For thousands of years, the Chinese
According to TCM, there are a dozen meridians (经络) in the human body,
In 2010, UNESCO
2 . I had always been fascinated by the use of natural treatments in healthcare. So, when I came across a local clinic that offered courses in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) several months ago, I immediately signed up for a one-year course.
On the first day of class, I was looking forward to what I was going to learn. As the instructor explained the procedure, I felt a little disturbed by the thought of needles being stuck into my skin. However, I was determined to overcome my fear. Acupuncturist uses hair-thin needles to find specific areas on the body to treat pain or tension the body may be experiencing, known to help with depression, insomnia (失眠) and anxiety. The instructor told us that an acupuncturist might request patients to provide more information about their health, how to treat them, and what points are most appropriate for them. We were taught how to examine a patient’s tongue and pulse to gather evidence of any imbalances in the body. He showed us how to adjust the needle’s depth, as different organs required different depths. The needles were only a few millimetre thick and made of stainless steel, so they were solid and easy to switch out.
In class, we also learned about the phenomenon of acupuncture anesthesia (麻醉) where patients could undergo surgery without conventional anesthesia using only acupuncture. As we progressed through the course, we learned about herbs and their uses. We also discussed the effects of substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and drugs on the body and how they could lead to severe anxiety and abuse.
TCM dates back to ancient China, and it is a widespread practice today. It is fascinating to learn about the symbolism behind each organ and how they relate to different emotions and imbalances in the body. After a year of wrestling with the course, I have now graduated and put everything in place. Without doubt, it has been one of the most fulfilling experiences in my life.
1. What made the author decide to sign up for a TCM course?A.His worries about health problems. | B.His interest in natural treatments. |
C.An accidental visit to a local clinic. | D.The increasing knowledge of TCM. |
A.The development of acupuncture. | B.The way to perform acupuncture. |
C.The requirement for an acupuncture. | D.The various tools used in acupuncture. |
A.Easy. | B.Complicated. | C.Advanced. | D.Worthy. |
A.An encounter with TCM | B.A modern change in TCM |
C.A course to improve my fitness | D.A special acupuncture treatment |
Ancient Chinese healing methods
Currently celebrating its 10th anniversary, the BRI,
In Budapest, Traditional Chinese Medicine Center of Hungary (Qihuang Center) provides
After
The center has also helped Jozsef’s son, Csaba Frenyo, who has been struggling with obesity-related health
4 . “Going wireless is the future for just about everything!” That is a quote from scientist Sreekanth Chalasani, and we can’t help but agree. Realizing this, a team of scientists has made a breakthrough toward wirelessly controlling human cells using sound, in a technique called “sonogenetics (声遗传学).” This concept may seem strange but let us explain.
Basically, the term “sonogenetics” means using ultrasound (超声波) to change the behavior of cells in a non-invasive manner. “We already know that ultrasound is safe, and that it can go through bone, muscle and other tissues, making it the ultimate tool for controlling cells deep in the body,” says Chalasani.
Low-frequency ultrasound waves can target a particular protein that is sensitive to the signal. This research, published in Nature Communications, focused on TRPA1. When this protein is stimulated through the ultrasound waves, it also stimulates the cells which carry it. What type of cell is being stimulated depends on the outcome. For example, a muscle cell may contract with stimulation, or a neuron (神经元) in the brain will fire. In this experiment, scientists genetically marked cells with an increased concentration of TRPA1, making them the key targets of the ultrasound waves.
Currently, treating conditions like Parkinson’s disease requires scientists to implant electrodes (电极) in the brain which stimulate certain disordered cells. Researchers hope that sonogenetics can one day replace these invasive treatments.
In the future, the team wants to adjust the placement and amount of TRPAI around the body using the gene treatment. Gene delivery techniques have already been shown to be successful in humans, such as in treating blindness. Therefore, it’s just a case of adjusting this theory to a different sound-based setting.
“Gene delivery techniques already exist for getting a new gene—such as TRPA1—into the human heart,” Chalasani says. “If we can then use an external ultrasound device to activate those cells, that could really change pacemakers.” There is still a while to go before this treatment can become a reality. The future for sonogenetics, though, looks bright.
1. What’s working principle for sonogenetics?A.Using medicine interventional therapies. |
B.Changing cells’ shape with new equipment. |
C.Controlling cells in a non-invasive manner. |
D.Using a kind of unique medical composition. |
A.Change the concentration of the protein. |
B.Find target cells for treatment precisely. |
C.Analyze the protein sensitive to the sign. |
D.Choose the type of cell to be stimulated. |
A.It can be applied to other fields besides medicine. |
B.It may replace some traditional medical therapies. |
C.It will totally transform gene delivery techniques. |
D.It has succeeded in curing diseases like blindness. |
A.Can cells be controlled by sound? |
B.How is sonogenetics clinically used? |
C.Are gene delivery techniques available? |
D.What are applications of sonogenetics? |
5 . PRACTITIONERS
Jacqueline Felice de Almania (c.1322) highlights the suspicion that women practicing medicine faced. Born to a Jewish family in Florence, she moved to Paris where she worked as a physician and performed surgery. In 1322 she was tried for practicing unlawfully. In spite of the court hearing testimonials (证明) of her ability as a doctor, she was banned from medicine. | James Barry (c.1789 — 1865) was born Margaret Bulkley in Ireland but, dressed as a man, she was accepted by Edinburgh University to study medicine. She qualified as a surgeon in 1813, then joined the British Army, serving overseas. Barry retired in 1859, having practiced her entire medical profession living and working as a man. |
Tan Yunxian (1461 — 1554) was a Chinese physician who learned her skills from her grandparents. Chinese women at the time could not serve apprenticeships (学徒期) with doctors. However, Tan passed the official exam. Tan treated women from all walks of life. In 1511, Tan wrote a book, Sayings of a Female Doctor, describing her life as a physician. | Rebecca Lee Crumpler (1831 — 1895) worked as a nurse for eight years before studying in medical college in Boston in 1860. Four years later, she was the first African American woman to receive a medical degree. She moved to Virginia in 1865, where she provided medical care to freed slaves. |
A.Doing teaching jobs. | B.Being hired as physicians. |
C.Performing surgery. | D.Being banned from medicine. |
A.She wrote a book. | B.She went through trials. |
C.She worked as a dentist. | D.She had formal education. |
A.Jacqueline Felice de Almania. | B.Tan Yunxian. |
C.James Barry. | D.Rebecca Lee Crumpler. |
6 . It isn’t necessary to know everything before heading out into the wilderness, but studying a quality first-aid guide book and familiarizing yourself with the necessary skills can be enough to save someone’s life.
Wilderness Medicine: Beyond First Aid by William W. Forgey
This book does a great job of breaking down how to examine, judge, and stabilize your patient or situation, manage the person’s physical symptoms(症状), and know what questions to ask. It covers a wider range of possible injuries and treatment options than some other wilderness first-aid books. This book costs $12.79 and is easy to read and understand.
Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills by The Mountaineers
In its 9th edition, the book, which costs $21.99, has become a gold standard for anyone planning to spend significant time in the backcountry. Written by climbers for climbers, this book has everything you need to know to stay safer, from basic first aid to staying safe in avalanche terrain(雪崩地形), and learning how to move forward without networking.
Mountaineering: Essential Skills for Hikers and Climbers by Alun Richardson
The book, which costs $13.59, not only contains information about wilderness first aid but also attempts to teach you safety and survival skills from hiking basics to winter adventures. This book stands out because of its detailed visual diagrams that illustrate the right and wrong ways to achieve different techniques.
Medicine for Mountaineering & Other Wilderness Activities by James Wilkerson
The book, which costs $32.95, is a great addition to your collection if you’ve already read some of the other wilderness first-aid books, and maybe even taken a course already but are still wanting to learn more. Many doctors and nurses like this book because they practice basic medical diagnosis(诊断) regularly.
1. What does William W. Forgey introduce in detail in his book?A.The ways of comforting injured climbers. |
B.The steps to determine a medical problem. |
C.The advice on keeping away from potential dangers. |
D.Visual diagrams showing treatment options. |
A.$21.99. | B.$13.59. | C.$12.79. | D.$32.95. |
A.Wilderness Medicine: Beyond First Aid. |
B.Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills. |
C.Mountaineering: Essential Skills for Hikers and Climbers. |
D.Medicine for Mountaineering & Other Wilderness Activities. |
7 . Wu Ming, a young German born after 1995, is a big fan of Chinese culture. As he thought some diseases can’t be treated
Studying TCM also
Wu
Wu thinks there’s no big difference between China and Western countries. “
A.immediately | B.gradually | C.thoroughly | D.consistently |
A.depend on | B.dig into | C.look up | D.work out |
A.created | B.enjoyed | C.advanced | D.acknowledged |
A.overcame | B.seized | C.divided | D.shifted |
A.raised | B.sorted | C.cooked | D.tasted |
A.aspects | B.standards | C.themes | D.means |
A.enriched | B.secured | C.expanded | D.changed |
A.exposed | B.reduced | C.restricted | D.addicted |
A.businesses | B.recreations | C.routines | D.tasks |
A.balanced | B.wealthy | C.humble | D.efficient |
A.employs | B.promotes | C.outlines | D.conveys |
A.scanning | B.checking | C.exploring | D.comparing |
A.concern | B.wish | C.demand | D.passion |
A.Misunderstanding | B.Destruction | C.Stress | D.Failure |
A.source | B.basis | C.bridge | D.tool |
8 . About five days ago, my back started tightening in the middle region. A couple of days ago, I was trapped in my bed, unable to move.
It was a wonderful experience. The room looked no different from a Western medicine examination room.
After they placed the needles, the doctor asked me how I felt. I told her I couldn’t feel any pain.
A.The mysterious ancient healing art of acupuncture was amazing. |
B.Chinese medicine tend to regard the patient’s symptoms as a whole. |
C.I hated the looks from my doctor for symptoms that Western technology can’t handle perfectly. |
D.I felt like I was in an altered state of relaxation, a different dimension, even. |
E.The doctor told me to be patient and wait for the needles to take effect. |
F.I sat down and discussed my symptoms with the medical student. |
G.This actually indicated that I was responding well to the treatment. |
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a health care system in which patients
According to the World Health Organization, nearly 80 percent of the world's population depends for its primary health care needs
Increasingly, however, modern medicines also contain substances from animals and plants. Given growing populations, increasing wealth, and the spreading
10 . Metin Sitti at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart, Germany, and his colleagues have developed tiny robots called “microrollers” that can carry cancer drugs and selectively target human breast cancer cells. The team drew inspiration for the design of the robots from white blood cells in the human body, which can move along the walls of blood vessels (血管) against the direction of blood flow.
The microrollers are round and made from glass microparticles. One half of the robot was coated with a thin magnetic nanofilm (磁性纳米膜) made from nickel and gold. The other half was coated with the cancer drug doxorubicin as well as molecules that recognize cancer cells.
The team tested the robots using mouse blood and artificial channels lined with human endothelial cells—the kind of cells that line the inner walls of our blood vessels. The robots were exposed to a mixture of cancerous and healthy tissue. The microrollers selectively attached to the cancer cells and were activated using UV light to release the doxorubicin.
By applying magnetic fields, the team was able to control the movement of the microrollers, both with and against the flow of blood. The microrollers can reach a speed of up to 600 micrometers per second. “If you come to a spot where you need to take the right path and if you miss it, then you could go back and go to the right one,” says Setti.
In future, the researchers want to use other methods to start the drug release, such as heat or near-infrared light. They also plan to try making microrollers out of materials that would break down in the body over a few weeks or months.
The team hopes to test the microrollers in animals soon. “The rollers need to carry enough cancer drugs, which is why we need to have them in large numbers,” says Setti. “But since we can locally take drugs to the right target, we don’t need huge dosages (剂量).”
1. What can the microrollers be used for?A.Repairing blood cells. | B.Delivering drugs. | C.Improving blood flow. | D.Performing operations. |
A.Their shape. | B.Their advantage. | C.Their design. | D.Their application. |
A.Their direction can be adjusted. | B.They might miss the target cells. |
C.They might get stuck in the blood. | D.Their speed can change automatically. |
A.Put the microrollers to clinical use. | B.Sell the microrollers in large quantities. |
C.Tear the microrollers down in the body. | D.Experiment with the microrollers further. |