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As a traditional Chinese alternative health care approach, acupuncture is gaining increasing attention and reputation in China and overseas. While becoming increasingly popular globally, some consumers and professionals still know little about the therapy and underlying mechanisms of acupuncture. Due to local superiority, there are large numbers of both clinical applications and mechanistic studies performed in China compared to countries overseas. Herein, this review attempts to give a comprehensive profile of the development, application, and mechanisms of acupuncture in treating major diseases. The number of clinical publications concerning acupuncture-treated neurological diseases, endocrine and metabolic diseases, circulatory diseases, respiratory diseases, etc. is first counted, and then, the application and therapeutic mechanisms of acupuncture on the predominant diseases in each category, including obesity, facial paralysis, sciatica, depression, hypertension, asthma, etc., are specifically discussed in this paper. The evolution of acupuncture tools and the rationality of acupoints are also discussed. This review not only summarizes the mechanisms of acupuncture but also provides useful information, such as specific acupoints and acupuncture procedures, for treating common diseases. Therefore, the current study provides useful information for both investigators and acupuncturists.

The latest addition to the nanocarbon family, graphene, has been proclaimed to be the material of the century. Its peculiar band structure, extraordinary thermal and electronic conductance and room temperature quantum Hall effect have all been used for various applications in diverse fields ranging from catalysis to electronics. The difficulty to synthesize graphene in bulk quantities was a limiting factor of it being utilized in several fields. Advent of chemical processes and self-assembly approaches for the synthesis of graphene analogues have opened-up new avenues for graphene based materials. The high surface area and rich abundance of functional groups present make chemically synthesized graphene (generally known as graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) or chemically converted graphene) an attracting candidate in biotechnology and environmental remediation. By functionalizing graphene with specific molecules, the properties of graphene can be tuned to suite applications such as sensing, drug delivery or cellular imaging. Graphene with its high surface area can act as a good adsorbent for pollutant removal. Graphene either alone or in combination with other materials can be used for the degradation or removal of a large variety of contaminants through several methods. In this review some of the relevant efforts undertaken to utilize graphene in biology, sensing and water purification are described. Most recent efforts have been given precedence over older works, although certain specific important examples of the past are also mentioned.

During the past several years mathematical models have been applied to various aspects of cancer dynamics, in particular avascular and vascular tumour growth, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. This paper focuses on the most common and malignant brain tumour, glioblastoma, and surveys the growing number of studies dealing with mathematical modelling of this tumour. We attempt to classify these studies by their biomedical relevance and critically analyse their results. The aim of this review is to provide a meaningful reference, to both biomedical and mathematical researchers, of the current state of the art of glioma tumour modelling. The discussion attempts to identify current open problems as well as new research perspectives in the mathematical modelling of glioblastoma growth.

Tenolysis is a well-established salvage procedure, which can be applied when non-gliding adhesions form along the surface of a tendon after injury or repair and prevent gliding of the tendon in the performance of its intended function.^{8,15,17,29,30,39,40,44,49} Tendon adhesions will occur whenever the surface of a tendon is damaged either through the injury itself, be it laceration or crush, or by surgical manipulation.¹⁸ At any point on the surface of a tendon where violation occurs, an adhesion will form in the healing period.^20,26 When these adhesions cannot be mobilised by an adequate course of hand therapy, tenolysis should be considered.

This procedure is as difficult or more so than tendon repair itself and should not be undertaken lightly. It represents another surgical incursion into an area of previous trauma and surgery. If the procedure is not successful, the patient's hand may show no improvement or even be worse. The risk of further decreasing the circulatory supply and innervation to an already deprived finger is a real one. Rupture of the lysed tendon, a disastrous complication, is the major hazard of tenolysis.

The conventional lumbar traction techniques which has been in use to manage low back pain, has ordinarily utilized multiple sessions of horizontal traction during a treatment. However, this mode of proceeding proved unable to give discreet therapeutical benefits.^30,43 Would the therapeutic outcome become improved by modifying the established proceeding? We have tried the Abbreviated Measured Vertical Traction (Abbr.M.V.T.) technique in the treatment of resistant low back pain. The referred technique utilizes a single session of strong stretch, which is applied once only upon a patient suspended from a frame. In this paper we report the interesting issue of this application on five back pain patients with different diagnoses.

Novel Multiplex PCR Technologies.

Reducing the Spread of TB in China: New Technology Needed to Turn the Tide.

Application of Rapid and Accurate Two-Stage Genotyping Strategy in MRSA Nosocomial Infection in Japan.

Introduction to Luminex^®xMAP^® Technology and Applications for Biological Analysis in China.

Label-free Real-time Cell Based Assay System for Evaluating H1N1 Vaccination Success.

AUSTRALIA – Well-known antibiotic amoxycillin found to be ineffective cough treatment.

AUSTRALIA – Bring the noise: has technology made us scared of silence?

INDIA – Biocon receives marketing authorization for novel biologic itolizumab for psoriasis.

ISRAEL – Aspireo reports Somatoprim Phase Ib interim data.

JAPAN – Daiichi Sankyo and Amplimmune announce strategic alliance to develop AMP-110 therapy for autoimmune disease.

JAPAN – Eisai signs agreement with Epizyme and Roche Molecular Systems to develop companion diagnostic.

THE PHILIPPINES – Asia-Pacific Analysis: The growth of stem-cell therapy.

THE PHILIPPINES – Is the world ready for scientific diplomacy?

UNITED KINGDOM – ARIAD and the U.K. National Cancer Research Institute to collaborate on SPIRIT 3 clinical study.

UNITED KINGDOM – Vision research collaboration on novel treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration.

UNITED STATES – Reducing medical mistakes: Two recently published studies support the use of DNA testing on biopsy samples to prevent misdiagnoses.

UNITED STATES – CoDa Therapeutics reports positive results from Phase IIb Study of NEXAGON® in chronic venous leg ulcers.

UNITED STATES – Inovio Pharmaceuticals to initiate clinical trial for its hepatitis C therapeutic vaccine later this year.

UNITED STATES – Jolt to brain eases pain without drugs.

UNITED STATES – Can a new vaccine prevent colon cancer?

UNITED STATES – Immunovaccine's DPX-Survivac produces sustained, dose related immune responses in Phase I ovarian cancer study.

NCKU researcher develops new use of reservoir sediment.

WILEX Inc. and GeneDiagnostics Inc. enter into partnership for the IVD approval and distribution of the serum HER-2/neu test.

Celsion Corporation and Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Company enter into technology development agreement for ThermoDox® for the Greater China Territory.

SFDA grants approval for clinical studies to benapenem.

UroFlex now CE-marked; Chinese SFDA approval for Cellvizio.

China National Genebank and Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History collaborate on biobanking to advance biodiversity research.

New analytical method for uleine alkaloids having anticancer activity.

Zhifei Biological's vaccine approved for clinical test.

EntreMed files new drug clinical trial application for ENMD-2076 with China SFDA to advance global development strategy.

Cognoptix licenses AD detection technology.

3D cell culture firm Reinnervate and specialist Oncology CRO Oncotest GmbH enter collaboration agreement.

Medicago awarded contract from the U.S. Department of Defence.

Clinical Network Services acquires New Zealand partner BELTAS' business assets.

VABIOTECH licenses cell-based Japanese encephalitis technology from Inviragen.

University of Illinois licenses novel anti-cancer therapies to StemPar Sciences.

Adimab announces new discovery collaboration with Kyowa Hakko Kirin.

Priaxon enters collaboration with GSK on protein-protein-interactions.

Lantheus Medical Imaging and FUJIFILM RI Pharma renew long-term license and distribution agreement.

Genes, Stem Cells, and Regenerative Medicine.

Stem Cell Therapies – What Happened and Where Next?

Immune Rejection of Stem Cell Transplants, Where Are We Standing?

Therapy for Hippocampus Injury – Can Neural Stem Cells Help?

Investigating the Embryotoxic Effects of Caffeine & MSG using Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells.

Stem Cell Research – The New Growth Engine.

Biogen Idec's Aducanumab (BIIB037) shown to reduce brain amyloid plaque levels slow cognitive decline in patients with prodromal or mild Alzheimer's disease.

Johnson Matthey recognized in 2015 CMO Leaderships Awards.

Heraeus enters agreement to acquire NeoMetrics.

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo to jointly commercialize MOVANTIK in the US.

AbbVie and C2N enter worldwide license agreement for Alzheimer's disease therapy.

Menara Landmark Medical Suites expands healthcare and medical offerings in Johor Bahru.

Sigma-Aldrich® expands customer-centric model with investments in Singapore.

NTU setting up a new $30 million institute to boost Singapore's efforts in tackling human disease.

Bone Healing from Within

How Technology Helps in Care Coordination: Telehealth?

Soft Wearable Machines for Robot-Assisted Rehabilitation

Technology Can Help Patients Find Doctors and Share Medical Data

Seizing Opportunity in Asia-Pacific's Complex and Rapidly Changing Medical Device Market

How Logistics Technology Can Treat Tomorrow's Life Sciences & Healthcare Complications

Angiogenesis, or the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing vasculature through sprouting or invagination, is a complex process involving many factors. The role of angiogenesis in the progression of cancer has been extensively explored, and it is now well established that elevated levels of angiogenesis in many solid tumors correlates with poor prognosis. Similarly, recent evidence suggests that blood vessel formation plays a pivotal role in the progression of hematological malignancies, including the plasma cell malignancy, multiple myeloma. Several studies have shown that bone marrow angiogenesis is significantly increased in patients with active multiple myeloma and is indicative of poor prognosis. Malignant myeloma cells are known to secrete several angiogenic factors which may play a role in the increased angiogenesis in the bone marrow of myeloma patients. Anti-angiogenic therapy with thalidomide is now considered to be a standard therapy for advanced myeloma patients and a number of new anti-angiogenic therapies are currently undergoing clinical trials for use in this disease.

Leukocytic pyrogens, which are frequently called cytokines that are proinflammatory, initiate and enhance the process of inflammatory reactions when tissues are injured. This is an essential biological process causing a high temperature and boosts the defenses of the immune system to infections. Using laboratory mice as the experimental animal, the study sought to ascertain how cold laser stimulation affects the synthesis and release of leukocytic pyrogens, which are important in initiating and intensifying the body’s reaction to inflammatory damage to tissues. The goal of the research was to ascertain the effects of cold laser treatments on the generation and distribution of these crucial components of the immune system’s ability to protect against pathogens. Forty lab mice were used to create standard 1-cm facial wounds. Two groupings of animals have been formed. A continuous 940-nm laser with 500mW of output power, 0.8cm² of beam spot area at the target, and instantaneous delivery of an energy density of 187.5 J/cm² is used to treat the first group. This happens when the mice sustain injuries and the second group serves as a control group. Leukocytic pyrogen initially appeared to be an immunohistochemistry-positive stain throughout laser-treated and untreated control specimens. In the untreated group, the levels of leukocytic pyrogen increased from the beginning to the third day, then decreased for an entire week, and then increased once more after a period of two weeks. Leukocytic pyrogen concentration, on the other hand, showed a significant decline on both the initial and third days following therapy with laser in comparison to those in the control group. The findings of this investigation suggest that leukocytic pyrogen expression could be impacted by therapeutic lasers. Leukocytic pyrogen levels which evolve show the manner in which the cell reacts to inflammatory conditions. This work presented sheds the spotlight on the possible advantages of medical laser therapy concerning leukocytic pyrogen concentrations as well as indicates interesting possibilities for more studies in this field.

Particle accelerators were initially developed to address specific scientific research goals, yet they were used for practical applications, particularly medical applications, within a few years of their invention. The cyclotron's potential for producing beams for cancer therapy and medical radioisotope production was realized with the early Lawrence cyclotrons and has continued with their more technically advanced successors — synchrocyclotrons, sector-focused cyclotrons and superconducting cyclotrons. While a variety of other accelerator technologies were developed to achieve today's high energy particles, this article will chronicle the development of one type of accelerator — the cyclotron, and its medical applications. These medical and industrial applications eventually led to the commercial manufacture of both small and large cyclotrons and facilities specifically designed for applications other than scientific research.

Medical applications represent the vast majority of the uses for radiotracers. This review addresses how accelerators are employed for the production of high purity radionuclides that are used in basic biomedical research, as well as for clinical medicine both for diagnosing disease and for treatment.

Nucleic acid (NA)-functionalized nanomaterials (NMs) have received considerable attention in recent years. The use of nucleic acid (DNA/RNA) for surface functionalization of NMs offers the ability to directly address desired targets and coat NMs with biocompatible polymers, such as poly [(ethylene)] glycol (PEG) and polyacrylamide (PA), enhancing the utility of these complexes in biomedicine. In particular, the target-specific recognition capacity of surface-functionalized NMs has opened up new avenues for disease diagnosis and therapy. This review focuses on the biological applications of a special type of nucleic acid, termed aptamer, conjugated with a variety of NMs for a wide spectrum of applications in nanobiomedicine.

Recent advances in nanotechnology have enabled the synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials suitable for applications in the field of biology and medicine. Due to their unique physico-chemical properties, carbon-based nanomaterials such as fullerenes, metallofullerenes, carbon nanotubes and graphene have been widely investigated as multifunctional materials for applications in tissue engineering, molecular imaging, therapeutics, drug delivery and biosensing. In this review, we focus on the multifunctional capabilities of fullerenes and metallofullerenes for diagnosis and therapy. Specifically, we review recent advances toward the development of fullerene- and metallofullerene-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-ray imaging contrast agents, drug and gene delivery vehicles, and photodynamic therapy agents. We also discuss in vitro and in vivo toxicity, and biocompatibility issues associated with the use of fullerenes and metallofullerenes for biomedical applications.

Breast cancer is one of the most critical threats to women worldwide. The incidence and mortality of breast cancer are as high as 24.2% and 15%, respectively, ranking first in female malignant tumors. Although the main treatments for breast cancer include surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, side effects and drug resistance are the main problems in conventional chemotherapy. In recent years, nanotechnologies have offered high potentials in cancer therapeutics due to unique physicochemical and biological properties of nanomaterials. The outcomes of nanomaterials research have shown effective solutions to critical issues that have not been well addressed by conventional medicine. In this review paper, we introduce the latest progress of nanotechnology in the treatment of breast cancer.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a pathophysiological disorder that may involve multiple clinical conditions and progressive disease, which often leads to premature death. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, group 1 PH) comprises of diverse diseases that result in similar pathological changes, including the medium-sized pulmonary arteries and pulmonary arterioles characterized by vascular obliteration. The evaluation and diagnosis of PH and PAH were re-defined based on proceedings of the 6th World Symposia on Pulmonary Hypertension (WSPH). Accurate early diagnosis and subsequent therapy of PAH are necessary, as management of this disease is still challenging, and life expectancy is remaining suboptimal. This review task force reflects the multidisciplinary nature of PAH, including the definition, epidemiology, genetics, especially the advanced diagnosis and the therapy development in recent years.