curve, slope and curvature extracted from visible spectral reflectance are combined with adjustable weighting coefficients to construct the identification feature space, and Euclid distances between spectral reflectance from wall paintings and a reference database are calculated in the feature space as the discriminant criterion to identify the chemical composition of mineral pigments. A parametric relationship between the integral quantity of spectral reflectance and logarithm of mean particle size is established using a quadratic polynomial to accomplish the noninvasive prediction of mineral pigment particle size used on ancient wall paintings. The feasibility of the proposed methods is validated by the in situ nondestructive identification of the wall paintings in the Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang. Chinese painting styles and historical evolution are then analyzed according to the identification results of 16 different grottoes constructed from the Sixteen Kingdoms to the Yuan Dynasty. © The Author(s) 2016.

[How to Teach Kampo Medicine in the Age of Internationalization?].

PubMed

Makino, Toshiaki

2016-01-01

Given the universal prevalence of complementary and alternative medicines, as well as integrative medicine, the usage of traditional medicine has been gaining in popularity worldwide. Japanese Kampo medicine and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are both derived from ancient medicines used in East Asia in the 5th-7th centuries, and have developed independently since the 14th century. Now Kampo medicine and TCM have different theories for the diagnosis and use of crude drugs. Unfortunately, Kampo medicine is not well known in Europe and the Americas; as a matter of practice, TCM is the international standard for traditional medicines derived from ancient East Asia. In the teaching of Kampo medicines to undergraduate students in a school of pharmacy, the author considers that a minimum requirement is to explain the differences between TCM and Kampo medicine. For graduate students of pharmaceutical science, the students must know the distinct medical theories of both TCM and Kampo medicine, and furthermore, must be able to read and write articles in English about traditional medicines, in order to help put Kampo medicine on the world map.

The influence of culture on the oral health-related beliefs and behaviours of elderly chinese immigrants: a meta-synthesis of the literature.

PubMed

Smith, André; MacEntee, Michael I; Beattie, B Lynn; Brondani, Mario; Bryant, Ross; Graf, Peter; Hornby, Kathryn; Kobayashi, Karen; Wong, Sabrina T

2013-03-01

Neglect of the mouth can lead to impairment, disability, and discomfort; as a result, it can have a negative impact on quality of life in old age. Some minority groups in North America shoulder a disproportionate burden of dental impairment compared to people of European origins, possibly because of different cultural beliefs and a distrust of Western oral healthcare. This paper explores these factors in elderly Chinese immigrants through a meta-synthesis of selected literature that reveals a dynamic interplay of traditional Chinese beliefs about oral health, immigration, and structural factors mediating access to Western dentistry. It also identifies several conceptual issues and gaps in knowledge, offers avenues of research including the cross-cultural application of two recent models of oral health, and discusses various strategies for improving access to dental services for minority populations.

Subject, function, and trend in medical ethics research: a comparative study of Chinese and non-Chinese literature using bibliometrics.

PubMed

Jiang, Lanhui; Shen, Jiantong; Li, Youping; Deng, Shaolin; Wu, Taixiang; Chen, Baoqing; Xie, Zhiyi; Qin, Chaoyi; Yu, Zhiyuan; Qin, Chuan; Huang, Jin; Liu, Xuemei; Li, Yan; Jiang, Jie

2012-05-01

To perform a comparative quantitative and qualitative analysis of Chinese and non-Chinese medical ethics literature using systematic research and literature analysis in order to discern research trends in the area and provide baseline data as a reference for relevant decision making and further study. We retrieved articles using MeSH terms and keywords related to medical ethics in PubMed and CNKI, and then constructed a set of charts by applying word co-occurrence, The Pathfinder Networks algorithms, an included subject chart, a research field relationship chart, and strategy coordination charts. The total of number of papers retrieved from PubMed was six times that retrieved from CNKI. Outside China, medical ethics has been studied in eight fully shaped subject fields, including morals, ethical review, physician-patient relationships, clinical trials, euthanasia, ethics education, clinical ethics, and health policy. In contrast, medical ethics research in China is still confined to five subject fields: morals, physician-patient relations, medical ethics education, ethical review, and medical research. Medical ethics research outside China emphasizes the application of medical ethics to solve emerging problems in clinical and medical research. It is mainly centered on morals, ethical review, and physician-patient relations. By comparison, medical ethics research in China places greater emphasis on morals and medical education. In order to narrow this gap between China and other countries, we should broaden the research scope of medical ethics and add more applied research, such as ethical review and medical education. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd and Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University.

Systematic assessment of the representativeness of published collections of the traditional literature on Chinese medicine.

PubMed

May, Brian H; Lu, Yubo; Lu, Chuanjian; Zhang, Anthony L; Chang, Suyueh; Xue, Charlie C L

2013-05-01

The traditional Chinese medical literature provides a substantial resource for natural products research. When undertaking systematic searches, investigators need to assess the scope, content, and relevance of collections both singly and in comparison. This study examines eight collections of pre-modern literature, develops an approach to quantitatively assess their content, and compares their relative inclusivity. All publications listed in each collection were collated and a uniform scoring system was developed to account for variant editions, incorporation of multiple books under a single title, addition of commentaries, and other factors affecting content. Comparisons were undertaken between collections to determine the degree of overlap, genres of literature represented, and relevance to natural products research. Following adjustments for differences in how books were listed, duplications, and variant editions, Zhong Hua Yi Dian (Encyclopaedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine) (4th edition CD) is the largest collection of complete books containing 1009 different books. Zhong Guo Ben Cao Quan Shu (The Complete Collection of Traditional Texts on Chinese Materia Medica) contains 2026 titles including multiple editions and extracts, so after adjustments the number of different complete books is approximately 740. No collection was fully inclusive of the others, but Zhong Hua Yi Dian includes between 52.1% and 91.5% of the books in the six smaller collections. Comparing traditional collections is complex due to variant editions and multiple titles. This necessitates examination of the text rather than title alone. Prior to undertaking systematic searches, the characteristics of collections need to be investigated, duplicated books identified, and differences between editions should be assessed. Its size, electronic format, and broad spread of genres makes Zhong Hua Yi Dian suitable for systematic searches, but due to the lack of bibliographical detail on included books, cross-referencing to other collections is recommended.

Molecular Phylogeny of the Lactuca Alliance (Cichorieae Subtribe Lactucinae, Asteraceae) with Focus on Their Chinese Centre of Diversity Detects Potential Events of Reticulation and Chloroplast Capture

PubMed Central

Wang, Ze-Huan; Peng, Hua; Kilian, Norbert

2013-01-01

The first comprehensive molecular phylogenetic reconstruction of the Cichorieae subtribe Lactucinae is provided. Sequences for two datasets, one of the nuclear rDNA ITS region, the other of five concatenated non-coding chloroplast DNA markers including the petD region and the psbA-trnH, 5′trnL(UAA)-trnF, rpl32-trnL(UAG) and trnQ(UUG)-5′rps16 spacers, were, with few exceptions, newly generated for 130 samples of 78 species. The sampling spans the entire subtribe Lactucinae while focusing on its Chinese centre of diversity; more than 3/4 of the Chinese Lactucinae species are represented. The nuclear and plastid phylogenies inferred from the two independent datasets show various hard topological incongruences. They concern the internal topology of major lineages, in one case the placement of taxa in major lineages, the relationships between major lineages and even the circumscription of the subtribe, indicating potential events of ancient as well as of more recent reticulation and chloroplast capture in the evolution of the subtribe. The core of the subtribe is clearly monophyletic, consisting of the six lineages, Cicerbita, Cicerbita II, Lactuca, Melanoseris, Notoseris and Paraprenanthes. The Faberia lineage and the monospecific Prenanthes purpurea lineage are part of a monophyletic subtribe Lactucinae only in the nuclear or plastid phylogeny, respectively. Morphological and karyological support for their placement is considered. In the light of the molecular phylogenetic reconstruction and of additional morphological data, the conflicting taxonomies of the Chinese Lactuca alliance are discussed and it is concluded that the major lineages revealed are best treated at generic rank. An improved species level taxonomy of the Chinese Lactucinae is outlined; new synonymies and some new combinations are provided. PMID:24376566

The medicinal use of realgar (As₄S₄) and its recent development as an anticancer agent.

PubMed

Wu, Jinzhu; Shao, Yanbin; Liu, Jialiang; Chen, Gang; Ho, Paul C

2011-06-01

Arsenicals have been known as poisons and paradoxically as therapeutic agents. In the early 1970s, Chinese physicians from Harbin revived the medicinal use of arsenicals as anticancer agents. Notable success was observed in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with arsenic trioxide (ATO). The FDA approved ATO injection in the year 2000 for the treatment of APL. In contrast, the clinical use of the other arsenical, realgar (As₄S₄), is currently much less established, though it has also long been used in medical history. According to ancient medical records and recent findings in clinical trials, realgar was found as effective as ATO, but with relatively good oral safety profiles even on chronic administration. These give realgar an advantage over ATO in maintenance treatment. Though there is increasing understanding on the mechanisms of action and metabolic profiles of ATO, similar aspects of realgar are unclear to date. We outline the use of realgar in traditional medicines, especially in traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) from ancient times to present. The clinical and experimental observations on realgar as a therapeutic agent are described with an emphasis on those findings that may imply the rationale and future directions of realgar as a potential anticancer drug candidate. There is an increasing understanding in the mechanisms of action of realgar as an antileukemic agent. However, there is still sparse information on its metabolism and toxicity profiles. Realgar is poorly soluble in water. Recently, several types of realgar nanoparticles (NPs) have been developed. Some of these realgar NPs also possess the unique optical properties of quantum dots. The activities and bioavailability of realgar NPs are much influenced by their sizes, making realgar an interesting biomedical and pharmaceutical research candidate. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Opening Doors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, James S.

1990-01-01

Presents five teachers' narratives about their learning experiences during sabbatical leaves funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities/Reader's Digest Teacher-Scholars program. Stresses insights to be incorporated into their teaching methods in English and Black literature, children's literature, Chinese culture, and the history of the…

In vitro anti-Helicobacter pylori action of 30 Chinese herbal medicines used to treat ulcer diseases.

PubMed

Li, Yang; Xu, Chen; Zhang, Qiang; Liu, Jun Yan; Tan, Ren Xiang

2005-04-26

Infection by Helicobacter pylori has been ascertained to be an important etiologic impetus leading usually to chronic active gastritis and gastric ulcer with growing incidences worldwide. Utilizing as the test pathogen a standard and five clinic strains of Helicobacter pylori, the antibacterial action was assessed in vitro with ethanol extracts of 30 Chinese herbal medicines which have been frequently prescribed since ancient times for treating gastritis-like disorders. Among the 30 tested materials, the ethanol extracts of Abrus cantoniensis (Fabaceae), Saussurea lappa (Asteraceae) and Eugenia caryophyllata (Myrtaceae) were strongly inhibitory to all test strains (MICs: approximately 40 microg/ml), and Hippophae rhamnoides (Elaeagnaceae), Fritillaria thunbergii (Liliaceae), Magnolia officinalis and Schisandra chinensis (Magnoliaceae), Corydalis yanhusuo (Papaveraceae), Citrus reticulata (Rutaceae), Bupleurum chinense and Ligusticum chuanxiong (Apiaceae) substantially active with MICs close to 60.0 microg/ml. As to antibacterial actions of the aqueous extracts of the same drugs, those derived from Cassia obtusifolia (Fabaceae), Fritillaria thunbergii and Eugenia caryophyllata were remarkably inhibitory against all the six Helicobacter pylori strains (MICs: approximately 60 microg/ml). The work compared almost quantitatively the magnitude of the anti-Helicobacter pylori actions of the 30 most prescribed gastritis-treating Chinese herbal drugs, and located as well some source plants where potent anti-Helicobacter pylori phytochemicals could be characterized.

The role of traditional confinement practices in determining postpartum depression in women in Chinese cultures: a systematic review of the English language evidence.

PubMed

Wong, Josephine; Fisher, Jane

2009-08-01

The Chinese postpartum custom of "confinement" or "doing-the-month" involves formalised social support and recognition of the status of motherhood and has been presumed in anthropological literature to protect mothers of newborns from postpartum depression. The aim of this review was to examine systematically the evidence about the relationship between confinement practices and postpartum depression in Chinese cultures. A systematic search of the English-language literature. Sixteen studies met inclusion criteria. It was found that the role of confinement in postpartum depression is complex: eight studies concluded that it had a protective role; four that it increased risk of postpartum mood disturbance and four studies had inconclusive findings. Aspects of the confinement practice that could contribute to or fail to protect against postpartum depression include the generally diminished social support in contemporary society, conflict with a mother-in-law and the tension experienced by modern women as they work to balance traditional with contemporary values. Methodological differences limit meaningful comparisons between the reviewed studies and generalizations from them. There is little consistent evidence that confinement practices reduce postpartum depression in Chinese cultures. Specific components of confinement practices might reduce psychological distress in Chinese mothers of newborns, but these cannot be discerned from the existing evidence. Confinement cannot be presumed to be available to, welcomed by or effective for all Chinese women or to be a substitute for health service provision.

Methological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on acupuncture for stroke: A review of review.

PubMed

Chen, Xin-Lin; Mo, Chuan-Wei; Lu, Li-Ya; Gao, Ri-Yang; Xu, Qian; Wu, Min-Feng; Zhou, Qian-Yi; Hu, Yue; Zhou, Xuan; Li, Xian-Tao

2017-11-01

To assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses regarding acupuncture intervention for stroke and the primary studies within them. Two researchers searched PubMed, Cumulative index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, Cochrane, Allied and Complementary Medicine, Ovid Medline, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang and Traditional Chinese Medical Database to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses about acupuncture for stroke published from the inception to December 2016. Review characteristics and the criteria for assessing the primary studies within reviews were extracted. The methodological quality of the reviews was assessed using adapted Oxman and Guyatt Scale. The methodological quality of primary studies was also assessed. Thirty-two eligible reviews were identified, 15 in English and 17 in Chinese. The English reviews were scored higher than the Chinese reviews (P=0.025), especially in criteria for avoiding bias and the scope of search. All reviews used the quality criteria to evaluate the methodological quality of primary studies, but some criteria were not comprehensive. The primary studies, in particular the Chinese reviews, had problems with randomization, allocation concealment, blinding, dropouts and withdrawals, intent-to-treat analysis and adverse events. Important methodological flaws were found in Chinese systematic reviews and primary studies. It was necessary to improve the methodological quality and reporting quality of both the systematic reviews published in China and primary studies on acupuncture for stroke.

The ventricular system of the brain: a comprehensive review of its history, anatomy, histology, embryology, and surgical considerations.

PubMed

Mortazavi, M M; Adeeb, N; Griessenauer, C J; Sheikh, H; Shahidi, S; Tubbs, R I; Tubbs, R S

2014-01-01

The cerebral ventricles have been recognized since ancient medical history. Their true function started to be realized more than a thousand years later. Their anatomy and function are extremely important in the neurosurgical panorama. The literature was searched for articles and textbooks of different topics related to the history, anatomy, physiology, histology, embryology and surgical considerations of the brain ventricles. Herein, we summarize the literature about the cerebral ventricular system.

Examining the Text Quality of English/Chinese Bilingual Children's Picture Books

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Qiaoya; Chen, Xiaoning

2016-01-01

As a branch of multicultural literature, bilingual children's picture books present a special opportunity for readers to expand their horizons and knowledge of other cultures. The researchers took a closer look at the text quality of 31 English/Chinese bilingual children's picture books. These bilingual books were examined on the aspects of the…

Career Locus of Control and Career Success among Chinese Employees: A Multidimensional Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guan, Yanjun; Wang, Zhen; Dong, Zhilin; Liu, Yukun; Yue, Yumeng; Liu, Haiyang; Zhang, Yuqing; Zhou, Wenxia; Liu, Haihua

2013-01-01

The current research aimed to develop a multidimensional measure of career locus of control (LOC) and examine its predictive validity on objective and subjective career success among Chinese employees. Items of career LOC were generated based on literature review of the significant predictors of career success, as well as the open-ended responses…

Use of Formulaic Sequences in Monologues of Chinese EFL Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qi, Yan; Ding, Yanren

2011-01-01

The literature on formulaic language lacks sufficient research on how L2 learners make progress in native-like formulaicity of their target language. This study analyzed the use of formulaic sequences (FSs) by 56 Chinese university English majors in their prepared monologues at the beginning and end of a three-year period and compared the student…

The "Secrets" of Chinese Students' Academic Success: Academic Resilience among Students from Highly Competitive Academic Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Haibin

2017-01-01

Given Chinese students often perform well academically despite the challenges of their competitive academic environments, it is important to explore what enables the academic resilience of these students. Moreover, because the extant resilience literature is biased towards Western accounts of resilience, it is crucial that non-Western perspectives…

Emerging HRD Issues: A Conceptual Framework for Corporate University in the Context of Chinese Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Jie; Alagaraja, Meera

2007-01-01

The authors suggest a conceptual framework for developing CU's in the Chinese organizational context. We reviewed literature on existing conceptual frameworks and chose the CU wheel as proposed by Prince and Stewart. Four core processes identified in the CU wheel were realigned and readjusted in developing our framework of Corporate University in…

Active Learning for Discovery and Innovation in Criminology with Chinese Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Jessica C. M.; Wu, Joseph

2015-01-01

Whereas a great deal of literature based upon the context of Western societies has concluded criminology is an ideal discipline for active learning approach, it remains uncertain if this learning approach is applicable to Chinese learners in the discipline of criminology. This article describes and provides evidence of the benefits of using active…

A Qualitative Study Examining the Spatial Ability Phenomenon from the Chinese Student Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Helen W.; Mohler, James L.; Choi, Soyoung; Chen, Yuehua; Zheng, Chunhui

2011-01-01

The authors used holistic and structured interviews to examine Chinese student perspectives on their own spatial ability. The results of this study were compared and contrast with a previous study that was conducted by Mohler (2008) of Caucasian student perspectives in United States. Findings of the current study agree with other literature that…

Higher Education Literature: An Annotated Bibliography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Jane N., Ed.; Burnett, Collins W., Ed.

An annotated bibliography on higher education is presented that is limited to programs and phenomena in two- and four-year accredited degree-granting colleges and universities. The following sections and topics are covered: (1) Historical Background and Nature and Scope of American Higher Education (ancient, medieval, and U.S. education,…

Suggestions for the Classical Shelves of a School Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colebourn, R., Comp.; Cleeve, Marigold, Comp.

This bibliography is suggested for use by students and teachers of Latin, Greek and ancient civilizations. Entries are compiled under the headings of: (1) bibliographies and journals including booklists, periodicals, and books for teachers; (2) reference works in literature, mythology, history and antiquities, and language; (3) texts and…

The Enneagram: A Review of the Empirical and Transformational Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bland, Andrew M.

2010-01-01

The enneagram is an ancient system of personality development represented by a symbol signifying 9 character orientations composed of habitual patterns of perception, emotion, and behavior. By exploring their orientation, individuals can identify and transcend the strengths and limitations of their value systems and work toward an integrated…

Bibliotherapy: An Historical Overview.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salup, Bernice J.; Salup, Alane

The concept of bibliotherapy is not a new one. Aristotle believed that literature had healing effects and the ancient Romans also recognized that there was some relationship between medicine and reading. Most of the better mental hospitals in Europe had established libraries by the eighteenth century--in the United States by the middle of the…

Bibliographies and Annotations from Speakers and Class Participants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Univ., Berkeley. Office of Resources for International and Area Studies.

This annotated bibliography focuses on recent children's literature that deals with other cultures. The books in the bibliography are set in or about Africa (29 selections), Ancient Egypt (3 selections), East Asia (20 selections), India (7 selections), Latin America (3 selections), Middle East (5 selections), and Russia (9 selections). The…

[The representation of physical pain in art and the Greek escultural group of the Laocoonte].

PubMed

Roqué, M H; Ruival, C; Roqué, C M

2006-01-01

It makes reference to the symptoms and signs of external pain and internal man suffering, masterly represented on marble by greek sculptors of Ancient Greece. A demonstration of the importance of literature and sculpture as an humanistic complement for teaching History of Medicine.