[Linguistic-cultural differences between Chinese and Western medicine and English translation of Chinese medicine].

This paper explores the influences of linguistic-cultural differences between Chinese and Western medicine on the English translation of Chinese medicinal terms/literature from such aspects as ideographic, phonetic writings and thinking modes, Chinese and Western medical terms, as well as Classic literature of Chinese medicine and medical English.

[Comments on "A practical dictionary of Chinese medicine" by Wiseman].

At least 24 Chinese-English dictionaries of Chinese Medicine have been published in China during the recent 24 years (1984-2003). This thesis comments on "A Practical Dictionary of Chinese Medicine" by Wiseman, agreeing on its establishing principles, sources and formation methods of the English system of Chinese medical terminology, and pointing out the defect. The author holds that study on the origin and development of TCM terms, standardization of Chinese medical terms in different layers, i.e. Chinese medical in classic, in commonly used modern TCM terms, and integrative medical texts, are prerequisites to the standardization of English translation of Chinese medical terms.

[The influence of Huang di nei jing (Huangdi's inner classic) on Shuo wen jie zi (the origin of Chinese characters)].

It is very likely that The Origin of Chinese Characters is influenced by Huang Di's Inner Classic after investigating the author of The Origin of Chinese Characters and identifying the publishing times of them. The following conclusions are reached through comparing and analyzing thinking modes, philosophical conception, and knowledge of human anatomy, disease and treatment in them: the knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) contained in The Origin of Chinese Characters is in direct line of succession with the Inner Classic; the universe and ecomedical thinking modes of "heaven-earth-human being" in The Origin of Chinese Characters and the Inner Classic respectively are cut from the same cloth; the theories of qi, yin-yang, and the five phases, the theoretical foundation of the Inner Classic, can be traced back to their sources through The Origin of Chinese Characters; The Origin of Chinese Characters traces back to characters' origin and original meanings through analyzing their structures, therefore, the book is important for us to study and read the Inner Classic, and to probe into the origin of TCM as well.

Expression of nuclear factor-kappaB and its inhibitor in alveolar macrophages of patients with neonatal hyaline membrane disease / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Inflammatory reaction and injury in immature lungs are associated with activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) to trigger proinflammatory cytokine release, but the mechanism thereof is not fully understood. The present study was conducted to understand possible relationship between expression of NF-kappaB and its inhibitor and severity and outcome of neonates with hyaline membrane disease (HMD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Serial samples of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were obtained during mechanical ventilation from 31 preterm infants with HMD. These infants were divided into two groups: survivors group [n = 22, birth weight (1500 +/- 320) g and gestational age (31.2 +/- 1.8) weeks] and nonsurvivors group [birth weight (1340 +/- 280) g, gestational age (30.8 +/- 2.1) weeks]. Nineteen preterm infants [birth weight (1470 +/- 280) g, gestational age (30.6 +/- 1.9) weeks] without respiratory disorders were enrolled as control subjects. Alveolar macrophages (AM) were isolated by differential adherence. AM was cultured and treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 1 hr. Then, nuclear extracts of AM were analyzed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) for NF-kappaB expression. NF-kappaB inhibitor (IkappaB-alpha protein) in cytoplasmic extracts was detected by using Western blotting and IL-1beta and IL-8 in BALF by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>NF-kappaB complexes were observed by EMSA, they were characterized by competition with cold oligonucleotide and p65-specific antibodies. The addition of an excess of cold oligonucleotide, corresponding to the NF-kappaB binding site, turned off the signal of the band, showing that the band was specific. An excess of an irrelevant oligonucleotide (corresponding to the SP-1) did not show any effect. The addition of an anti-p65 antibody caused the supershift of the two upper bands. After EMSA, the NF-kappaB complexes were quantified by using a ImageQuant software. NF-kappaB expression in AM at 24 hrs was higher in all the patients with HMD as compared with control subjects (survives/control, 34.1 vs 11.4 RDU, P < 0.01; nonsurvivors/control, 55.2 vs 11.4 RDU, P < 0.01). The NF-kappaB expression in AM at 72 hrs was higher than that in control subjects but not for nonsurvivors (survivors/control, 47.8 vs 25.6 RDU, P < 0.01; nonsurvivors/control, 21.8 vs 25.6, P > 0.05). The NF-kappaB expression in AM from nonsurvivors was depressed at 72 hrs as compared to 24 hrs (21.8 vs 55.2, P < 0.01), whereas the NF-kappaB expression in AM from survivors was still higher at 72 hrs than that at 24 hrs (47.8 vs 34.1, t = 4.43, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Altered NF-kappaB activation in AM of BALF of neonates with HMD was observed, and it may be mediated by decreased IkappaB synthesis, increased IkappaB degradation, or both. In HMD nonsurvivors NF-kappaB translocation was hampered upon LPS activation.</p>