Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Traditional medicine'

Infertility treatments are sought after by about one in every ten women in the United States. In vitro fertilization (IVF) and intra-uterine insemination (IUI) are both relatively expensive and time consuming fertility options for patients and yet still cannot guarantee pregnancy will be achieved. Incorporating acupuncture into an IVF cycle creates a sympathoinhibitory effects, decreases pulsatillity index, and promotes increased uterine artery blood flow and therefore increased endometrial thickness and increased likelihood of embryo implantation. Additionally, acupuncture normalizes hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis dysfunction. Incorporating Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) into an IVF cycle promotes estrogenic effects including uterine support through the luteal phase. Incorporating CHM into an IUI regimen helps to alleviate the anti-estrogenic effects of the follicle stimulating pharmaceuticals prescribed. In randomized trials, acupuncture and CHM significantly increased endometrial thickness measurements and CHM significantly increased pregnancy and live birth rates when used alongside IVF. Most patients have negative perceptions regarding traditional Chinese medicine and are therefore not receptive to using it or incorporating it into their fertility treatment plan. Because some positive effects and no negative effects have been found, physicians should continue to recommend these complementary approaches to their patients, provided the addition of TCM is financially feasible for the patient.

The use of traditional and complementary medicines (T&CMs) is both ubiquitous in low and middle income countries and highly contested in some sections of high income countries. Whilst T&CMs are promoted as an accessible and affordable health care system by high level health policy makers (for example, the Director General of the World Health Organization), their use is simultaneously indicted as a waste of resources, non-scientific, and unethical. The aim of this thesis is to provide a calm, considered and well researched view on a highly emotional topic: What is the nature of the ethical challenges for the use and practice of TCMs and how might they be addressed? The methodology chosen for the ambitious topic of this thesis is the Ethical Matrix as developed by Ben Mepham in the UK in the 1990s. It is founded upon a principlist approach to ethical analysis and has been used widely in decision-making for new technologies. It requires the consideration of interests of stakeholders including, but also beyond, human beings. For the purpose of this thesis four groups were selected: human users of T&CM, the environment, animals, and low and middle income countries (LMICs). Ethical analysis reveals that: • Most ethical concerns associated with T&CMs are related to safety issues for human users; • there are also serious concerns about the way in which animals are routinely harmed through use in T&CM products and T&CM research; • the production and use of some T&CMs does have damaging impacts upon the environment and, • the ethical challenges associated with the use of T&CM in LMICs are different from those in high income countries. Based on the analysis, the thesis provides clear steps to be taken to reduce the potential for harm from both adverse drug reactions and adverse events for humans as well as recommendations to reduce the harm to animals and the environment from use of T&CMs.

The project developed a web-based application that provides a user-friendly interface to assist practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine in determining the correct diagnosis. Traditional Chinese Medicine On-line Diagnosis System (TCMODS) allows a diagnostician to enter a patient's symptoms using a series of questionnaires to determine health status, which will then be stored in the database as part of the patient's medical records. The database will also differentiate among the patterns of syndromes known in traditional Chinese medicine and search and match these with the patient's data to the known uses of Chinese herbs. TCMODS will then generate that patient's medical record, including the symptoms of the ailment, the syndrome, and a prescription. User identification and access privileges were differentiated in order to maintain the integrity of the patient medical data and the information needed to make the diagnoses. The project was designed to function across platforms and was written using HTML, JSP, and MySQL.

The study examines the socio-demographic characteristics of Traditional Medical Practitioners in Ghana. Their attitudes towards collaboration with biomedical practitioners, their associations, and regulation is also discussed. Data for the study was obtained from a Survey of Traditional Medical Practitioners in Ghana.

In conclusion, the results obtained firstly indicated that the BP, EMEA and WHO were in fairly good agreement on the criteria and specifications that can be used to assesses the pharmaceutical quality of a traditional plant medicine such as Phela. Secondly, the Phela plant powders were found to have acceptable pharmaceutical properties that did not complicate or adversely affected the capsule manufacture. Thirdly, the Phela capsules produced were generally of acceptable pharmacopoeial standard. Fourthly, HPLC fingerprinting and pattern recognition analysis proved useful to examine the chemical stability of selected marker compounds of Phela and indicated that the capsules had no practical shelf life under elevated temperature and humid conditions. Overall, the Phela capsules should thus be suitable for use in a short time clinical trial, but for use in a long period trial the long term stability of the Phela capsules under ambient conditions must still be confirmed.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a medical system with a unique medical philosophy that continues to guide the contemporary turning out of new pharmaceutical formulae. The clinically-proved effective components of these formulae are being extracted by means of modern technology. Natural Chinese medicines account for approximately 30% of the global sales volume of all medicines, and the international market-size of the TCM industry is increasing rapidly. The TCM industry depends on the patent protection of the results of its R&D no less than does any other industry. However, the patent examination guidelines of many important jurisdictions are hostile to the granting of patents to TCM products and processes. This is partly attributable to the vast differences between the philosophies of TCM and Western medicine, and to the imperfect understanding in many jurisdictions (particularly where Western Medicine is dominant) of the former. To this considerable degree, patent law fails to accommodate the TCM industry. Consequently, the TCM inventor will be left open to the depredations of the ‘free-rider’ phenomenon, the circumstance in which the inventor loses the benefits of his invention, and his investment in it, to a purloiner. The research examines the compatibilities between patent law and TCM, and argues that patent policy shall be adjusted to better accommodate the characteristics of TCM. Other forms of IPR protection are also discussed in comparison with patent with the purpose of illustrating the significance of patent in protecting TCM inventions.
published_or_final_version
Law
Doctoral
Doctor of Philosophy

The most exciting area in current cancer research is immuno-oncology, which aims to develop immunotherapy that activates the human immune system to attack cancers. However, we still lack broadly effective drugs and drug targets for this promising new cancer treatment modality. In an attempt to seek new immuno-oncology drugs that particularly target the antitumor innate immunity, our lab had previously screened traditional Chinese herbal medicine and found that water extract from a medicinal plant, Alocasia Cucullata (AC), has strong anticancer activity in mouse solid tumor models and acts partly by promoting antitumor, proinflammatory macrophages. However, the active components responsible for this exciting immuno-oncology activity and the corresponding immune targets are unknown. Therefore, the aim of my PhD study is to develop chemical biology strategies to isolate and purify the active components of AC from the crude water extract and identify the corresponding cellular targets and mechanisms. Results from my study identified two separable activities and active components, one smaller than 3K and the other larger than 100K, which work synergistically to simulate antitumor macrophages. Further analysis revealed the >100K active component is a large polysaccharide that binds to multiple Toll-like Receptors (TLRs) critical for activating proinflammatory M1-type macrophages. Identity of the Nonetheless, I was able to clean up this fraction by 50 fold and perform RNAseq to examine the innate immune targets of this intriguing drug lead and found it acts to differentiate monocytes to macrophages. Overall my PhD thesis has explored new chemical biology strategies to purify and characterize active components from traditional Chinese medicine towards new drug development and developed a variety of cell-based immune activity assays for identifying and characterizing novel innate immune drug targets and mechanisms

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Masters in Counselling Psychology in the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2012.
The focus of this research is in the area of the role of traditional Zulu medicine on psychosis. Such a study is important in order to have an in-depth-understanding of how people of the African ancestry conceptualise and treat a mental disorder such as psychosis. The research approach adopted in in this dissertation includes qualitative content analysis. The findings of this research provide evidence that Traditional Zulu healers and a few community members view psychosis as a curable illness that is usually caused by bewitchment. This dissertation recommends that further in-depth investigation into how Africans tend to conceptualise the concept of a “mental disorder” be undertaken in in order for this group of people to be better understood by mental health care practitioners whose approach is predominantly western. This might benefit both parties.

Today we have many alternative medicines, not a few of which connect back to aboriginal cultures. Some of these alternative medicines were born under the influence of European imperialism, as they were not "alternative" until modern empires and modern medicine came to these distant regions. The present study begins with a broad question: how did conceptions of the relationship between modern Western medicine and traditional local non-Western medicine come to be? To explore the historical origins of these two conceptions, I focus herein on Japanese colonial Taiwan (1895–1945), where modern medicine became dominant while traditional medicine also flourished. My research finds that the historical realities of colonial Taiwan were not reflected in the progressive narrative of medicine. According to this narrative, modern medicine became dominant around the world while traditional medicines were swept into the ash heap of history because only modern medicine was the true, effective science of preventing, diagnosing, and treating physical ailments. The history of colonial Taiwan teaches us a much different lesson: practitioners of traditional medicine there were a significant part of the public health system during the colonial period. For example, they rallied against the plague in the late 19th century, diagnosing and treating patients when antibiotics had yet to be developed. Even so, the island witnessed an institutional medical shift, in which licensed practitioners of modern medicine deified modern medicine and denigrated traditional medicine, labeling the latter "primitive" and "non-medicine." In response, practitioners of traditional medicine produced new narratives aiming to challenge this colonial boundary between medicine and non-medicine. These practitioners' fundamental argument was that traditional medicine, though epistemologically different from modern medicine, was still legitimate medicine. From this effort, we now have the widely held belief today that both modern medicine and traditional medicine are legitimate, but distinct, medicines. This historical outcome of colonial resistance occurred worldwide. In my study, I identify the social, political, and colonial contexts of medical resistance in Japanese Taiwan, revealing their roots in issues related to inequality, distrust, economic affordability, and conceptions of body and health care.
Doctor of Philosophy
In this study, I explore conceptions of modern and traditional medicine through a historical lens, and break down two related myths: the first myth is the progressive narrative of modern medicine, which holds that modern medicine became dominant because of its medical superiority; and the second myth is the narrative held by extremist supporters of traditional medicine, who insist that only millennia-old traditional medicine can resolve human ailments without giving rise to untoward side effects and exorbitant costs. I show that, in the case of Japanese colonial Taiwan (1895–1945), both modern and traditional medicine flourished. The history of colonial Taiwan shows us that modern medicine on the island became dominant for two main reasons: first, the public health system successfully dealt with epidemics, which were the most significant threat to life at that time; and second, the colonial government recognized only modern medicine and labeled traditional medicine a non-medicine despite relying on its practitioners in the pre-antibiotic age. The history of colonial Taiwan also shows us that traditional medicine is not "old wisdom" unchanged for thousands of years. Beginning in the 19th century, practitioners of Taiwanese traditional medicine re-constituted it for colonial consumption, arguing that traditional medicine was also true medicine, though epistemologically distinct from modern medicine. This conception of traditional medicine has since informed many current views of traditional medicine. In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the eleventh revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), which, for the first time, featured a chapter on traditional Chinese medicine covering such topics as diagnostic techniques for Qi, blood, and fluid disorders. This inclusion of traditional medicine into the ICD-11 is a major step forward in this process of medical integration and may help resolve the historical confrontation between modern and traditional medicine. However, the WHO decision limits recognition of traditional medicine to Chinese medicine, excluding all other kinds of traditional medicine. Thus, the historical question of whether or not traditional medicine is a true medicine remains ultimately unanswered.

In the United States alone, there were 25.8 million people suffering from diabetes in 2010. The prevalence of diabetes is expected to markedly increase worldwide over the next 30 years, an estimated 2.8% in 2000 and 4.4% in 2030. For individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), treatment is essential to control adverse effects such as hypertension and diabetic neuropathy. The focus of this study is to examine various approaches to maintain and improve the lifestyle of individuals suffering from T2DM. A comparative approach has been used to evaluate the differences in the treatment of T2DM with the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine. In Western society, pharmaceuticals are commonly used as a treatment method to manage hyperglycemia, along with life-style modifications. Furthermore, TCM views the human body and its functioning in a holistic way, stating that no single body part or symptom can be understood apart from its relation to a whole. Herbal medications and other treatments in TCM are targeted to treat underlying medical complaints that resulted in symptoms, instead of treating one specific manifestation. Data collection has been gathered through Qualitative over the phone interviews with patients suffering from T2DM, as well as TCM physicians. Interviews were conducted on patients that were diagnosed with T2DM (fasting plasma glucose levels of 126 or greater and HbAlc levels [greater than] 8%), and had continued treatment longer than three months prior to interviews. Collection of chart notes containing glucose levels, levels of pain, lifestyle changes, and vital signs were also used. A total of 21 patients from a family practice were interviewed, answering 23 constructed questions based on treatment of choice (TCM or western) and their personal input on treatment satisfaction. Patients varied in age, ethnicities, and gender, ranging from 39-70 years of age. Two traditional Chinese medicine physicians were also interviewed. Interviews with TCM physicians elaborated on course of treatment and steps taken to diagnose T2DM. Furthermore, prescription medications were also charted and documented to further analyze with secondary data. Upon completing the interviews, the data stated 21 patients (total population questioned) had not experienced alternative medicine and were exposed only to western medicine as treatment. A major concern for most patients were the pharmaceutical side effects, and 85.1% of patients stated they would be interested in an alternative treatment. Due to insufficient sources and knowledge on TCM treatment, 14.2% of patients stated they were satisfied with their western medicine treatment of choice and would not change treatment. The research's objective was to evaluate the differences in treatment of T2DM. Data collected supported the objective and showed the lack of sources to alternative treatments aside from western medicine. The researcher informed and educated interviewees about literature review on traditional Chinese medicine about alternative treatments available to treat T2DM.
B.S.
Bachelors
Helath Professions
Health and Public Affairs
Health Science Pre-Clinical

This is a short introduction that reports the Chinese Government launched a special project on modernization and industrilization of TCM in 1999 in an effort to promote traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the global market.

碩士
國立中正大學
資訊工程研究所
104
Syndrome differentiation and treatment is a special way develped for the diagnosis and therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In syndrome differentiation, the physician first collects the symptoms and signs of patients through four examinations: inspection, listening and smelling, inquiry, and palpation. According to the collected symptoms and signs, the physician then analyzes the cause, location, and mechanism of the disease of patients. In syndrome treatment, the physician gives the proper treatment and herbal medicinals based on the results of syndrome differentiation. Chinese herbal formula study concerns the therapeutic principles of syndrome treatment and the combination of herbal medicinals. A formula consists of one or multiple herbal medicinals conforming to the therapeutic principles of syndrome treatment. The herbal medicinals in a formula may play one of four different roles: sovereign medicinals, minister medicinals, assistant medicinals and courier medicinals. These herbal medicinals perfectly combines to achieve the benefits of syndrome treatment. The combination of herbal medicinals conforming to the therapeutic principles of syndrome treatment forms an extremely complex system. This thesis applies the ontology technique and the multi-objective optimization technique to develop a medicinal combination system for TCM. This system includes a TCM herb medicinal ontology, a herb medicinal thesaurus and a herb medicinal combination module. This thesis studies the standardization of herb medicinal names and their therapeutic effect terms. This thesis uses an ontology development tool to construct a TCM herb medicinal ontology for these standardized herb medicinal names and their therapeutic effect terms. This thesis also develops a herb medicinal thesaurus to facilitate the mapping of any herb medicinal names and therapeutic effect terms to the standardized herb medicinal names and therapeutic effect terms. This thesis applies the multi-objective optimization technique to develop a herb medicinal combination module. This thesis also performs a preliminary evalation on this module based on 28 formulas for spleen qi deficiency syndrome or spleen yang deficiency syndrome. The result of this preliminary evalation is quite encouraging and demonstrates the importance and feasibility of the medicinal combination systems for TCM.

碩士
中山醫學大學
醫學社會暨社會工作學系碩士班
101
Traditional Chinese medicine used to be the main form of medical treatment in Taiwan, especially during the Japanese colonial period (1895-1945). Modernization and scientific methodology form the values and ideology of modern medicine and have affected patient behavior in terms of seeking medical care. The aims of this study are to analyze the contents of the Taiwan Medical Journal from 1958 to 2012 and from a social constructionist perspective and based on van Gorp’s framing package approach to explore how frameworks of modernization and scientific value are represented in the discourse. The results show that Taiwanese mainstream medicine is framed as follows: Taiwanese mainstream medicine has moved along the scientific and westernized path. Medical education institutions and the health insurance system in Taiwan strongly promote Western medicine as a symbol of modernity and Taiwanese mainstream medicine. Meanwhile, traditional Chinese medicine has mostly been excluded from the medical market.

碩士
國立中正大學
資訊工程研究所
105
Our research team had developed an ontology-based medicinal combination system for traditional Chinese medicine. Based on the combination principles of sovereign, minister, assistant, and courier medicinals, this system can automatically recommend the most effective medicinals given a medicinal effect. This system contained only 35 medicinals, 28 formulas, and 65 standardized medicinal effects for qi deficiency syndrome. The standardization of medicinal effects in that system was based on the original descriptions of medicinal effects in the reference books and didn’t take into account the qi, flavor and meridian entry of medicinals. This system had developed a mandatory multiple medicinal effect combination algorithm. This system recommended medicinals following the order of sovereign, minister, assistant, and courier medicinals. Given a medicinal effect, this system will mandatorily take the medicinal effects of formerly recommended medicinals into account and use a multi-objective optimization algorithm to compute the most effective medicinals. Based on the formal system, this thesis makes the following three expansions. First, this thesis extends the system to contain 155 medicinals and 112 formulas for various deficiency syndromes. Second, this thesis extends the standardization of medicinal effects to take into account the qi, flavor and meridian entry of medicinals, and contains 221 standardized medicinal effects. Third, this thesis also develops a flexible multiple medicinal effect combination algorithm. The user can assign arbitrary number of medicinal effects and use a multi-objective optimization algorithm to compute the most effective medicinals. A preliminary experience on these 112 formulas confirms that the flexibility of this combination algorithm is significantly better and the precision of recommending the most effective medicinals is significantly higher.

The growing Thai community in Eastern Massachusetts has an unofficial ethnic enclave that surrounds the neighborhood of Allston/Brighton. Studies of Thai communities in the United States indicate that Thai-Americans have limited access to quality health care in the United States due to factors that contribute to health disparities such as language barriers and cultural beliefs. As a result, Thai people have different approaches to how they treat illnesses through traditional Thai medicine (TTM), Western medicine (also called biomedicine), or a mixture of both medical systems. This study examines healthways Thai/Thai Americans in Eastern Massachusetts draw on in response to different illnesses. In-depth stories of how this community engages in illness prevention and responses to the experiences of illness illuminated by Thai people’s approaches to different medical systems helps us understand how they present their values when seeking medical care. I argue that responses to various illness episodes experienced by members of the Thai community in Eastern Massachusetts influence perceived health and health-seeking behaviors. Factors that contribute to Thai-American health practices include: religion, sociocultural elements (cultural identity, generational differences, cross-cultural differences, structural violence), and Thai constructs of illness and well-being.

碩士
國立中正大學
資訊工程研究所
106
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has developed more than 2000 years. The terms for description of medicinal effects exist high diversity. To promote applying information technology to TCM, our research team has initiated the standardization of TCM herbs and medicinal effects of TCM herbs. Our research team has also constructed a medicinal ontology and a medicinal thesaurus for TCM. The medicinal ontology and medicinal thesaurus for TCM are the infrastructure of applying information technology to TCM. This thesis extends our previous work, which includes 221 medicinal effects, 155 herbs, and 112 formulas, to 228 medicinal effects, 232 herbs, and 206 formulas. The increased 6 medicinal effects, 77 herbs, and 94 formulas are associated with excess syndromes in TCM. Using the medicinal combination system developed by our research team to combine these 94 new formulas, except for one herb in one formula, all herbs in 94 formulas are correctly recommended as the herb with the best effects. The failed formula is mainly for health care. Hence, food herbs with less effects rather than therapeutic herbs with better effects are adopted in that formula. In addition, this thesis also extends the query and maintenance functionalities of the medicinal ontology and medicinal thesaurus.

碩士
國立中山大學
資訊工程學系研究所
104
The diagnosis of Traditional Chinese Medicine methods is generally based on four standard but not validated approaches, inquiry, smelling/listening, observation, and palpation. During the process of observation, the diagnosis of the tongue is one of the crucial diagnosing steps. In the past, traditional Chinese medicine tongue diagnosis based on the experience, diagnostic techniques, color perception and experience of dialectical subjective clinical judgment. Different doctors may come to drastically different judgments on the same tongue presentation with little overlap. Moreover, TCM distinguish patient health based on eight principles dialectics which can’t clearly diagnose a single disease. In clinical research of specific diseases is a lack of objective TCM indices. Nowadays computer science is very flourishing, Chinese medicine tongue diagnosis has been combined with modern science. Automatic Tongue Diagnosis System has come up with an assisting system with standardized judging procedures by scientific methods in order to help doctors diagnose in a scientific and systematic way to boost the consistency and reliability of diagnosing, as well as to help find disease and give therapy at the first moment. Traditional Chinese Medicine Tongue diagnosis by smartphone is generated based on ATDS and ATDS cloud. We developed the TCM Tongue diagnosis by smartphone and combine cloud analysis with smartphone. Cloud analysis use Model View Controller (MVC) as infrastructure. MVC Web API link multiple devices with the environments. Therefore, system can be used on multiple platforms. Cloud analysis can reduce the cost of computing resources and save the analysis data in cloud database. TCM by smartphone can enhance the universality of TCM inspection and convenience.

碩士
國立中正大學
資訊工程研究所
102
The book Syndromatology of Traditional Chinese Medicine is a monumental work that collects and organizes ancient and modern literatures on the theory and practice of clinical diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine. This book categorizes diseases into 15 syndrome divisions according to the causes of diseases. Based on the properties of the causes of diseases, these 15 syndrome divisions are further divided into 45 syndrome subdivisions. These 45 syndrome subdivisions are then divided into 281 syndrome classes according to locations of diseases. Finally, these 281 syndrome classes are divided into 2344 syndromes according to mechanisms of diseases. Since the system of syndrome differentiation is huge and complex, it is very difficult for doctors to master it. We wish to utilize the huge memorizing capability and the speedy analyzing capability of computers to develop an automatic syndrome differentiation system to provide a platform for the research of the system of syndrome differentiation. This thesis develops an automatic deficiency syndrome differentiation system according to the symptom information in the system of deficiency syndrome differentiation in Syndromatology of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This system consists of five parts: visceral syndrome differentiation, syndrome division differentiation, syndrome subdivision differentiation, syndrome class differentiation, and syndrome differentiation to gradually differentiate the causes, locations, and mechanisms of diseases. This thesis uses two different syndrome differentiation approaches: plain syndrome differentiation and weighted syndrome differentiation. In plain syndrome differentiation, every symptom in syndrome has the same weight. This implies the probability of occurrence of every symptom is the same. Experiments shows that the syndrome differentiation rate in plain syndrome differentiation is very low in many situations. In weighted syndrome differentiation, every symptom in syndrome has a (maybe different) weight that depends on the probability of occurrence of this symptom. Experiments shows that the syndrome differentiation rate in weighted syndrome differentiation is raised in most situations and alleviates the problem of the low syndrome differentiation rate in plain syndrome differentiation.

碩士
國立中正大學
資訊工程研究所
102
Through the evolution of Traditional Chinese medicine for a long period of time, a special approach, called syndrome differentiation and treatment, for the diagnosis and therapy of diseases is developed. In syndrome differentiation, the doctors first analyze and differentiate properties of diseases, called syndromes, including causes, locations, and mechanisms of diseases, based on the symptoms collected from four examinations: inspection, listening and smelling, inquiry, and palpation. In syndrome treatment, the doctors then determine the principles of treatment according to differentiated syndromes. Since the system of syndrome differentiation is very huge and complex, we plan to utilize the huge memorizing capability and the speedy analyzing capability of computers to develop an automatic syndrome differentiation system to provide a platform for the research of the system of syndrome differentiation. However, during the evolution of traditional Chinese medicine, there exist various symptom terminologies and descriptions in books and literatures due to different backgrounds, climates, factions, habits, etc. The lack of standardization of symptom terminologies and descriptions makes it difficult to achieve precise analysis and differentiation of syndromes in an automatic syndrome differentiation system. Hence, we first develop a traditional Chinese medicine symptom thesaurus to solve the lack of standardization of symptom terminologies and descriptions. This symptom thesaurus can provide an infrastructure for an automatic syndrome differentiation system in the future. In this symptom thesaurus, we develop symptom ontology for traditional Chinese medicine. In this symptom ontology, we define standard symptoms, and establish the relationships between symptoms and symptom objects, and the relationships between symptoms and symptom properties so that each standard symptom represents a basic symptom and each basic symptom is represented by a unique standard symptom. However, symptom ontology must go through applications and modifications for a long period of time in order to gradually become correct and complete. By utilizing this symptom ontology, other traditional Chinese medicine information systems may perform analysis, inference and management in a more systematic way.

碩士
銘傳大學
生物科技學系碩士班
106
Regarding to the study of Chinese acupuncture technique, it was passed on traditionally by oral or classic texts. There is not any quantitative indicator for needling technique, which is adverse to modernization of acupuncture. Acusensor2TM, developed by American company called STROMATEC, could quantify the acupuncture techniques of vertical displacement, rotation displacement, vertical force and torque in the time domain. According to the needling information that recorded by Acusensor 2TM, we would like to determine the effect of practical teaching in the use of Acusensor 2TM for Chinese acupuncture technique “Dragon and Tiger warring” of "twisting-rotating" and "lifting and thrusting" methods. Three different ways of studying was designed, including classic texts, teaching slides, and Acusensor2TMchromatography. Furthermore, numbers of evaluation index for needling technique were set up, including, twisting, depth, strength, etc. These indexes were used to explore the status of learning. During the research, total of 64 subjects were enrolled, which were randomly divided into 3 groups.Group 1 and group 2 used the classic texts and teaching slides to learn the needling technique, respectively.Analysis the difference between experiment group 1 and group 2 with non-paired t-test, concluded there were no deference between two experiment groups. In that case, group 1 and 2 were combined as one single experiment group (group 1+2). Furthermore, the group 1+2 and group 3 use the Acusensor2TM chromatography to learn the needling technique at week 1 and week 2, respectively. According to the success rate after each test point, teaching based on Acusensor2TM chromatography was more conductive to learning needling. On the other hand, we analyze each evaluation index as an independent factor. Concluded that teaching three needling technique including, (1) three laver of "twisting-rotating" methods, (2) twisting-rotating of "twisting-rotating" methods and (3) needling sensation of "lifting and thrusting" method were more conductive to subjects of learning. As the result of the research, Acusensor2TMis a fast and accurate instrument for subjects to study Chinese acupuncture technique, which is especially helpful upon waveform of leaning pattern. Subjects will be more aware of needling process, which achieves the purpose of improvement of studying.

博士
國立陽明大學
公共衛生研究所
104
Background: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an important part of the medical system in Taiwan. The National Health Insurance (NHI) program, which was established in 1995, has covered ambulatory visits of TCM since 1996. All the registration files and claims data are collected in the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) by the National Health Research Institute (NHRI). TCM utilization has been discussed in several articles, but the trends of TCM utilization have seldom been explored. In particular, no study has investigated the trend of TCM utilization among the whole population over three cohorts. TCM utilization by the whole population can provide a much more extensive picture of TCM utilization. The patterns of TCM prescriptions for several diseases have been explored by many scholars, but the seasonality of prescriptions for upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) in TCM has not been researched so far. Understanding of the association between the seasonality of and prescriptions for URIs is important in planning optimal treatment strategies in TCM and constructing predictive models to guide public health care for URIs. The objectives of this dissertation are to investigate the trends of TCM utilization from 2000 to 2010, and to explore the seasonal variation of prescriptions for the three most common types of URIs and the three categories of common URI symptoms from the viewpoint of TCM theories. Method: This study was a cross-sectional analysis of TCM utilization over time. First, the mean TCM visits were compared among three cohorts of 2000, 2005, and 2010. The nearly one million randomly sampled representative beneficiaries in each cohort of 2000, 2005, and 2010 were derived from NHIRD for this research. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to evaluate the relative relationship in categorical variables correlating to TCM users. The percentage change (% change) in mean TCM visits between 2000 and 2005 (2010) was used to evaluate the trends of TCM utilization during the period. Second, 1,000,000 randomly sampled beneficiaries were derived from the NHIRD in 2005. Primary diagnoses including International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes 460–465 and 487 were regarded as URIs, for which 160,357 TCM prescriptions were analyzed. The adjusted odds ratios (AOR) of prescription frequency in three categories of Chinese herbal formulae (CHF) used to treat the three most common types of URIs and three categories of CHF used to alleviate three major URI symptoms throughout the four seasons were estimated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Prescription frequencies were defined as numbers of CHF for a certain syndrome type of URI or number of CHF for certain URI symptoms divided by the number of total prescriptions in one season. Result: The ratio of TCM users increased throughout the three cohorts of 2000, 2005, and 2010. The ratio of TCM users among women was more than that among men in all three cohorts of 2000, 2005, and 2010 (AOR=1.47; 1.52; 1.62). The mean TCM visits increased gradually from 2000 to 2010. The % change in mean TCM visits among women was also more than that among men. The group aged < 20 years had the least % change in mean TCM visits; the group aged 20-34 years had the largest % change, and the high SES group had the least % change in mean TCM visits. The high SES group had the largest % change in mean visits to TCM from 2000 to 2010, while the other SES had the least % change. The Taipei region had the largest % change of mean TCM visits from 2000 to 2010; therefore, the central region had the least % change of mean TCM visits. Neoplasms had the greatest increase in % change in mean TCM visits among all disease categories; in contrast, diseases of the respiratory system had the greatest decreased % change in mean TCM visits. The AOR of prescription frequency for pungent–cool CHF used to relieve external syndromes was highest in the summer (AOR = 1.07) and lowest in winter (AOR=0.92). The AOR of prescription frequency for pungent–warm CHF used to relieve external syndromes was highest in the winter (AOR = 1.14) and lowest in summer (AOR=0.95). The AOR of prescription frequency for CHF eliminating summer-heat and dampness was highest in summer (AOR=1.34). The AOR of prescription frequency for CHF used to alleviate coughing and reduce sputum production was highest in the spring (AOR = 1.00). The AOR of prescription frequency for CHF used to alleviate nasal discharge and congestion was highest in the winter (AOR = 1.19). The AOR of prescription frequency for CHF used to alleviate headaches and dizziness was highest in the autumn and spring (AOR = 1.00). Conclusion: Both mean TCM visits and ratio of TCM users increased gradually from 2000 to 2005 and further to 2010. The increased trend of TCM utilization slowed from 2005 to 2010 compared to 2000 to 2005. From 2000 to 2010, women had higher TCM utilization than men during the study period. This disparity between gender in TCM utilization is likely to continue in the future. The group with high SES had more TCM utilization than before. The Taipei region had the greatest increase of % change in mean TCM visits; while the Central region had the least increase of % change in mean visits but the largest mean TCM visits. Among all disease categories explored in this study, the diseases of the respiratory system had the highest mean TCM visits in 2000 and the highest decreased % change from 2000 to 2010. In contrast, neoplasms had the highest increased % change in mean TCM visits from 2000 to 2010. CHF for wind-heat URIs and summer-heat and dampness URIs were prescribed most frequently in the summer, and CHF for wind-cold URIs were prescribed most frequently in the winter. This result might indicate that these were seasonal variations of CHF for the three most common syndrome types of URIs, and those are consistent with basic TCM theories. Besides, CHF used to alleviate cough and sputum production were prescribed most frequently in the spring, CHF to alleviate nasal discharge and congestion prevail in the winter, and CHF to alleviate headaches and dizziness were prescribed most frequently in the autumn and winter, which indicated that the occurrence of prescriptions for the three categories of major URI symptoms also exhibited seasonal variations. Clinical or policy Implications: The results of trends of medical utilization in TCM from 2000 to 2010 in this study may serve as a reference for improving the preparedness of medical service by medical providers and formulation of health policies by government. Finally, the picture of TCM utilization needed by different kinds of cancer patients deserves investigation in future research because of the high % change of trends in TCM utilization from 2000 to 2010. The findings of seasonal variations of prescriptions for URIs in this study not only verified the basic TCM theories pertaining to the six natural climatic factors that cause URIs throughout the four seasons, but also can serve as a reference for the preparation of preventive strategies against URIs and the treatment for URIs in clinical practice of TCM. Furthermore, comprehension of seasonality of prescriptions for URIs will provide clinicians of TCM the reference prescription for URIs and possibly give TCM a more important role in the whole health care system in Taiwan. 　 Keywords: traditional Chinese medicine, seasonal variation, upper respiratory tract infection, Chinese herbal formula, National Health Insurance, utilization of traditional Chinese medicine, disease category

碩士
佛光大學
生命學研究所
97
Abstract So far, the domestic response to the male climacteric-related literature and research papers has always been good at all, but still lack of more recent research-oriented report. In this study, in accordance with modern medicine, traditional medicine and social psychology of three phases through the content analysis method and purposive sampling that will be shown complete information. On “Climacteric” also known as the second puberty, the life it belongs to stop the inevitable. As the twenty-first century the development of medicine of men, part of the aging male androgen deficiency, gradually has been recognized and valued. How to make a smooth male climacteric school through a major research topic is required. In this study, a total of 28 respondents, male, age 45 to 60, by the results of the questionnaire analysis, showed that low testosterone disease the possibility of self-detection rate 45-49 years old, 50-54 years old, 55-60 years old, were 43%, 33% and 58%. Male climacteric the possibility of self-assessment ratio of 45-49 years old, 50-54 years old, 55-60 years old, respectively, were 43%, 44% and 58%. Show that the lower testosterone deficiency and self-assessment of male climacteric are increasing with the age increased. Moreover, after the 55-year-old male of their lower testosterone deficiency and the self-assessment of low testosterone ratio is significantly greater than the previous 55-year-old male. The ancient Chinese medicine book The Inner Canon of Huangdi (Internal medicine by Emperor Huang) says: "The husband of 56 years old if liver failure causing deterioration of tendon. Tiangui dried up, means fewer sperm and kidney failure, bones density depression, temples covered with white hair, body weight lost, steps unbalanced, and no offsprings." These happen coincide with our study. Hope that through this study can be available to the government, experts and scholars for the future of middle-aged and older men to make some contribution to health.

銀屑病是一種慢性炎症性皮膚病，其發病率約佔全球1-3%的人口。銀屑病的病理特徵包括角質細胞增殖和分化異常，同時伴隨炎症反應，白細胞聚集於真皮和表皮以及血管擴張。證據顯示角質細胞能參與及延續免疫反應，以達致維持或促進該病的作用。研究亦建議角質細胞減少凋亡是引致銀屑病的一個特定現象；因此，長期以來誘導角質細胞凋亡就被用作為治療銀屑病的一種有效策略。
根據銀屑病的嚴重程度，治療方法可分為三級：外用藥物主要用於比較輕微的病患，而光療適合中等程度的病患；對於嚴重病例則可使用系統性治療或生物製劑。基於大約75%的銀屑病患者屬於輕微至中度病患，外用藥物是目前應用最為廣泛的治療方法。在中國銀屑病治療的歷史中曾經使用過中草藥，研究亦表明，其治療機制可能通過抑制角質細胞增殖和誘導角質細胞凋亡。比較研究也指出，傳統中藥比西藥的副作用相對較少，及具有較長的舒緩期和較低的復發率。
我們先前的研究發現，茜草根提取物能夠抑制一個和銀屑病相關的HaCaT角質細胞增殖。本研究證實，茜草根的乙酸乙酯提取物（EA）能誘導HaCaT細胞凋亡，其抑制角質細胞增殖的作用比茜草根的乙醇提取物（EE）更為有效，並可和一個流行於歐洲國家的重要外用銀屑病治療藥地蒽酚相比。另外，透過不同的檢測，包括形態學觀察，細胞凋亡雙染（磷脂結合蛋白V-碘化丙啶）分析，細胞週期分析，去氧核醣核酸斷裂測試，原位末端轉移酶標記技術，免疫熒光染色以及西方墨點法，我們發現一種在茜草中的化合物，1,4-二羥基-2-萘甲酸（DHNA）能通過死亡受體介導，線粒體介導或不依賴胱天蛋白酶的途徑導致HaCaT細胞凋亡。同時，在其中一種銀屑病動物模型，小鼠鼠尾鱗片表皮上的初步研究顯示DHNA亦可誘導角質細胞分化。此外，在細胞水平（存活率，釋放白细胞介素-1α）和動物上（Draize動物皮膚刺激性試驗）的實驗結果表明DHNA比地蒽酚的刺激性較小。
總括而言，本研究透過人類皮膚細胞和動物實驗說明EA和DHNA的細胞凋亡機制，以及DHNA對皮膚的潛在刺激性。這些結果顯示EA和DHNA有潛能發展成為安全及能有效治療銀屑病的替代藥物。EA和DHNA可在一個連續療程中結合使用，其中EA藥效媲美地蒽酚，應能迅速清除銀屑病皮損；而DHNA比地蒽酚的刺激性小，則比較適合應用在這個連續療程中後來的維護保養階段
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that affects approximately 1-3% of the population worldwide. It is characterized by epidermal hyperplasia or abnormal differentiation, infiltration of leucocytes into the dermis and epidermis, dilation of blood vessels in dermis and inflammation. Evidence indicates keratinocytes contributed to the disease, and keratinocytes also participate in maintaining the chronically perpetuating immune response that sustains psoriasis. Decrease in keratinocytes apoptosis is suggested to be a specific pathogenic phenomenon, and induction of keratinocytes apoptosis have long been considered as an effective anti-psoriatic strategy.
Treatment of psoriasis is based on disease severity. Topical agents are predominantly for mild conditions; phototherapy for moderate conditions and systemic treatment or biological agents for severe cases. Topical treatment remains the most widely used method as an estimated 75% of psoriatic patients have mild to moderate disease. Chinese herbs have been used for the treatment of psoriasis in China, and studies showed their mechanism on treating psoriasis may through inhibition of keratinocyte proliferation and induction of apoptosis. Comparison studies also show that traditional Chinese medicine has relatively fewer side effects than western therapeutic agents, with a longer remission time and lower recurrence rate.
The extract of the root of Rubia cordifolia L. (Rubiae Radix et Rhizoma) was previously found to inhibit keratinocyte proliferation using a psoriasis-relevant HaCaT cells model. In this study, the ethyl acetate extract of the root of Rubia cordifolia L. (EA) was confirmed to induce apoptosis on HaCaT cell, and the antiproliferative effect of EA is more potent than the ethanol extract of the herb (EE) and is comparable to dithranol, an important and popular topical treatment for psoriasis among Europe countries. Besides, we identified one of the components in Rubia cordifolia L., 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (DHNA), could induce HaCaT keratinocyte apoptosis through the death receptor and mitochondria mediated pathway as well as in a caspase independent manner using various assays such as morphological examination, annexin V-PI staining, cell cycle analysis, DNA fragmentation, TUNEL assay, immunofluorescence staining and Western blot analysis. Moreover, DHNA was found to induce keratinocyte differentiation in a preliminary study using the in vivo mouse tail model of psoriasis. Furthermore, results from in vitro (cell viability, IL-1α release) and in vivo (Draize animal skin irritation test) experiments suggested DHNA have less irritation problems than dithranol.
In summary, this study describes the apoptotic mechanism of EA and DHNA, as well as the irritation potential of DHNA using different human skin cells and animal model. These results suggest EA and DHNA have the potential to develop as safe and effective therapeutic alternative for the treatment of psoriasis. EA and DHNA can be used together in a sequential therapy, in which EA is effective in rapid clearing of psoriatic lesions as its potency is comparable to dithranol; whereas DHNA is better suited for the later maintenance therapy for its milder irritation effect compared with dithranol.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Mok, Chong Fai.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 164-183).
Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.
Abstract also in Chinese.
Abstract (English version) --- p.iv
Abstract (Chinese version) --- p.vi
List of Publication and Presentation --- p.viii
Acknowledgements --- p.ix
Table of Contents --- p.x
List of Tables --- p.xvi
List of Figures --- p.xvii
List of Abbreviations --- p.xx
Chapter Chapter 1: --- Introduction --- p.1
Chapter 1.1. --- Psoriasis --- p.1
Chapter 1.1.1. --- Histological features --- p.2
Chapter 1.1.2. --- Role of keratinocytes in psoriasis --- p.4
Chapter 1.1.3. --- Decrease in skin cell apoptosis --- p.8
Chapter 1.2. --- Treatment of psoriasis --- p.9
Chapter 1.2.1. --- Conventional treatment --- p.9
Chapter 1.2.1.1. --- Mild disease --- p.10
Chapter 1.2.1.1.1. --- Corticosteroids --- p.10
Chapter 1.2.1.1.2. --- Vitamin D₃ analogs --- p.11
Chapter 1.2.1.1.3. --- Tazarotene --- p.11
Chapter 1.2.1.1.4. --- Anthralin --- p.12
Chapter 1.2.1.1.5. --- Coal tar --- p.12
Chapter 1.2.1.2. --- Moderate disease --- p.12
Chapter 1.2.1.2.1. --- Phototherapy --- p.12
Chapter 1.2.1.3. --- Severe disease --- p.13
Chapter 1.2.1.3.1. --- Retinoids --- p.13
Chapter 1.2.1.3.2. --- Methotrexate --- p.14
Chapter 1.2.1.3.3. --- Cyclosporine --- p.14
Chapter 1.2.1.3.4. --- Fumaric acid --- p.15
Chapter 1.2.1.3.5. --- Biological agents --- p.15
Chapter 1.2.2. --- Alternative treatment --- p.16
Chapter 1.2.2.1. --- Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) --- p.17
Chapter 1.3. --- Aims and objectives of the present study --- p.19
Chapter Chapter 2: --- Apoptotic Action of Ethyl Acetate Fraction of the Root of Rubia cordifolia L. (Rubiae Radix et Rhizoma) on HaCaT Human Keratinocytes --- p.21
Chapter 2.1. --- Introduction --- p.21
Chapter 2.1.1. --- Rubia cordifolia L. --- p.21
Chapter 2.1.2. --- Apoptosis --- p.22
Chapter 2.1.3. --- Study objectives --- p.28
Chapter 2.2. --- Materials and Methods --- p.30
Chapter 2.2.1. --- Sources of medicinal materials --- p.30
Chapter 2.2.2. --- Preparation of extracts --- p.30
Chapter 2.2.3. --- Reagents --- p.31
Chapter 2.2.4. --- Cell culture --- p.31
Chapter 2.2.5. --- Proliferation assay --- p.32
Chapter 2.2.6. --- Fluorescent staining for morphological evaluation --- p.33
Chapter 2.2.7. --- Annexin V/propidium iodide staining --- p.33
Chapter 2.2.8. --- JC-1 staining --- p.34
Chapter 2.2.9. --- Statistical analysis --- p.35
Chapter 2.3. --- Results --- p.36
Chapter 2.3.1. --- EA inhibits proliferation of human epidermal HaCaT keratinocytes --- p.36
Chapter 2.3.2. --- Alteration of cellular morphology --- p.39
Chapter 2.3.3. --- EA increases phosphatidylserine externalization in HaCaT cells --- p.41
Chapter 2.3.4. --- EA decreases MMP --- p.45
Chapter 2.4. --- Discussion --- p.47
Chapter Chapter 3: --- Identification of Pure Compound for Possible Apoptotic Action on HaCaT Human Keratinocytes and Detailed Mechanistic Study --- p.51
Chapter 3.1. --- Introduction --- p.51
Chapter 3.1.1. --- Anthraquinone --- p.51
Chapter 3.1.2. --- Study objectives --- p.52
Chapter 3.2. --- Materials and Methods --- p.54
Chapter 3.2.1. --- Reagents --- p.54
Chapter 3.2.2. --- Cell culture --- p.54
Chapter 3.2.3. --- Proliferation assay --- p.55
Chapter 3.2.4. --- Fluorescent staining for morphological evaluation --- p.56
Chapter 3.2.5. --- Annexin V/propidium iodide staining --- p.56
Chapter 3.2.6. --- JC-1 staining --- p.56
Chapter 3.2.7. --- Cell cycle analysis --- p.56
Chapter 3.2.8. --- Detection of DNA fragmentation --- p.57
Chapter 3.2.9. --- Terminal Deoxynucleotidyltransferase-Mediated dUTP Nick End Labeling (TUNEL) assay --- p.57
Chapter 3.2.10. --- Western blot analysis --- p.58
Chapter 3.2.11. --- Immunofluorescence staining --- p.59
Chapter 3.2.12. --- Statistical analysis --- p.60
Chapter 3.3. --- Results --- p.61
Chapter 3.3.1. --- DHNA inhibits proliferation of human epidermal HaCaT Keratinocytes --- p.61
Chapter 3.3.2. --- Alteration of cellular morphology --- p.70
Chapter 3.3.3. --- DHNA increases phosphatidylserine externalization in HaCaT cells --- p.72
Chapter 3.3.4. --- DHNA decreases MMP --- p.76
Chapter 3.3.5. --- DHNA causes G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in HaCaT cells --- p.78
Chapter 3.3.6. --- DHNA increases DNA fragmentation --- p.81
Chapter 3.3.7. --- DHNA increases TUNEL positive cells in HaCaT cells --- p.83
Chapter 3.3.8. --- Western blot analysis --- p.85
Chapter 3.3.9. --- DHNA induced Fas aggregation in HaCaT cells --- p.88
Chapter 3.3.10. --- Caspase inhibition assay --- p.90
Chapter 3.3.11. --- DHNA induced caspase independent apoptosis in HaCaT cells --- p.93
Chapter 3.3.12. --- Effects of DHNA on MAPK in HaCaT cells --- p.96
Chapter 3.3.13. --- MAPK inhibition assay --- p.100
Chapter 3.4. --- Discussion --- p.104
Chapter Chapter 4: --- Anti-Psoriatic Effects of Topical 1,4-Dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid Formulation on in vivo Mouse Tail Experiments --- p.111
Chapter 4.1. --- Introduction --- p.111
Chapter 4.1.1. --- Keratinocytes differentiation process --- p.111
Chapter 4.1.2. --- Animal model for psoriasis --- p.114
Chapter 4.1.3. --- Study objectives --- p.119
Chapter 4.2. --- Materials and Methods --- p.122
Chapter 4.2.1. --- Reagents --- p.122
Chapter 4.2.2. --- Formulation and preparation of topical drug --- p.122
Chapter 4.2.3. --- Mice for in vivo experiments --- p.123
Chapter 4.2.4. --- Treatment with topical preparations --- p.124
Chapter 4.2.5. --- Statistical analysis --- p.125
Chapter 4.3. --- Results --- p.126
Chapter 4.3.1. --- Tail skin appearance after topical treatment --- p.126
Chapter 4.3.2. --- Histological examination and findings --- p.128
Chapter 4.4. --- Discussion --- p.132
Chapter Chapter 5: --- Prediction of Skin Irritation Potential of 1,4-Dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid by in vitro and in vivo Experiments --- p.135
Chapter 5.1. --- Introduction --- p.135
Chapter 5.1.1. --- Skin irritation --- p.135
Chapter 5.1.2. --- Viability test and IL-1α release --- p.136
Chapter 5.1.3. --- Animal irritation test --- p.139
Chapter 5.1.4. --- Study objectives --- p.139
Chapter 5.2. --- Materials and Methods --- p.141
Chapter 5.2.1. --- Reagents --- p.141
Chapter 5.2.2. --- Cell culture --- p.141
Chapter 5.2.3. --- Viability test --- p.141
Chapter 5.2.4. --- IL-1α release assay --- p.142
Chapter 5.2.5. --- Animal irritation test --- p.142
Chapter 5.2.6. --- Statistical analysis --- p.143
Chapter 5.3. --- Results --- p.144
Chapter 5.3.1. --- Viability test --- p.144
Chapter 5.3.2. --- IL-1α release assay --- p.144
Chapter 5.3.3. --- Animal irritation test --- p.147
Chapter 5.4. --- Discussion --- p.152
Chapter Chapter 6: --- General Discussion and Conclusions --- p.155
References --- p.164

Both SM and ST reduced ALT elevation in rats in the prevention study. In the treatment study, ALT of all rats was resolved. Only ST reduced the fibrosis in both prevention and treatment studies. Maximum reduction of fibrosis compared to control was 44.12% in the prevention group and 56.83% in the treatment group. Activated HSC was decreased and apoptosis increased in rats with improved fibrosis.
Conclusion. ST prevented formation of liver fibrosis and promoted resolution of established fibrosis in the rat model. These effects were mediated through induction of HSC apoptosis in the liver. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Hepatic fibrosis results from the wound healing response to prolonged liver insult such as chronic hepatitis. It represents an imbalance of fibrogenesis and fibrolysis, causing formation of scars. Activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) is a key to fibrogenesis while apoptosis of HSC is associated with resolution of fibrosis.
Intense efforts are currently underway to evaluate potential anti-fibrotic agents in herbal medicine. The study hypothesized that herbs may resolve hepatic fibrosis through induction of apoptosis of HSC. In this study, the anti-fibrotic potentials of fourteen commonly used herbs were examined. The anti-fibrotic effect and the underlying mechanism of two herbs were further investigated in an animal model.
Method. Fourteen herbs including Angelica sinensis(AS), Astragalus membranaceus(AM), Cordyceps sinensis(CS), Curcuma wenyujin(CW), Carthamus tinctorius(CT), Curcuma kwangsinensis(CK), Bupleurum chinensis(BC), Ligusticum chuanxiong(LC), Paeconia lactiflora(PL), Prunus persiea(PP), Poria cocos(PC), Salvia miltorrhiza(SM), Schisandra chinensis(SC) and Stephania tetrandra(ST) were selected for screening based on documented safety and effectiveness, and availability in commercial extracts. These two herbs were also authenticated by chemical profiling using HPLC.
Result. For in vitro bioassay, five herbs, namely Angelica sinensis (AS), Carthamus tinctorius (CT), Ligusticum chuanxiong(LC), Salvia miltiorrhiza(SM) and Stephania tetrandra(ST) demonstrated both anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activities in T6. SM and ST showed highest potencies with 51.63% and 44.52% of T6 cells showing apoptotsis respectively. Fas and Bax expression was up-regulated and BclxL expression decreased in HSC after incubation with SM and ST. Fas ligand and Bcl2 expression remained unchanged.
Treatment of chronic liver disease with herbal medicine has been documented in ancient China. Nowadays, practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) also use herbs to treat chronic liver disease and it is conceivable that such herbs redress the imbalance between fibrogenesis and fibrolysis.
Chor Sin Yee.
"July 2005."
Adviser: Joseph J. Y. Sung.
Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-01, Section: B, page: 0172.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 196-217).
Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.
Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.
Abstracts in English and Chinese.
School code: 1307.

碩士
國立臺灣大學
預防醫學研究所
96
Objective As the high incident rate of cancer and prevalence of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) utilization in Taiwan, this study aimed to develop a conceptual framework of the TCM seeking behavior of Taiwanese adolescents with cancer. Methods Ten adolescents (four males and six females) with cancer at all stages of the illness were interviewed by snowball sampling. Data were collected through in-depth interview by semi-structure guideline and observations, medical chart reviews, and researcher’s reflexive journals. As the data were received and transcribed, editing and immersion/ crystallization were used to represent constructs of the adolescents with cancer. Results These multifaceted, naturalistic contextures were elicited by TCM out-patient department visiting in clinical status. Five distinct subcategories of the TCM seeking behavior reported by interviewees were emerged. The cancer impact included the mind-body impact after diagnosis, the adverse effect impact of treatment, family impact and work impact; the cancer uncertainty were fully showed out by the social-family-interpersonal relationship, the diagnosis and prognosis, the remedy self-efficacy, the patient– physician relationship between Chinese and western medicine, etiology and the gain of medical information; the TCM seeking motivation were extracted by constitution modulation, complementary of Chinese-Western medicine, side effect reduction, sequela improvement, immune system enhancement, and cancer treatment; the Chinese medicine inherent concepts merged by the TCM recuperate the constitution, temperately taking for long term, slow efficacy for a long time, cold -warm and TCM humanity; the TCM decision-making factors influenced by social relationship, medical effect, information obtains, economical consideration, geographical environment, and sequela; the experience transformation to utilize TCM were also presented. Conclusions The Chinese medicine behavior seeking in cancer patients are demonstrated vividly by a succession of process of impact, uncertainty, motivation, the inherent concept, decision making of traditional Chinese medicine and transformation on physical and psychological, cognitive, social and future orientation aspects.

碩士
國立臺灣大學
農藝學研究所
97
Abstract Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is now widely used in the world. The active ingredients in raw materials of TCM are different from batch-to-batch or area-to-area. Thus, how to control the quality of TCM has become an important issue. In this thesis, we propose a statistical quality control (QC) method for TCM materials. The idea is to construct a β-γtolerance interval for TCM materials under a nested design. If the constructedβ-γtolerance interval lying in a prespecified QC limit, then we can claim that the raw materials have passed the QC test. Statistical methods for estimating the sample size and a simulation example are also studied in this thesis.

碩士
國立交通大學
管理學院管理科學學程
103
With the economic take-off, the improvement of living conditions, health food related industries has become concerned about the development of the star industry. Traditional Chinese herbal medicine industry, the Government strongly support, the use of new technology to develop science and traditional Chinese Herbal medicine health foods and other related businesses. This research is to find the key factor for selling traditional Chinese Herbal medicine health foods, especially for traditional Chinese herbal stores through literature and interviews with experts, then using AHP to study the collection data. Finally structure a model with 4 groups "Marketing ", " Production ", " Environment ", " Management " , and the most important criteria of 11 items are " Advertising ", " word-of-mouth ", " store location ", " Promotion ", " store design ", "Quality ", " relationship marketing " , " store atmosphere ", " trust ", " key account management ", "historic ", " relationship marketing " this research also find the key factors for selling traditional Chinese Herbal medicine health foods by criteria weight of the goal” The key criteria of selling traditional Chinese Herbal medicine health foods, especially for traditional Chinese herbal medicine retailer.” to assist company easy to management.

The main goal of this article is to develop a business plan to establish a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) health club in the airport community of Urumqi. Due to the unhealthy lifestyle and diet of modern people, people’s health problems increase rapidly. Their physical fitness is getting worse and worse, and many people suffer from chronic diseases or become sub-healthy. TCM has obvious curative effects on patients and sub-healthy people without any side effects. Considering that the Urumqi Airport community is a mature community, and there is no institution in this area that can provide TCM services, we decided to establish a TCM health club in the area and become the first institution to provide professional TCM services to residents in the area. There are a large number of young women in this area. In the early stage of operation of the health care club, we will focus on women as the main target group to open up the market. In this business plan, the corporation strategy, marketing strategy and financial evaluation were described in detail. Through the comprehensive analysis and description of the AIXIN Health House project, the feasibility is confirmed.
O presente trabalho tem como objetivo principal desenvolver um plano de negócios para estabelecer um clube de saúde de MTC na comunidade aeroportuária de Urumqi. Devido ao estilo de vida e dieta pouco saudáveis das pessoas modernas, os problemas de saúde aumentam rapidamente. A condição física das pessoas está a piorar cada vez mais, e muitas pessoas sofrem de doenças crónicas ou tornam-se subsaúdicas. . A MTC tem efeitos curativos óbvios nos doentes e pessoas subsaudáveis sem quaisquer efeitos secundários. Considerando que a comunidade do Aeroporto Urumqi é relativamente madura, e que não existe nenhuma instituição nesta área que possa prestar serviços de MTC, decidimos estabelecer um centro de saúde de MTC na área e tornarmo-nos a primeira instituição a prestar serviços profissionais de MTC aos residentes na área. Existe um grande número de mulheres jovens nesta área. Na fase inicial de funcionamento do centro de saúde, vamos concentrar-nos nas mulheres como o principal grupo-alvo para abrir o mercado. Neste plano de negócios, a estratégia de marketing e a avaliação financeira foram descritas em pormenor. Através da análise e descrição abrangente do projecto da AIXIN Health House, a viabilidade é confirmada.