Academic literature on the topic 'Tang Xian zhong xue'

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) divides fracture treatment into three stages. Many TCM herbs and formulas have been used to treat fractures for thousands of years. However, research regarding the Chinese herbal products (CHPs) that should be used at different periods of treatment is still lacking. This study aims to identify the CHPs that should be used at different periods of treatment as well as confirm the TCM theory of fracture periods medicine. We used prescriptions of TCM outpatients with fracture diagnoses analyzed using the Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD) from 2000 to 2015. According to the number of days between the date of the fracture and the clinic visit date, all patients were assigned to one of three groups. Patients with a date gap of 0-13 days were assigned to the early period group; those with a date gap of 14-82 days were assigned to the middle period group; and those with a date gap of 83-182 days were assigned to the late period group. We observed the average number of herbal formulas prescribed by the TCM doctor at each visit was 2.78, and the average number of single herbs prescribed was 6.47. The top three prescriptions in the early fracture period were Zheng-gu-zi-jin-dang, Shu-jing-huo-xue-tang, and Wu-ling-san. In the middle fracture period, the top three formulas were Zheng-gu-zi-jin-dang, Shu-jing-huo-xue-tang, and Zhi-bai-di-huang-wan. In the late fracture period, the top three formulas were Shu-jing-huo-xue-tang, Gui-lu-er-xian-jiao, and Du-huo-ji-sheng-tang. The main single herbs used in the early fracture period were Yan-hu-suo, Gu-sui-bu, and Dan-shen. From the middle to the late period, the most prescribed single herbs were Xu-duan, Gu-sui-bu, and Yan-hu-suo. We concluded that the results showed that the CGRD utilization pattern roughly meets the TCM theory at different fracture periods.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbs are commonly regarded to be safe with minimal toxicities in Chinese communities. Cancer patients who are receiving Western oncology therapy often concurrently take TCM herbs for anticancer and symptom relief purposes. We performed a literature review for current evidence on TCM herb–induced liver injury from an oncological perspective. A literature search on PubMed was performed to identify publications regarding TCM herbs and concoctions with hepatoprotective or hepatotoxic properties. Lists of commonly used herbs and their causality levels were compiled. In view of the wide range of evidence available, cases assessed by the well-established RUCAM (Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method) algorithm were categorized as the highest level of evidence. More than one case of TCM herb–induced liver injury was confirmed by RUCAM in the following herbs and concoctions: Lu Cha ( Camellia sinensis), Bai Xian Pi ( Dictamnus dasycarpus), Tu San Qi ( Gynura segetum), Jin Bu Huan ( Lycopodium serratum), He Shou Wu ( Polygoni multiflora), Ge Gen ( Pueraria lobata), Dan Lu Tong Du tablet, Shou Wu Pian, Xiao Chai Hu Tang, Xiao Yin pill, and Yang Xue Sheng Fa capsule. Finally, TCM with anticancer or symptom relief uses were discussed in detail with regard to their hepatotoxic or hepatoprotective properties.

In this paper, heavy metal oxide glasses co-doped with erbium and holmium ions have been synthesized. Glass composition, based on the bismuth and germanium oxides, has been selected in terms of high thermal stability (delta T = 125 °C), high refractive index (n = 2.19) and low maximum phonon energy (hvmax = 724 cm-1). Up-conversion luminescence spectra under the 980 nm laser diode excitation have been observed as a result of radiative transitions within the quantum energy level structures of Er3+ and Ho3+ ions. Optimization of rare earth ions content has been conducted, the highest emission intensity in the visible wavelength range has been observed in glass co-doped with molar concentration 0.5 Er2O3 / 0.5 Ho2O3. Full Text: PDF ReferencesF. Zhang, Z. Bi, A. Huang, Z. Xiao, "Visible luminescence properties of Er3+?Pr3+ codoped fluorotellurite glasses", Opt. Materials 41, 112 (2014). CrossRef S. Li, S. Ye, T. Liu, H. Wang, D. Wang, "Enhanced up-conversion emissions in ZnO-LiYbO2:RE3+ (RE = Er or Ho) hybrid phosphors through surface modification", J. All. Comp. 658, 85 (2016). CrossRef J. Fu, X. Zhang, Z. Chao, Z. Li, J. Liao, D. Hou, H. Wen, X. Lu, X. Xie, "Enhanced upconversion luminescence of NaYF4:Yb, Er microprisms via La3+ doping", Opt. Laser Tech. 88, 280 (2017). CrossRef Y. Tian, R. Xu, L. Hu, J. Zhang, "2.7 ?m fluorescence radiative dynamics and energy transfer between Er3+ and Tm3+ ions in fluoride glass under 800 nm and 980 nm excitation", J. Quant. Spec. Rad. Tra. 113, 87 (2012). CrossRef M. Zhang, A. Yang, Y. Peng, B. Zhang, H. Ren, W. Guo, Y. Yang, C. Zhai, Y. Wang, Z. Yang, D. Tang, "Dy3+-doped Ga?Sb?S chalcogenide glasses for mid-infrared lasers", Mat. Res. Bul. 70, 55 (2015). CrossRef G. Yang, T. Li, "Broadband 1.53 ?m emission in Er3+-doped Ga-Bi-Pb-Ge heavy metal oxide glasses", J. Rare Earths 26, 924 (2008). CrossRef Y. Guo, Y. Tian, L. Zhang, L. Hu, J. Zhang, "Erbium doped heavy metal oxide glasses for mid-infrared laser materials", J. Non-Cryst. Solids 377, 119 (2013). CrossRef Z. Hou, Z. Xue, F. Li, M. Wang, X. Hu, S. Wang, "Luminescence and up-conversion mechanism of Er3+/Ho3+ co-doped oxyfluoride tellurite glasses and glass?ceramics", J. All. Comp. 577, 523 (2013). CrossRef X. Li, Q. Nie, S. Dai, T. Xu, L. Lu, X. Zhang, "Energy transfer and frequency upconversion in Ho3+/Yb3+ co-doped bismuth-germanate glasses", J. All. Comp. 454, 510 (2008). CrossRef S.S. Rojas, J.E. De Souza, M.R.B. Andreeta, A.C. Hernandes, "Influence of ceria addition on thermal properties and local structure of bismuth germanate glasses", J. Non-Cryst. Solids 356, 2942 (2010). CrossRef M.S. Ebrahim, Irina, Mid-infrared coherent sources and applications, Springer (2008). CrossRef T. Ragin, J. Zmojda, M. Kochanowicz, P. Miluski, P. Jelen, M. Sitarz, D. Dorosz, "Enhanced mid-infrared 2.7 ?m luminescence in low hydroxide bismuth-germanate glass and optical fiber co-doped with Er3 +/Yb3 + ions", J. Non-Cryst. Solids 457, 169 (2017). CrossRef K. Biswas, A.D. Sontakke, R. Sen, K. Annapurna, "Enhanced 2 ?m broad-band emission and NIR to visible frequency up-conversion from Ho3+/Yb3+ co-doped Bi2O3?GeO2?ZnO glasses", Spectr. Acta. Part A, Mol. Biomol. Spectr. 112, 301-308 (2013). CrossRef R.S. Romaniuk, D. Dorosz, J. Żmojda, M. Kochanowicz, W. Mazerski, "Upconversion luminescence in tellurite glass codoped with Yb3+/Ho3+ ions", Proc. of SPIE 8903, 890307 (2013). CrossRef

Background:Gout is a chronic autoinflammatory disease caused by monosodium urate (MSU) crystal deposition [1].Acute gout is characterized by an acute inflammatory reaction that resolves spontaneously within a few days[2], which is one of the distinguishing features of gout compared to other arthropathies or self-inflammatory diseases. Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway that is essential for cellular growth, survival, differentiation, development and homeostasis [3]. Studies have demonstrated that autophagy might play a key role in the pathogenesis of primary gouty arthritis (GA) [4-7]. However, the roles of autophagy in the development of gout have not yet been elucidated.Objectives:The aim of our study was to investigate the changes in autophagy-related gene (ATG) mRNA and protein in patients and the clinical importance of these genes in primary gouty arthritis (GA) and to explore the roles of autophagy in the pathogenesis of GA.Methods:The mRNA and protein expression levels of ATGs (ATG3, ATG7, ATG10, ATG5, ATG12, ATG16L1, ATG4B and LC3-2) were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 196 subjects, including 57 acute gout patients (AG group), 57 intercritical gout patients (IG group) and 82 healthy control subjects (HC group). The relationship between ATG expression levels and laboratory features was analyzed in GA patients.Results:The expression levels of ATG4B, ATG5, ATG12, ATG16L1, ATG10 and LC3-2 mRNA were much lower in the AG group than in the IG and HC groups (p<0.05), while the ATG7 mRNA level was much higher in the AG group than in the IG and HC groups (p<0.05). The protein expression levels of LC3-2, ATG3, ATG7 and ATG10 were much higher in the AG group than in the other groups, while those of ATG5, ATG12, ATG16L1 and ATG4B were far lower in the AG group than in the other groups (p<0.05). In GA patients, the levels of ATG mRNA and protein correlated with laboratory inflammatory and metabolic indexes.Conclusion:Altered ATG expression suggests that autophagy is involved in the pathogenesis of GA and participates in regulating inflammation and metabolism.References:[1]Dalbeth N, Choi HK, Joosten LAB, Khanna PP, Matsuo H, Perez-Ruiz F, et al. Gout. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2019;5: 69.doi:10.1038/s41572-019-0115-y.[2]Schauer C, Janko C, Munoz LE, Zhao Y, Kienhöfer D, Frey B, et al. Aggregated neutrophil extracellular traps limit inflammation by degrading cytokines and chemokines. Nat Med. 2014;20: 511-517.doi:10.1038/nm.3547.[3]Han Y, Zhang L, Xing Y, Zhang L, Chen X, Tang P, et al. Autophagy relieves the function inhibition and apoptosis-promoting effects on osteoblast induced by glucocorticoid. Int J Mol Med. 2018;41: 800-808. doi:10.3892/ijmm.2017.3270.[4]Yang QB, He YL, Zhong XW, Xie WG, Zhou JG. Resveratrol ameliorates gouty inflammation via upregulation of sirtuin 1 to promote autophagy in gout patients. Inflammopharmacology. 2019;27: 47-56.doi:10.1007/s10787-018-00555-4.[5]Mitroulis I, Kambas K, Chrysanthopoulou A, Skendros P, Apostolidou E, Kourtzelis I, et al. Neutrophil extracellular trap formation is associated with IL-1β and autophagy-related signaling in gout. PLoS One. 2011;6: e29318.doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029318.[6]Crişan TO, Cleophas MCP, Novakovic B, Erler K, van de Veerdonk FL, Stunnenberg HG, et al. Uric acid priming in human monocytes is driven by the AKT-PRAS40 autophagy pathway. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017;114: 5485-5490.doi:10.1073/pnas.1620910114.[7]Lee SS, Lee SW, Oh DH, Kim HS, Chae SC, Kim SK. Genetic analysis for rs2241880(T > C) in ATG16L1 polymorphism for the susceptibility of Gout. J Clin Rheumatol. 2019;25: e113-e115.doi:10.1097/rhu.0000000000000685.Disclosure of Interests:Yu-Qin Huang: None declared, Quan-Bo Zhang Grant/research support from: National Natural Science Foundation of China(General Program) (no.81974250) and Science and Technology Plan Project of Sichuan Province (no.2018JY0257), Jian-Xiong Zheng: None declared, gui-lin jian: None declared, tao-hong liu: None declared, Xin He: None declared, fan-ni xiao: None declared, qin xiong: None declared, Yu-Feng Qing Grant/research support from: Science and Technology Project of Nanchong City (no.18SXHZ0522)

Aqueous rocking chair batteries have attracted attention as highly safe and inexpensive secondary batteries. Lithium and sodium ions have mostly been used as the mobile ions, whereas proton systems with potentially the highest mobility have rarely been reported. Recently, research on proton batteries has been conducted using concentrated sulfuric acid solutions as the electrolyte that can assist high-rate performance.[1] Stability under concentrated acidic conditions is required for the electrode materials, as well as the capability of proton accommodation. MoO3 has been reported as a stable negative electrode material for aqueous proton batteries,[2] while few positive electrode materials are known except for bulky organic[3] and Prussian-blue materials[4]. For achieving high energy density and long life, oxide positive electrode materials are desirable. Here we propose the application of MoO3 as the positive electrode material by optimizing the operating composition range. The potential values shown below are all shown versus SHE (actually measured with Ag/AgCl). MoO3 showed a discharge profile at around 0.5 V with the maximum capacity of ca. 100 mAh g-1, as shown in the figure. This potential is sufficiently more positive than the redox potential of protonated MoO3 of around -0.3 V as the negative electrode. With the aid of operando X-ray diffraction analysis, it turned out that the discharge regions at 0.5 V and 0.4 V are respectively associated with a biphasic transition of MoO3/phase I (ca. 0 < x < 0.3 in H x MoO3) and a single-phase reaction of phase I (ca. 0.3 < x < 0.5 in H x MoO3). Deep discharging beyond this range results in the coexistence of phase I and phase III (ca. 0.5 < x < 1.5 in H x MoO3) and the proton extraction from phase III leads to the formation of phase II or phase IIa with its discharging potential of 0.0 V. Structural calculation based on the density function theory is employed to clarify the origin of this irreversible phase transition behavior. Different proton sites between these phases seem to be responsible. An aqueous proton battery with a 7 mol dm–3 sulfuric acid electrolyte was constructed with H-inserted MoO3 and MoO3as the negative and positive electrodes, respectively, and was successfully discharged and charged repeatedly, with the operating voltage of ca. 0.6 V, indicating the launch of aqueous proton battery composed of oxide active materials. Reference s : [1] J. Li, H. Yan, C. Xu, Y. Liu, X. Zhang, M. Xia, L. Zhang, J. Shu, Nano Energy, 89 (2021) 106400. [2] X. Wang, Y. Xie, K. Tang, C. Wang, C. Yan, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 57 (2018) 11569. [3] X. Wang, J. Zhou, W. Tang, Energy Storage Mater., 36 (2021) 1. [4] X. Wu, J. J. Hong, W. Shin, L. Ma, T. Liu, X. Bi, Y. Yuan, Y. Qi, T. W. Surta, W. Huang, J. Neuefeind, T. Wu, P. A. Greaney, J. Lu, X. Ji, Nat. Energy, 4 (2019) 123. Figure 1

Ni-rich layered oxides (LiNixCoyMnzO2, x≥0.8, x+y+z=1) would fulfil the energy density requirements of the automobile industry since they offer outstanding capacities at relatively high mean voltages and sufficient power densities1-3. However, the materials still show significant capacity and voltage fade which requires substantial research. Recently we have shown that the electronic structure is the key to understand the performance but also the failure of the materials1. Thus, we intend to modify the electronic structure using anionic dopants such as Boron. Thus, homogenous B-substituted NCM811s (BNCM811_x%, x% means the x at. % of Boron) are synthesized and the materials reveal a significant change in the electronic structure as evident from x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and near edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy (NEXAFS). Interestingly, a shift of the so called H2-H3 peak4 to higher potentials was observed by Boron substitution and BNCM811s_2% shows relative higher initial discharge capacity (Figure 1A.) at a slightly higher mean voltage, but a lower cycling stability compared to NCM811 (Figure 1B.). The H2-H3 differential capacity peak (Figure 1C) might also include oxygen release5, which is one of the main reasons restricting the cycling stability. Near edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy (NEXAFS) shows that the H2-H3 peak corresponds to a reaction from Ni3+ to Ni2+ (upon charge) and Ni2+ to Ni3+ (upon discharge) which suggest a reaction like NiO2 ⥂ NiO + ½ O2 as the underlying process. At the same time, an Oxygen K peak at 531 eV appears in the NEXAFS spectra, which was assigned to O-O formation in the host structure of Li-rich materials6, 7. Note that the electronic structure of the materials was determined in 5 mAh/g steps over the H2-H3 peak and due to the high resolution, this process became visible for the first time. The findings suggest that dimer formation is not only a phenomenon of Li-rich materials but can also be found in Ni-rich layered oxides at high states of charge. The origin of dimer formation and oxygen release can be traced back to the electronic configuration of Ni. Charge transfer multiplet calculations reveal, that Ni2+ reacts to covalent Ni3+ upon charge (and vice versa upon discharge)1. Ni3+ has a 3d7 electronic state, whose low spin configuration is more preferred than its high spin configuration. Thus, Ni3+ is more prone to Jahn-Teller (JT) distortions and tends to form covalent bonds. Consequently, the electrons are more bound to the individual sites making a further oxidation of the transition metal almost impossible. In conclusion, Boron substitution helps us to understand the function and failure of layered oxides in Li-ion batteries on an atomistic scale and the findings can be used as a design guide for future materials. K. Kleiner, C. A. Murray, C. Grosu, B. Ying, M. Winter, P. Nagel, S. Schuppler and M. Merz, Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 2021. J. Zhao, W. Zhang, A. Huq, S. T. Misture, B. Zhang, S. Guo, L. Wu, Y. Zhu, Z. Chen and K. Amine, Advanced Energy Materials, 2017, 7, 1601266. S.-J. Yoon, K.-J. Park, B.-B. Lim, C. S. Yoon and Y.-K. Sun, Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 2014, 162, A3059. S. Jamil, G. Wang, L. Yang, X. Xie, S. Cao, H. Liu, B. Chang and X. Wang, Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2020, 8, 21306-21316. K. Märker, P. J. Reeves, C. Xu, K. J. Griffith and C. P. Grey, Chemistry of Materials, 2019, 31, 2545-2554. E. Hu, X. Yu, R. Lin, X. Bi, J. Lu, S. Bak, K.-W. Nam, H. L. Xin, C. Jaye and D. A. Fischer, Nature Energy, 2018, 3, 690-698. K. Kleiner, B. Strehle, A. R. Baker, S. J. Day, C. C. Tang, I. Buchberger, F.-F. Chesneau, H. A. Gasteiger and M. Piana, Chemistry of Materials, 2018, 30, 3656-3667. Figure 1

Abstract Background Osteosarcoma (OS) is a highly aggressive malignant tumor of mesenchymal origin and prone to early hematogenous metastases. The 5-year overall survival of metastatic OS is only approximately 20% to 30%. Therefore, it is still clinical dilemma in the treatment of OS. Thus,understanding the molecular features of metastatic osteosarcoma become increasingly important. Methods Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded or fresh tissues and matched blood samples were collected from OS patients for whole exome sequencing using next-generation sequencing at OrigiMed (Shanghai, China), a College of American Pathologists accredited and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments certified laboratory. Genomic alterations including single nucleotide variations (SNVs), short and long insertions/deletions (INDELs), copy number variations (CNVs), and gene rearrangements were assessed. Tumor mutational burden (TMB) and the number of tumor neoantigens (NEO) were also measured. Results In total, 38 patients including 29 males and 9 females were recruited with a median age of 19.5 years. Among them, 12 patients had first metastases to bone (group B). The metastatic sites included femur, fibula, pelvis, ribs, sacrum, and spine. The median age of group B was 19.5 years. Twenty-six (26) patients had first metastases to lung (group L). The median age of group L was 14 years.The most frequently mutated genes in OS was TP53 (55.3%), followed by MYC (36.8%), MUC16 (26.3%), PTK2 (21.1%), RAD21 (21.1%), and CDK4 (18.4%). However, genetic features between Groups B and Group L patients were different. In group B patients, the median percentage of SNVs and short INDELs was 94.7% of the overall mutations, and the median percentage of CNVs was 4.3%. In contrast, the median percentage of SNVs and short INDELs in group L was 58.8%, and the median percentage of CNVs was 36.7%. The mutations patterns were clearly different between Group B and Group L with a predominant SNV & INDEL in Group B and a mixture feature of SNV & INDEL and CNV in Group L. Inaddition the median TMB in group B was significantly higher than that in group L (4.85 muts/Mb vs 2.4 muts/Mb, P&lt;0.05). Also, the median number of tumor NEO in group B was nearly 6 times higher than that in group L (743 vs 128.5, P=0.0016). Conclusion Our study identified different molecular features of patients with OS firstly metastasizing to lung and to bone. OS with first bone metastases had a predominant SNV and short INDEL, high TMB level, and high NEO counts, while OS with first lung metastasis had an increased CNV, low TMB, and low NEO counts. Our results suggest that metastatic OS that firstly spread to bone and to lung may be two distinct subgroups and may adopt different treatment strategies. Citation Format: Lu Xie, Zhenyu Cai, Xiaodong Tang, Wei Guo, Fanfei Meng, Xin Zhang, Xiaoliang Shi, Fei Pang. Distinct genetic features between osteosarcomas firstly metastasizing to bone and to lung [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5669.

Objective: To assess the relationship between Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG); and meantime, to explore the possible mechanism of POAG induced by Hp. Methods: 30 consecutive POAG patients, 30 primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) and cataract patients were recruited and divided into three groups according to different diseases. The sera and aqueous humor samples were collected and used to detect Hp-specific IgG antibody (Hp-Ab) with dot immunogold filtration assay (DIGFA). 14C-urea breath test (14C-UBT) was carried out to detect Hp infection of all participants. Results: The Hp-Ab positive rate respectively was 76.7% (23/30) and 66.7% in sera samples and aqueous humor samples for POAG group, which was significantly higher than the corresponding data of the other two groups (all P<0.05). In 14C-UBT, the Hp-Ab positive rate was 63.3% in POAG group and it was close to that of serological result detected by DIGFA (P>0.05). There were little numbers of positive ANA and ENA in the three groups and no meaning to make statistically analysis. Conclusions: There is positive association between Hp infection and POAG, and the autoimmune is suggested as one of the key mechanisms in our opinions. Introduction Glaucoma is one of the commonest causes for blindness in the world. Generally, glaucoma is divided into primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG).1 As a leading causes for blindness, the study of POAG causes more and more attention.2,3To our understand, POAG is a chronic optic neuropathy characterized by atrophy and increased cupping of optic disk. To date, many aspects of its pathogenesis remain unknown but some significant risk factors are advanced age, African origin, familial history of glaucoma and elevated intraocular pressure.4,5 Helicobacter pylori (Hp) is a Gram-negative and microaerophilic bacterium which plays an important role in the development of various upper gastrointestinal diseases. With the development of studies, some researchers reported that Hp was also associated with some extragastric diseases, such as ischemic heart disease,6 iron-deficient anemia,7 diabetes mellitus,8 and so on. In 2001, Kountouras et al9 established a higher prevalence of Hp infection in the sera of patients with POAG in a Greek population, and suggested a possible causal link between Hp and glaucoma. Subsequently, this finding was evidenced by some scholars in their own studies.10 But the significance of such an association remains uncertain because of the conflicting findings reported by various studies.11-13 Aiming to such a discrepancy, further studies are necessary.14 In this study, we just do detect Hp-specific IgG antibodies (Hp-Ab) in the sera and aqueous humor of patients with different ocular diseases, including POAG, PACG and cataract, and attempt to further determine the relationship between Hp infection and POAG and to analyze the possible mechanism of POAG induced by Hp. Abbreviations ANA, antinuclear antibody; ENA, Extractable nuclear antigen; DIGFA, dot immunogold filtration assay; Hp, Helicobacter pylori; Hp-Ab, Hp-specific IgG antibodies; PACG, primary angle-closure glaucoma; POAG, primary open-angle glaucoma; 14C-UBT: 14C-urea breath test. Subjectsand methods Subjects 30 consecutive POAG patients were enrolled with the average age of 68±7.3 y (ranged from 47 to 78 y). The ratio of the male and the female was 11: 19. Meantime, 30 PACG patients and 30 cataract patients were also recruited, and who were matched by age and sex with the POAG patients. According to different diseases, the participants were divided into POAG, PACG and cataract groups, respectively. All of them were excluded from tumor, immunodeficiency, autoimmune and infectious diseases in clinic, and also had no antibiotics and other medicines related to immunopotentiator or immunosuppressive agents in the six months before the experiment. Written informed consents were obtained from all the participants. The study was approved by the local ethics committee. Hp-Ab detection of sera samples 2 ml venous blood was collected from each of the participants. The serum was obtained after centrifugation and used to detect Hp-Ab with dot immunogold filtration assay (DIGFA) according to the manufacturer’s instruction of the reagent kit (MP Biomedicals Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd., Singapore). Hp-Ab detection of aqueous humor samples About 50 μl aqueous humor sample was aspirated at the beginning of glaucoma surgery from the each of the patients in the three groups, respectively. Hp-Ab was assayed with DIGFA as same as the detection process of venous blood samples. Detection of Hp infection with 14C-urea breath test Referring to Tang’s report,1514C-urea breath test (14C-UBT) was carried out in POAG group with Hp detection instrument-YH04 (Yanghe Medical Equipment Co. Ltd., China). Sera auto-antibodies detection Serum antinuclear antibody (ANA) was detected with the indirect immunofluorescence assay by a commercialized ANA kit. Extractable nuclear antigen (ENA) was assayed with line immunoassay. All reagents were bought from Jiangsu HOB Biotech Group, China. Statistic analysis Using T-test and Chi-square test, all analyses were performed with SPSS 13.0 software. P value less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results 3.1 Hp infection detection in sera and aqueous humor Of the sera samples, there were 23 cases exhibited Hp-Ab-positive in POAG group, and the positive rate was 76.7% which was significantly higher than those of PACG and cataract group (43.3% and 36.6% respectively). In the aqueous humor samples, there were 18 patients with positive Hp-Ab in POAG group, and the positive rate was 66.7%. Compared to each data of the other two groups, the difference was statistically significant (Table 1). In POAG group, the mean positive rate of sera samples was similar to that of aqueous humor and no difference existed between them (P = 0.287). Table 1. The serum and aqueous humor qualitative test results of the patients with glaucoma Hp infection detection with 14C-UBTAH: aqueous humor; a: POAG group vs cataract group; b: POAG group vs PACG group; c: PACG group vs cataract group. In 14C-UBT, there were 19 patients with Hp-Ab-positive, and the positive rate was 63.3%. Compared to the data detected with DIGFA, the difference was not significant (Table 2). Table 2. Comparison of DIGFA and 14C-UBT for diagnosis of Hp infection in POAG group ANA and ENA detection* represents comparison of the positive rate detected with the two methods. There were 4, 2 and 1 patients with ANA-positive in POAG, PACG and cataract group, respectively. The positive ENA in POAG group were SSA, SSB and Ro-52, and the corresponding numbers were 2, 2 and 1. Only Ro-52 showedpositive in PACG group while there was no positive ENA in cataract group (Table 3). Table 3. The results for sera ANA, ENA of the patients of each group Discussion In Greece, a very active research group led by J. Kountouras published several original contributions as well as the reviews concerning the connection between Hp infection and POAG.14,16 In other counties, there were also several papers containing the similar arguments issued, such as India,17 Turkey,18 Korea19 and so on. In China, Hong et al20 detected Hp infection and POAG through 13C-UBT, and also found the positive correlation between them. Since then, there was no relative article issued by Chinese could be found in PubMed and other well-known scientific database. In this study, referring to other researchers’ reports, we designed and carried out the experiments. In the results, we found that the positive rate of sera Hp-Ab was high to 76.7% in POAG patients, which was significantly higher than those of the other two groups. This finding was close to the data of the previous reports2,21 and further verified that there was a positive relation between Hp infection and POAG. In the present study, we also assayed Hp infection with 14C-UBT. Encouragingly, the positive rate of Hp infection was 63.3%, which was very close to 76.7% detected with DIGFA. This result further indicated the existence of the relation between Hp infection and POAG. However, Bagnis et al22 thought that the studies based on Hp serological assessment might be misleading, since serum antibodies were not the sensitive markers of active Hp infection; while 13C-UBT could clarify the actual prevalence of POAG among patients infected by Hp. In fact, there were still deficiencies for 13C- or 14C -UBT, because it was more suitable for the detection of gastrointestinal Hp infection, and to an extent, there were false-negatives in the test.23 This probably was the just reason for what the positive rate in DIGFA was little higher than that in 14C-UBT in this study. As to the cresyl fast violet staining on the histology preparations of tissue samples of trabeculum and iris introduced by Zavos et al,24 although it could provide the direct and strong evidence for Hp infection in the pathophysiology of POAG, the difficult harvest of the sample limited its application. Therefore, in our opinions, the serological assay is suitable to detect Hp infectionand used to assess the relationship between Hp prevalence and POAG. Except for detecting sera Hp-Ab, we also detected Hp-Ab in the aqueous humor collected from the majority of participants. As the results shown, the positive rate of the POAG group was statistically higher than each of the other groups, respectively. This result was consistent with that of the serological assessment and again showed the positive relation between Hp infection and POAG. However, in another similar study, Deshpande et al17 also found a statistically significant difference between the POAG patients and the controls in the concentration of serum Hp-Ab, but they did not find any significant correlations between the Hp concentrations of the aqueous humor of the different patient groups. This disagreement probably associated with the damage degree of blood-brain barrier (BBB), because the sera Hp-Ab could reach the trabeculum and iris under the condition of the BBB disruption.25 According to the results of the present study, we supported the hypothesis related to POAG onset that Hp-Ab in circulation might get through the blood-aqueous humor barrier, further condensed in aqueous humor and finally induced or aggravated glaucomatous damage.2 As to the occurrence of POAG, we thought another autoimmune mechanism was most probable and should not be ignored: Hp infection initiated autoimmune response because of the common genetic components shared in Hp and human nerve tissue; and then, cell destruction which mediated by apoptosis direct caused glaucoma.26 Just based on the theory, we designed and detected sera ANA and ENA of the POAG patients and the control participants, and hoped to find any evidences related to autoimmune. As a result, we found that the positive rate of every group was rather low and there was no difference between them. However, this seronegative result can’t deny the hypothesis of autoimmune mechanism in POAG; and the auto-antibodies specific to eyes, such as trabeculum and iris, were suggested to be detected in future study in our opinions. Conclusion The positive association between Hp infection and POAG not only using serum sample but also aqueous humor sample is found in this study. And further, through the experimental data, it is suggested that the autoimmune induced by Hp infection probably is the key mechanism for POAG onset, and Hp detection should be taken as a routinized index applied to the prevention and therapy of POAG in clinic. However, we can not sufficiently investigate the possible mechanism of POAG relates to Hp infection. Is it true that Hp infection only relative to POAG but not a causative factor for POAG?18 What are the initial mechanisms of Hp in POAG if the pathogen takes part in the onset of the disease? Such questions will be the study topics to the medical researchers worldwide in future. Funding This work is supported by the Research Fund for Lin He’s Academician Workstation of New Medicine and Clinical Translation in Jining Medical University(JYHL2018FMS08), and the Project of scientific research support fund for teachers of Jining Medical University (JYFC2018FKJ023). Conflicts of interest There is no any conflict of interest between all of the authors. References: Chan H. H.; Ng Y.F.; Chu P. H. Clin Exp Optom. 2011, 94, 247. Kountouras J.; Mylopoulos N.; Konstas A. G.; Zavos C.; Chatzopoulos D.; Boukla A. Graefe’s Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmo. 2003, l241, 884. Kim E. C.; Park S. H.; Kim M. S. A. J. Pharmacol. Ther. 2010, 26, 563. Cantor L.; Fechtner R. D.; Michael A. J. San Francisco: Foundation of American Academy of Ophthalmology. 2005, 8. Bron A.; Chaine G.; Villain M.; Colin J.; Nordmann J. P.; Renard, J.P.; et al. Fr. Ophtalmol. 2008, 31, 435. Suzuki H.; Franceschi F.; Nishizawa T.; Gasbarini A. Helicobacter. 2011, 16, 65. Xia W.; Zhang X.; Wang J.; Sun C.; Wu L. Br. J. Nutr. 2011, 18, 1. Schimke K.; Chubb S. A.; Davis W. A.; Davis T. M. Atherosclerosis. 2010, 212, 321. Kountouras J.; Mylopoulos N.; Boura P.; Bessas C.; Chatzopoulos D.; Venizelos J.; et al. Opthalmology. 2001, 108, 599. Zaidi M.; Jilani A.; Gupta Y.; Umair S.; Gupta M. Nep. J. Oph. 2009, 1, 129. Galloway P. H.; Warner S. J.; Morshed M. G.; Mikelberg F. S. Ophthalmology. 2003, 110, 922. Abdollahi A.; Zarei R.; Zare M.; Kazemi A.Iran J. Opththalmol. 2005, 18, 15. Kurtz S.; Regenbogen M.; Goldiner I.; Horowitz N.; Moshkowitz M. Glaucoma. 2008, 17, 223. Tsolakin F.; Gogaki E.; Sakkias F.; Skatharoudi C.; Lopatatzidi C.; Tsoulopoulos V.; et al. Ophthalmol. 2012, 6, 45. Tang H. R.; Fan Y. J.; Liu S. Sichuan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Bao. 2014, 45, 823. Zavous, C.; Kountouras, J. Ophthalmol. 2012, 6, 243. Deshpande N.; Lalitha P.; Krishna das S. R.; Jethani J.; Pillai R. M.; Robin A.; et al. Glaucoma. 2008, 17, 605. Öztürk F.; Kurt E.; Inan U. U.; Erm S. S.; Çetinkaya Z.; Altýndi M. African J. Res. 2009, 3, 560. Kim J. M.; Kim S. H.; Park K. H.; Han S. Y.; Shim H. S. Invest Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2011, 52, 665. Hong Y.; Zhang C. H.; Duan L.; Wang E. Asian J. Ophthalmol. 2007, 9, 205. Samarai V.; Shrif N.; Nateghi S. Glob. J. Health Sci. 2014, 6, 13. Bagnis A.; Izzotti A.; Saccàn S. C. Diagestive and Liver Disease. 2012, 44, 962. Gao F.; Li W. X. Chin. J. Gastroenterol. 2015, 20, 151. Zavos C.; Kountouras J.; Sakkias G.; Venizelos L.; Deretzi G.; Arapoglou, S. Res. 2012, 47, 150. Kountouras J.Br. J. 2009, 93, 1413. Kountouras J.; Gavalas E.; Zavos C.; Stergiopoulos C.; Chatzopoulos D.; Kapetanakis N.; et al. . Hypotheses. 2007, 68, 378.

The curtain rose. The howling of desert wind filled the performance hall in the Shanghai Grand Theatre. Into the center stage, where a scenic construction of a mountain cliff and a desert landscape was dimly lit, entered the character of the Daoist priest Wang Yuanlu (1849–1931), performed by Chen Yizong. Dressed in a worn and dusty outfit of dark blue cotton, characteristic of Daoist priests, Wang began to sweep the floor. After a few moments, he discovered a hidden chambre sealed inside one of the rock sanctuaries carved into the cliff.Signaled by the quick, crystalline, stirring wave of sound from the chimes, a melodious Chinese ocarina solo joined in slowly from the background. Astonished by thousands of Buddhist sūtra scrolls, wall paintings, and sculptures he had just accidentally discovered in the caves, Priest Wang set his broom aside and began to examine these treasures. Dawn had not yet arrived, and the desert sky was pitch-black. Priest Wang held his oil lamp high, strode rhythmically in excitement, sat crossed-legged in a meditative pose, and unfolded a scroll. The sound of the ocarina became fuller and richer and the texture of the music more complex, as several other instruments joined in.Below is the opening scene of the award-winning, theatrical dance-drama Dunhuang, My Dreamland, created by China’s state-sponsored Lanzhou Song and Dance Theatre in 2000. Figure 1a: Poster Side A of Dunhuang, My Dreamland Figure 1b: Poster Side B of Dunhuang, My DreamlandThe scene locates the dance-drama in the rock sanctuaries that today are known as the Dunhuang Mogao Caves, housing Buddhist art accumulated over a period of a thousand years, one of the best well-known UNESCO heritages on the Silk Road. Historically a frontier metropolis, Dunhuang was a strategic site along the Silk Road in northwestern China, a crossroads of trade, and a locus for religious, cultural, and intellectual influences since the Han dynasty (206 B.C.E.–220 C.E.). Travellers, especially Buddhist monks from India and central Asia, passing through Dunhuang on their way to Chang’an (present day Xi’an), China’s ancient capital, would stop to meditate in the Mogao Caves and consult manuscripts in the monastery's library. At the same time, Chinese pilgrims would travel by foot from China through central Asia to Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, playing a key role in the exchanges between ancient China and the outside world. Travellers from China would stop to acquire provisions at Dunhuang before crossing the Gobi Desert to continue on their long journey abroad. Figure 2: Dunhuang Mogao CavesThis article approaches the idea of “abroad” by examining the present-day imagination of journeys along the Silk Road—specifically, staged performances of the various Silk Road journey-themed dance-dramas sponsored by the Chinese state for enhancing its cultural and foreign policies since the 1970s (Kuang).As ethnomusicologists have demonstrated, musicians, choreographers, and playwrights often utilise historical materials in their performances to construct connections between the past and the present (Bohlman; Herzfeld; Lam; Rees; Shelemay; Tuohy; Wade; Yung: Rawski; Watson). The ancient Silk Road, which linked the Mediterranean coast with central China and beyond, via oasis towns such as Samarkand, has long been associated with the concept of “journeying abroad.” Journeys to distant, foreign lands and encounters of unknown, mysterious cultures along the Silk Road have been documented in historical records, such as A Record of Buddhist Kingdoms (Faxian) and The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions (Xuanzang), and illustrated in classical literature, such as The Travels of Marco Polo (Polo) and the 16th century Chinese novel Journey to the West (Wu). These journeys—coming and going from multiple directions and to different destinations—have inspired contemporary staged performance for audiences around the globe.Home and Abroad: Dunhuang and the Silk RoadDunhuang, My Dreamland (2000), the contemporary dance-drama, staged the journey of a young pilgrim painter travelling from Chang’an to a land of the unfamiliar and beyond borders, in search for the arts that have inspired him. Figure 3: A scene from Dunhuang, My Dreamland showing the young pilgrim painter in the Gobi Desert on the ancient Silk RoadFar from his home, he ended his journey in Dunhuang, historically considered the northwestern periphery of China, well beyond Yangguan and Yumenguan, the bordering passes that separate China and foreign lands. Later scenes in Dunhuang, My Dreamland, portrayed through multiethnic music and dances, the dynamic interactions among merchants, cultural and religious envoys, warriors, and politicians that were making their own journey from abroad to China. The theatrical dance-drama presents a historically inspired, re-imagined vision of both “home” and “abroad” to its audiences as they watch the young painter travel along the Silk Road, across the Gobi Desert, arriving at his own ideal, artistic “homeland”, the Dunhuang Mogao Caves. Since his journey is ultimately a spiritual one, the conceptualisation of travelling “abroad” could also be perceived as “a journey home.”Staged more than four hundred times since it premiered in Beijing in April 2000, Dunhuang, My Dreamland is one of the top ten titles in China’s National Stage Project and one of the most successful theatrical dance-dramas ever produced in China. With revenue of more than thirty million renminbi (RMB), it ranks as the most profitable theatrical dance-drama ever produced in China, with a preproduction cost of six million RMB. The production team receives financial support from China’s Ministry of Culture for its “distinctive ethnic features,” and its “aim to promote traditional Chinese culture,” according to Xu Rong, an official in the Cultural Industry Department of the Ministry. Labeled an outstanding dance-drama of the Chinese nation, it aims to present domestic and international audiences with a vision of China as a historically multifaceted and cosmopolitan nation that has been in close contact with the outside world through the ancient Silk Road. Its production company has been on tour in selected cities throughout China and in countries abroad, including Austria, Spain, and France, literarily making the young pilgrim painter’s “journey along the Silk Road” a new journey abroad, off stage and in reality.Dunhuang, My Dreamland was not the first, nor is it the last, staged performances that portrays the Chinese re-imagination of “journeying abroad” along the ancient Silk Road. It was created as one of many versions of Dunhuang bihua yuewu, a genre of music, dance, and dramatic performances created in the early twentieth century and based primarily on artifacts excavated from the Mogao Caves (Kuang). “The Mogao Caves are the greatest repository of early Chinese art,” states Mimi Gates, who works to increase public awareness of the UNESCO site and raise funds toward its conservation. “Located on the Chinese end of the Silk Road, it also is the place where many cultures of the world intersected with one another, so you have Greek and Roman, Persian and Middle Eastern, Indian and Chinese cultures, all interacting. Given the nature of our world today, it is all very relevant” (Pollack). As an expressive art form, this genre has been thriving since the late 1970s contributing to the global imagination of China’s “Silk Road journeys abroad” long before Dunhuang, My Dreamland achieved its domestic and international fame. For instance, in 2004, The Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed Avalokiteśvara—one of the most representative (and well-known) Dunhuang bihua yuewu programs—was staged as a part of the cultural program during the Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece. This performance, as well as other Dunhuang bihua yuewu dance programs was the perfect embodiment of a foreign religion that arrived in China from abroad and became Sinicized (Kuang). Figure 4: Mural from Dunhuang Mogao Cave No. 45A Brief History of Staging the Silk Road JourneysThe staging of the Silk Road journeys abroad began in the late 1970s. Historically, the Silk Road signifies a multiethnic, cosmopolitan frontier, which underwent incessant conflicts between Chinese sovereigns and nomadic peoples (as well as between other groups), but was strongly imbued with the customs and institutions of central China (Duan, Mair, Shi, Sima). In the twentieth century, when China was no longer an empire, but had become what the early 20th-century reformer Liang Qichao (1873–1929) called “a nation among nations,” the long history of the Silk Road and the colourful, legendary journeys abroad became instrumental in the formation of a modern Chinese nation of unified diversity rooted in an ancient cosmopolitan past. The staged Silk Road theme dance-dramas thus participate in this formation of the Chinese imagination of “nation” and “abroad,” as they aestheticise Chinese history and geography. History and geography—aspects commonly considered constituents of a nation as well as our conceptualisations of “abroad”—are “invariably aestheticized to a certain degree” (Bakhtin 208). Diverse historical and cultural elements from along the Silk Road come together in this performance genre, which can be considered the most representative of various possible stagings of the history and culture of the Silk Road journeys.In 1979, the Chinese state officials in Gansu Province commissioned the benchmark dance-drama Rain of Flowers along the Silk Road, a spectacular theatrical dance-drama praising the pure and noble friendship which existed between the peoples of China and other countries in the Tang dynasty (618-907 C.E.). While its plot also revolves around the Dunhuang Caves and the life of a painter, staged at one of the most critical turning points in modern Chinese history, the work as a whole aims to present the state’s intention of re-establishing diplomatic ties with the outside world after the Cultural Revolution. Unlike Dunhuang, My Dreamland, it presents a nation’s journey abroad and home. To accomplish this goal, Rain of Flowers along the Silk Road introduces the fictional character Yunus, a wealthy Persian merchant who provides the audiences a vision of the historical figure of Peroz III, the last Sassanian prince, who after the Arab conquest of Iran in 651 C.E., found refuge in China. By incorporating scenes of ethnic and folk dances, the drama then stages the journey of painter Zhang’s daughter Yingniang to Persia (present-day Iran) and later, Yunus’s journey abroad to the Tang dynasty imperial court as the Persian Empire’s envoy.Rain of Flowers along the Silk Road, since its debut at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on the first of October 1979 and shortly after at the Theatre La Scala in Milan, has been staged in more than twenty countries and districts, including France, Italy, Japan, Thailand, Russia, Latvia, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and recently, in 2013, at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York.“The Road”: Staging the Journey TodayWithin the contemporary context of global interdependencies, performing arts have been used as strategic devices for social mobilisation and as a means to represent and perform modern national histories and foreign policies (Davis, Rees, Tian, Tuohy, Wong, David Y. H. Wu). The Silk Road has been chosen as the basis for these state-sponsored, extravagantly produced, and internationally staged contemporary dance programs. In 2008, the welcoming ceremony and artistic presentation at the Olympic Games in Beijing featured twenty apsara dancers and a Dunhuang bihua yuewu dancer with long ribbons, whose body was suspended in mid-air on a rectangular LED extension held by hundreds of performers; on the giant LED screen was a depiction of the ancient Silk Road.In March 2013, Chinese president Xi Jinping introduced the initiatives “Silk Road Economic Belt” and “21st Century Maritime Silk Road” during his journeys abroad in Kazakhstan and Indonesia. These initiatives are now referred to as “One Belt, One Road.” The State Council lists in details the policies and implementation plans for this initiative on its official web page, www.gov.cn. In April 2013, the China Institute in New York launched a yearlong celebration, starting with "Dunhuang: Buddhist Art and the Gateway of the Silk Road" with a re-creation of one of the caves and a selection of artifacts from the site. In March 2015, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China’s top economic planning agency, released a new action plan outlining key details of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative. Xi Jinping has made the program a centrepiece of both his foreign and domestic economic policies. One of the central economic strategies is to promote cultural industry that could enhance trades along the Silk Road.Encouraged by the “One Belt, One Road” policies, in March 2016, The Silk Princess premiered in Xi’an and was staged at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing the following July. While Dunhuang, My Dreamland and Rain of Flowers along the Silk Road were inspired by the Buddhist art found in Dunhuang, The Silk Princess, based on a story about a princess bringing silk and silkworm-breeding skills to the western regions of China in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) has a different historical origin. The princess's story was portrayed in a woodblock from the Tang Dynasty discovered by Sir Marc Aurel Stein, a British archaeologist during his expedition to Xinjiang (now Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region) in the early 19th century, and in a temple mural discovered during a 2002 Chinese-Japanese expedition in the Dandanwulike region. Figure 5: Poster of The Silk PrincessIn January 2016, the Shannxi Provincial Song and Dance Troupe staged The Silk Road, a new theatrical dance-drama. Unlike Dunhuang, My Dreamland, the newly staged dance-drama “centers around the ‘road’ and the deepening relationship merchants and travellers developed with it as they traveled along its course,” said Director Yang Wei during an interview with the author. According to her, the show uses seven archetypes—a traveler, a guard, a messenger, and so on—to present the stories that took place along this historic route. Unbounded by specific space or time, each of these archetypes embodies the foreign-travel experience of a different group of individuals, in a manner that may well be related to the social actors of globalised culture and of transnationalism today. Figure 6: Poster of The Silk RoadConclusionAs seen in Rain of Flowers along the Silk Road and Dunhuang, My Dreamland, staging the processes of Silk Road journeys has become a way of connecting the Chinese imagination of “home” with the Chinese imagination of “abroad.” Staging a nation’s heritage abroad on contemporary stages invites a new imagination of homeland, borders, and transnationalism. Once aestheticised through staged performances, such as that of the Dunhuang bihua yuewu, the historical and topological landscape of Dunhuang becomes a performed narrative, embodying the national heritage.The staging of Silk Road journeys continues, and is being developed into various forms, from theatrical dance-drama to digital exhibitions such as the Smithsonian’s Pure Land: Inside the Mogao Grottes at Dunhuang (Stromberg) and the Getty’s Cave Temples of Dunhuang: Buddhist Art on China's Silk Road (Sivak and Hood). They are sociocultural phenomena that emerge through interactions and negotiations among multiple actors and institutions to envision and enact a Chinese imagination of “journeying abroad” from and to the country.ReferencesBakhtin, M.M. The Dialogic Imagination: Four Essays. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press, 1982.Bohlman, Philip V. “World Music at the ‘End of History’.” Ethnomusicology 46 (2002): 1–32.Davis, Sara L.M. Song and Silence: Ethnic Revival on China’s Southwest Borders. New York: Columbia University Press, 2005.Duan, Wenjie. “The History of Conservation of Mogao Grottoes.” International Symposium on the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Property: The Conservation of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes and the Related Studies. Eds. Kuchitsu and Nobuaki. Tokyo: Tokyo National Research Institute of Cultural Properties, 1997. 1–8.Faxian. A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms. Translated by James Legge. New York: Dover Publications, 1991.Herzfeld, Michael. Ours Once More: Folklore, Ideology, and the Making of Modern Greece. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1985.Kuang, Lanlan. Dunhuang bi hua yue wu: "Zhongguo jing guan" zai guo ji yu jing zhong de jian gou, chuan bo yu yi yi (Dunhuang Performing Arts: The Construction and Transmission of “China-scape” in the Global Context). Beijing: She hui ke xue wen xian chu ban she, 2016.Lam, Joseph S.C. State Sacrifice and Music in Ming China: Orthodoxy, Creativity and Expressiveness. New York: State University of New York Press, 1998.Mair, Victor. T’ang Transformation Texts: A Study of the Buddhist Contribution to the Rise of Vernacular Fiction and Drama in China. Cambridge, Mass.: Council on East Asian Studies, 1989.Pollack, Barbara. “China’s Desert Treasure.” ARTnews, December 2013. Sep. 2016 <http://www.artnews.com/2013/12/24/chinas-desert-treasure/>.Polo, Marco. The Travels of Marco Polo. Translated by Ronald Latham. Penguin Classics, 1958.Rees, Helen. Echoes of History: Naxi Music in Modern China. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.Shelemay, Kay Kaufman. “‘Historical Ethnomusicology’: Reconstructing Falasha Liturgical History.” Ethnomusicology 24 (1980): 233–258.Shi, Weixiang. Dunhuang lishi yu mogaoku yishu yanjiu (Dunhuang History and Research on Mogao Grotto Art). Lanzhou: Gansu jiaoyu chubanshe, 2002.Sima, Guang 司马光 (1019–1086) et al., comps. Zizhi tongjian 资治通鉴 (Comprehensive Mirror for the Aid of Government). Beijing: Guji chubanshe, 1957.Sima, Qian 司马迁 (145-86? B.C.E.) et al., comps. Shiji: Dayuan liezhuan 史记: 大宛列传 (Record of the Grand Historian: The Collective Biographies of Dayuan). Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1959.Sivak, Alexandria and Amy Hood. “The Getty to Present: Cave Temples of Dunhuang: Buddhist Art on China’s Silk Road Organised in Collaboration with the Dunhuang Academy and the Dunhuang Foundation.” Getty Press Release. Sep. 2016 <http://news.getty.edu/press-materials/press-releases/cave-temples-dunhuang-buddhist-art-chinas-silk-road>.Stromberg, Joseph. “Video: Take a Virtual 3D Journey to Visit China's Caves of the Thousand Buddhas.” Smithsonian, December 2012. Sep. 2016 <http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/video-take-a-virtual-3d-journey-to-visit-chinas-caves-of-the-thousand-buddhas-150897910/?no-ist>.Tian, Qing. “Recent Trends in Buddhist Music Research in China.” British Journal of Ethnomusicology 3 (1994): 63–72.Tuohy, Sue M.C. “Imagining the Chinese Tradition: The Case of Hua’er Songs, Festivals, and Scholarship.” Ph.D. Dissertation. Indiana University, Bloomington, 1988.Wade, Bonnie C. Imaging Sound: An Ethnomusicological Study of Music, Art, and Culture in Mughal India. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998.Wong, Isabel K.F. “From Reaction to Synthesis: Chinese Musicology in the Twentieth Century.” Comparative Musicology and Anthropology of Music: Essays on the History of Ethnomusicology. Eds. Bruno Nettl and Philip V. Bohlman. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1991. 37–55.Wu, Chengen. Journey to the West. Tranlsated by W.J.F. Jenner. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2003.Wu, David Y.H. “Chinese National Dance and the Discourse of Nationalization in Chinese Anthropology.” The Making of Anthropology in East and Southeast Asia. Eds. Shinji Yamashita, Joseph Bosco, and J.S. Eades. New York: Berghahn, 2004. 198–207.Xuanzang. The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions. Hamburg: Numata Center for Buddhist Translation & Research, 1997.Yung, Bell, Evelyn S. Rawski, and Rubie S. Watson, eds. Harmony and Counterpoint: Ritual Music in Chinese Context. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1996.

The intellectual development in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) could be generally divided into two phases, with the first one inherited from the Han Wei period focusing on the meaning of words, while the second phase focuses on the teaching of the Confucian classics. Among the various scholars during the course of this transformation, Dan Zhu (啖助,724-770) has been recognized as a non-mainstream but yet very influential character. To avoid the An-Shi Rebellion, Dan Zhu resided in the south-eastern part of the country where he taught Lu Chun (陸淳) the Chun Qiu (春秋) classic. Many famous Tang political reformers including Lu Wen (呂溫) and Liu Zong Yuan (柳宗元) are considered by historians as Dan Zhu’s students and followers. This has made Dan Zhu even more influential than other Confucius scholars in that period. Nevertheless, due to the controversial nature of his teachings, Dan Zhu was heavily criticized by Ouyang Xiu (歐陽修) as being specious and at the same time appraised by Cheng Yi (程頤) to be one of the fore-runners who founded the Song Confucianism. This research reveals that Dan Zhu abandons the approach of focusing on the meaning wording and goes directly into the teachings of the classics. He considers that there are large amount of mistakes in the then contemporary explanation of Chun Qiu, he also considers that Tang scholars have not just worked in isolation without much view sharing, but also misinterpreted Confucius’ teachings. Moreover, the Tang scholars are treating Chun Qiu as history or even as literature, rather than Confucius’ teaching on how the society should be run. From Dan Zhu’s perspective, Confucius was trying to make use of histories to set proper behavioural standards and protocols for running the country, with an objective of saving the imperial control of Zhou (周). During the mid-Tang period, China was undergoing major social changes from a feudal to a modern society. Tang imperials whose ancestors carried a nomadic blood stream tried to strengthen their control by adopting Confucianism; and placing more emphasis on the south-eastern region where the Han Chinese of the Southern Dynasty was concentrated. Coupling with the civil examination (科舉) reform and the impacts of Zen Buddhism, the Tang society was undergoing major social-political transformation which Dan Zhu was situated right on its course. The research concludes that Dan Zhu’s ideas fit well with Xuan-zong’s (唐玄宗) appeal for revival of Confucius teachings and the social-political setting in Mid-Tang. Although Dan Zhu is considered a non-mainstream scholar, his teachings have brought about significant impacts on later development of the Neo-Confucianism. Nonetheless, Dan Zhu has not deviated from the fundamental principles of a Confucian whose destiny is to serve the people and the country, and of course for Dan Zhu, the Tang Dynasty.
published_or_final_version
Chinese
Master
Master of Philosophy

Culture is commonly viewed as the most significant factor that distinguishes one ethic group from another. Writing is primarily defined as the carrier of culture. Religion is generally conceded to be the important way to convey culture, while culture is primly manifested by religion. Shang Dynasty that started up as a very first dynasty boasts of literary inscription, in the same time, it is discovered to be the earliest era of writing system in existence. All that is attributed to the Oracle Bone Inscriptions unearthed. Hence, Oracle Bone Inscriptions is associated with the culture study of Shang Dynasty. Central to the culture of Shang Dynasty is the religion culture in the sense that Oracle Bone Inscriptions articulates a great deal of records related to religion. Oracle Bone Inscriptions, accordingly, manages to provide abundant and genuine documents and evidences for the purpose of studying the culture of Shang Dynasty. The research aims to focus on the Oracle Bone Inscriptions as a main object of analysis, with the combination of the study of Oracle Bone, history of Shang Dynasty together with anthropology, which intends to explore the characteristics of China’s religion and develop a new definition. The Shang Dynasty is regarded as a period of strengthening religious belief and rituals. The degree of China’s religion ceremony represents itself in a statement of full popularity and development in Shang Dynasty which is implicated by the Oracle Bone Inscriptions, and the worship ceremony is embodied in China’s religion. Through the research, it is concluded that the core belief of China’s religion mainly revolves around ancestor worship and its consciousness; particular religious sites, such as ancestor temples; worship ancestor of genetic connection as well as ancestor of social groups; and belief of ethics and morality. Religion is closely concerned in society construction and nation building; moreover, it exerts a significant influence on Chinese cultures in many aspects.
published_or_final_version
Chinese
Master
Master of Philosophy

This thesis is aimed at analyzing dyslexic students’ features of written texts in Hong Kong using systemic functional linguistics. Text analytic method was adopted in comparing the texts written by dyslexic students with those written by normal students based on the systems of transitivity, theme, mood and modality. The study has further developed the concept of word density within the framework of systemic functional linguistics, putting forward the proposition of using “functional word density”, i.e. transitivity density, theme density and mood density, to analyze the language features of students with dyslexia, in the hope of shedding some light on teaching writing skills to these students. Research findings indicate that dyslexic students generally display strong capabilities in presenting specific concepts while their emotional concepts, however, are relatively weak. These students’ density of lexicon regarding material, behavioral and existential processes is higher than that of normal students but their word density of psychological and relationship processes is comparatively lower. When writing descriptive essays, narrative essays and argumentative essays, dyslexic students’ lexical density of psychological process indicates less variation than normal students. This shows that students with dyslexia are generally less flexible in expressing emotions and always fail to adapt to different genres by adjusting remarkably their use of psychological words. As a matter of fact, dyslexic students tend to be insufficient in expressing emotions. When it comes to essay writing, this “low-level of emotionality” reduces their lexical density of psychological words which will in turn undermines students’ performance in descriptive essays. Nevertheless, when doing narrative or commentary writing, these students’ proven word density is somewhat higher than that of normal students. The findings may pave the way for further research on alternative approaches in teaching writing skills to the students. It is also noteworthy that dyslexic students display similar tendency to normal students in terms of theme, mood and modality density. However, these students are good at using conjunctions while weak in connectives and modal adjunct. From the perspective of education, remedial and alternative approaches may be considered for the sake of dyslexic students. It is proposed that these students, in order to compensate for their lack of emotional lexicon, may express feelings by narrating daily occurrences and teachers may support by providing them with lexicon of relevant genres to strengthen their data bank on emotional lexicon.
published_or_final_version
Education
Doctoral
Doctor of Education