ABSTRACT
The literature regarding the electrical characteristics of acupoints was reviewed, and the confounding factors (indoor temperature and humidity, criteria of acupoint selection, use of electrical resistance instruments) were summarized and analyzed. It was proposed that during the measurement, the indoor temperature should be constant and in the state of heat adaptation as much as possible; the effects of humidity on resistance value should be reduced to stabilize the heat loss of skin through evaporation; the acupoint selection and manipulation should be in accordance with agreed standard; attention should be paid to the operation and instruction of the instrument, in combination with experiment purpose. As a result, the repeatability and reliability of research results of electrical characteristics of acupoints could be improved.
ABSTRACT
Apoptosis refers to the programmed death process of cells modulated by genes. It plays an important role in promoting the evolution of organisms, regulating the development of multiple systems, and maintaining the stability of internal environment. The major apoptosis pathways include mitochondrial pathways, death receptor pathways, and endoplasmic reticulum pathways. With the rapid development of the scientific research on acupuncture, it’s revealed that cell apoptosis should be closely related to the action of acupuncture. So far, the major apoptosis factors involved in relevant researches are P53, Bcl-2 family, Cyt-C, Caspase, Fas/Fasl, TNFR1/TNF-?, and FADD-Caspase8, and PERK, etc. Via influencing these apoptosis factors or genes, acupuncture can produce various effects in improving tissue ischemia, protecting neural cells, reducing inflammation, and correcting endocrine disorders. This article summarized and reviewed the apoptosis pathways and key factors related to the action of acupuncture, to provide some beneficial references for future studies.
ABSTRACT
The development of TCM acupuncture represents a internationalized and modern trend. A recent study with the title of "Acupuncture for chronic knee pain: a randomized clinical trial" published in Journal of the American Medical Association on October 1st, 2014, which raised doubts on acupuncture efficacy as well as traditional manipulation and acupoint theory, makes some negative impact and challenges on the development of acupuncture. From the view of future development of acupuncture, the potential influence of this research on acupuncture development is proposed, and by combining acupuncture theory, some discussions and doubts on the research design and outcome explanations are made. Additionally, enlightenments of this research on further clinical research are summarized.