Application and potential value of curcumin in prostate cancer: a meta-analysis based on animal models.

Introduction: Curcumin is gaining recognition as an agent for cancer chemoprevention and is presently administered to humans. However, the limited number of clinical trials conducted for the treatment of prostate cancer is noteworthy. Animal models serve as valuable tools for enhancing our understanding of disease mechanisms and etiology in humans. The objective of this study was to examine the anti-prostate cancer effects of curcumin in vivo for comprehending its current research status and potential clinical applicability. Methods: Our methodology involved a systematic exploration of animal studies pertaining to curcumin and prostate cancer, as documented in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang database, Vip database, and SinoMed, up to 03 September 2023. Risk of bias was assessed using the SYRCLE Animal Study Risk of Bias tool. The results were combined using the RevMan 5.3. Results: A comprehensive analysis was conducted on 17 studies encompassing 263 mouse transplantation tumor models. The findings of this meta-analysis demonstrated that curcumin exhibited a superior inhibitory effect on the volume of prostate cancer tumors in mice compared to the control group (standardized mean difference [SMD]: 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.52, 1.80, p < 0.001). Additionally, curcumin displayed a more effective inhibition of mice prostate cancer tumor weight (SMD: -3.27, 95% CI: -4.70, -1.83, p < 0.001). Furthermore, in terms of tumor inhibition rate, curcumin exhibited greater efficacy (SMD: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.27, p < 0.001). Moreover, curcumin more effectively inhibited PCNA mRNA (SMD: -3.11, 95% CI: -4.60, -1.63, p < 0.001) and MMP2 mRNA (SMD: -3.19, 95% CI: 5.85, -0.53, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Curcumin exhibited inhibitory properties towards prostate tumor growth and demonstrated a beneficial effect on prostate cancer treatment, thereby offering substantiation for further clinical investigations. It is important to acknowledge that the included animal studies exhibited considerable heterogeneity, primarily because of the limited number of studies included. Consequently, additional randomized controlled trials are required to comprehensively assess the efficacy of curcumin in humans. Systematic Review Registration: (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023464661), identifier (CRD42023464661).

Lead-Chelating Intermediate for Air-Processed Phase-Pure FAPbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells.

Formamidinium-lead triiodide (FAPbI3) perovskite holds promise as a prime candidate in the realm of perovskite photovoltaics. However, the photo-active α-FAPbI3 phase, existing as a metastable state, is observable solely at elevated temperatures and is susceptible to degradation into the δ-phase in ambient air. Therefore, the attainment of phase-stable α-FAPbI3 in ambient conditions has become a crucial objective in perovskite research. Here, we proposed an efficient conversion process of PbI2 into the α-FAPbI3 perovskites in ambient air. This conversion was facilitated by the introduction of chelating molecules, which interacted with PbI2 to form an intermediate phase. Due to the reduced formation barrier resulting from the altered reaction pathway, this stable intermediate phase transitioned directly into α-FAPbI3 upon the deposition of the organic cation solution, effectively bypassing the formation of δ-FAPbI3. Consequently, the ambient-fabricated FAPbI3 perovskite solar cells (PSCs) exhibited an outstanding power conversion efficiency of 25.08%, along with a high open-circuit voltage of 1.19 V. Furthermore, the unencapsulated devices demonstrated remarkable environmental stability. Notably, this innovative approach promises broad applicability across various chelating molecules, opening new avenues for further progress in the ambient air fabrication of FAPbI3 PSCs.

Efficacy and safety study of targeted small-molecule drugs in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus.

BACKGROUND: Targeted small-molecule drugs in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have attracted increasing attention from clinical investigators. However, there is still a lack of evidence on the difference in the efficacy and safety of different targeted small-molecule drugs. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of different targeted small-molecule drugs for SLE. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on targeted small-molecule drugs in the treatment of SLE in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched as of April 25, 2023. Risk of bias assessment was performed for included studies using the Cochrane's tool for evaluating the risk of bias. The primary outcome indicators were SRI-4 response, BICLA response, and adverse reaction. Because different doses and courses of treatment were used in the included studies, Bayesian network meta-regression was used to investigate the effect of different doses and courses of treatment on efficacy and safety. RESULTS: A total of 13 studies were included, involving 3,622 patients and 9 targeted small-molecule drugs. The results of network meta-analysis showed that, in terms of improving SRI-4, Deucravacitinib was significantly superior to that of Baricitinib (RR = 1.32, 95% CI (1.04, 1.68), P < 0.05). Deucravacitinib significantly outperformed the placebo in improving BICLA response (RR = 1.55, 95% CI (1.20, 2.02), P < 0.05). In terms of adverse reactions, targeted small-molecule drugs did not significantly increase the risk of adverse events as compared to placebo (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Based on the evidence obtained in this study, the differences in the efficacy of targeted small-molecule drugs were statistically significant as compared to placebo, but the difference in the safety was not statistically significant. The dose and the course of treatment had little impact on the effect of targeted small-molecule drugs. Deucravacitinib could significantly improve BICLA response and SRI-4 response without significantly increasing the risk of AEs. Therefore, Deucravacitinib is very likely to be the best intervention measure. Due to the small number of included studies, more high-quality clinical evidence is needed to further verify the efficacy and safety of targeted small-molecule drugs for SLE.

Associations of early retirement and mortality risk: a population-based study in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Early retirement is highly prevalent in Taiwan. This study assesses the association between early retirement and all-cause and cause-specific mortality risks while exploring the modifying effect of sociodemographic factors. METHODS: Using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database between 2009 and 2019, 1 762 621 early retirees aged 45-64 and an equal number of employed comparators were included. The date and cause of death were identified using the National Death Registry. Cox regression models were used to estimate HRs of early retirement for all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality. To explore modifying effects, we conducted subgroup analyses based on age groups, sexes, occupation types and general health status (Charlson Comorbid Index score). RESULTS: The analysis revealed that early retirees, compared with their concurrently employed counterparts, had a higher mortality risk (adjusted HR (aHR) 1.69, 95% CI (1.67 to 1.71)). Specifically, younger individuals (aged 45-54) (aHR 2.74 (95% CI 2.68 to 2.80)), males (aHR 1.78 (95% CI 1.76 to 1.81)), those in farming or fishing occupations (aHR 2.13 (95% CI 2.06 to 2.21)) or the private sector (aHR 1.92 (95% CI 1.89 to 1.96)), and those with the poorest health conditions (aHR 1.79 (95% CI 1.76 to 1.83)) had higher mortality risks of early retirement. Regarding specific causes of death, the top three highest risks were associated with gastrointestinal disorders, followed by suicide and neurological disorders. CONCLUSIONS: This study underscores the substantial mortality risk increase linked to early retirement, emphasising the importance of policy considerations, particularly regarding vulnerable populations and specific causes of death potentially linked to unhealthy lifestyles.

Effect of different oral anticoagulants on cognitive function in patients with atrial fibrillation: A Bayesian network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is 1 of the most common types of arrhythmias. At present, the treatment for patients with AF mainly includes oral anticoagulants (OACs). Studies have shown that OACs are associated with cognitive decline in patients with atrial fibrillation; however, there is a lack of relevant evidence. This study used Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) to investigate the effects of different oral anticoagulants on cognitive decline in patients with AF. METHODS: We systematically searched for clinical studies on oral anticoagulants in patients with AF in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library as of July 3, 2023. Cochrane's randomized controlled trial bias risk assessment tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale were used to assess the bias risk of the included studies. The main outcome measure was decreased cognitive functioning. RESULTS: Ten studies were included, including 2 RCTs and 7 RCSs, including 882,847 patients with AF. Five oral anticoagulants and 2 anticoagulants were included: VKAs (especially warfarin), Dabigatran, Edoxaban, Rivaroxaban, Apixaban, and Aspirin, Clopidogrel. The results of the mesh meta-analysis showed that VKAs were superior to warfarin in reducing the risk of cognitive decline in patients with AF (OR = -1.19, 95% CI (-2.35, -0.06), P < .05) (Table 5). The top 3 drugs in terms of the probability of reducing the incidence of cognitive impairment in patients with AF with different oral anticoagulants were VKAs (87%), rivaroxaban (62.2%), and dabigatran (60.8%). CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, VKAs may be the best intervention measure for reducing the risk of cognitive decline in patients with AF. Owing to the limitations of this study, more high-quality randomized controlled trials with large sample sizes and multiple centers are required to provide more evidence.

Widowhood and mortality risk in Taiwan: a population-based matched cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Studying the causes of death among deceased spouses and surviving partners may provide insights into the underlying mechanisms of the association between widowhood and mortality. This study investigated the mortality risk of widowhood in Taiwan, examined the association of the cause of death between widowed individuals and their deceased spouses and explored potential modifying effects by age, gender and duration after widowhood. METHODS: This matched cohort study utilized Taiwan's National Health Insurance claims database and National Death Registry. In total, 204 010 widowed men and 596 136 widowed women were identified with a mean follow-up period of 6.9 and 7.9 years, respectively, and 816 040 comparison men and 2 384 544 comparison women were selected. RESULTS: Widowhood was associated with an increased mortality risk, with widowed men having a 1.32 increased risk and widowed women having a 1.27 increased risk. Age at spousal death and duration modified the associations after widowhood. The widowed individuals are more likely to die by the same cause as the deceased spouse if they died by suicide, accident, endocrine, gastrointestinal disorders or infection. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that healthcare policies and interventions should be developed to improve widowed individuals' health and overall welfare.

Efficacy and safety of Chinese patent medicine in the adjuvant treatment of prostate cancer: A Bayesian network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. In China, traditional Chinese medicine is used to treat prostate cancer. However, there is a lack of evidence for differences in the effectiveness and safety of different Chinese patent medicines. Therefore, we conducted this Network Meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy and safety of different Chinese patent medicines in the treatment of prostate cancer. METHODS: We systematically search PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane library, CNKI database, VIP database, wanfang database, and SinoMed Randomized controlled trials of Chinese patent medicines for the treatment of prostate cancer sores included in the database were retrieved until June 1, 2023. The included studies were assessed for risk of bias using Cochrane randomized controlled trial Bias risk Assessment tool. The main outcome indicators were Efficacy, Prostate Specific Antigen, and adverse reaction. Since different courses of treatment were used in the included studies, we used Bayesian mesh meta-regression to investigate the effects of treatment courses on efficacy and safety. RESULTS: Twenty-seven articles were included, involving 1885 patients. Including 9 kinds of Chinese patent medicine. The results of Network Meta-analysis show that: ① efficacy: compared with androgen antagonists, Bruceolic oil emulsion (relative risk = 1.70, 95% credibility interval [CI] (1.30, 2.29)), Compound Kushen injection (relative risk = 1.39, 95%CI (1.19, 1.70)) had significant advantages. There was no significant difference among all Chinese patent medicines (P > .05). The top 3 Chinese patent medicines were Bruceolic oil emulsion, Zhibodihuang pill, Compound Kushen injection. ② Prostate specific antigen: compared with androgen antagonists, Bruceolic oil emulsion (mean difference [MD] = -10.4, 95%CI [-17.6, -3.21]), Compound Kushen injection (MD = -4.46, 95%CI [-8.80, -1.70]), Shenfu injection (MD = -14.7, 95%CI [-23.4, -6.01]) had significant advantages. The top 3 Chinese patent medicines were Shenfu injection, Bruceolic oil emulsion, Compound Kushen injection. adverse reaction: compared with androgen antagonists, there was no significant difference among all PCM (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Compared with androgen antagonists, Chinese patent medicine has significant difference in effectiveness. The effect of Chinese patent medicine is little affected by the course of treatment and dose. From comprehensive analysis, Bruceolic oil emulsion combined with androgen antagonist is the best intervention measures.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With a Drug-Eluting Stent Versus Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Patients Receiving Dialysis: A National Study From Taiwan.

Rationale & Objective: We aimed to study the comparative effectiveness of percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent and coronary artery bypass grafting in patients receiving dialysis. Study Design: This was a retrospective observational cohort study. Setting & Participants: This population-based study identified patients receiving dialysis hospitalized for coronary revascularization between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2015, in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Exposures: Patients received percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent versus coronary artery bypass grafting. Outcomes: The study outcomes were all-cause mortality, in-hospital mortality, and repeat revascularization. Analytical Approach: Propensity scores were used to match patients. Cox proportional hazards models and logistic regression models were constructed to examine associations between revascularization strategies and mortality. Interval Cox models were fitted to estimate time-varying hazards during different periods. Results: A total of 1,840 propensity score-matched patients receiving dialysis were analyzed. Coronary artery bypass grafting was associated with higher in-hospital mortality (coronary artery bypass grafting vs percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent; crude mortality rate 12.5% vs 3.3%; adjusted OR, 5.22; 95% CI, 3.42-7.97; P < 0.001) and longer hospitalization duration (median [IQR], 20 [14-30] days vs 3 [2-8] days; P < 0.001). After discharge, repeat revascularization, acute coronary syndrome, and repeat hospitalization all occurred more frequently in the percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent group. Importantly, with a median follow-up of 2.8 years, coronary artery bypass grafting was significantly associated with a higher risk of all-cause overall mortality (adjusted HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.05-1.35; P = 0.006) in the multivariable Cox proportional hazard model. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses yielded consistent results. Limitations: This was an observational study with mainly Asian ethnicity. Conclusions: Percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent may be associated with better survival than coronary artery bypass grafting in patients receiving dialysis. Future studies are warranted to confirm this finding.

Although coronary artery bypass grafting offers better long-term survival in the general population than percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent, patients receiving dialysis may be too frail to tolerate the increased perioperative mortality risk of coronary artery bypass grafting. In this retrospective study in a national cohort of patients receiving dialysis from Taiwan, percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent is associated with lower in-hospital mortality and better long-term survival when compared with coronary artery bypass grafting. Subsequent acute coronary syndrome, repeat revascularization, and rehospitalization were noted more frequently in the percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent group. These findings may suggest percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent as a safe revascularization strategy for patients receiving dialysis.

Suppressing the expression of glutathione S-transferase gene GSTd10 increases the sensitivity of Zeugodacus cucurbitae against ß-cypermethrin.

Zeugodacus cucurbitae Coquillett (Diptera: Tephritidae) is an agriculturally and economically important pest worldwide that has developed resistance to ß-cypermethrin. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) have been reported to be involved in the detoxification of insecticides in insects. We have found that both ZcGSTd6 and ZcGSTd10 were up-regulated by ß-cypermethrin induction in our previous study, so we aimed to explore their potential relationship with ß-cypermethrin tolerance in this study. The heterologous expression of ZcGSTd6 and ZcGSTd10 in Escherichia coli showed significantly high activities against 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB). The kinetic parameters of ZcGSTd6 and ZcGSTd10 were determined by Lineweaver-Burk. The Vmax and Km of ZcGSTd6 were 0.50 µmol/min·mg and 0.3 mM, respectively. The Vmax and Km of ZcGSTd10 were 1.82 µmol/min·mg and 0.53 mM. The 3D modelling and molecular docking results revealed that ß-cypermethrin exhibited a stronger bounding to the active site SER-9 of ZcGSTd10. The sensitivity to ß-cypermethrin was significantly increased by 18.73% and 27.21%, respectively, after the knockdown of ZcGSTd6 and ZcGSTd10 by using RNA interference. In addition, the inhibition of CDNB at 50% (IC50) and the inhibition constants (Ki) of ß-cypermethrin against ZcGSTd10 were determined as 0.41 and 0.33 mM, respectively. The Ki and IC50 of ß-cypermethrin against ZcSGTd6 were not analysed. These results suggested that ZcGSTd10 could be an essential regulator involved in the tolerance of Z. cucurbitae to ß-cypermethrin.

Impact of the trans-ancestry polygenic risk score on type 2 diabetes risk, onset age and progression among population in Taiwan.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevalence in adults at a younger age has increased but the disease status may go unnoticed. This study aimed to determine whether the onset age and subsequent diabetic complications can be attributed to the polygenic architecture of T2D in the Taiwan Han population. A total of 9,627 cases with T2D and 85,606 controls from the Taiwan Biobank were enrolled. Three diabetic polygenic risk scores (PRSs), PRS_EAS and PRS_EUR, and a trans-ancestry PRS (PRS_META), calculated using summary statistic from East Asian and European populations. The onset age was identified by linking to the National Taiwan Insurance Research Database, and the incidence of different diabetic complications during follow-up was recorded. PRS_META (7.4%) explained a higher variation for T2D status. And the higher percentile of PRS is also correlated with higher percentage of T2D family history and prediabetes status. More, the PRS was negatively associated with onset age (ß = -0.91 yr), and this was more evident among males (ß = -1.11 vs. -0.76 for males and females, respectively). The hazard ratio of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic foot were significantly associated with PRS_EAS and PRS_META, respectively. However, the PRS was not associated with other diabetic complications, including diabetic nephropathy, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. Our findings indicated that diabetic PRS which combined susceptibility variants from cross-population could be used as a tool for early screening of T2D, especially for high-risk populations, such as individuals with high genetic risk, and may be associated with the risk of complications in subjects with T2D. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our findings indicated that diabetic polygenic risk score (PRS) which combined susceptibility variants from Asian and European population affect the onset age of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and could be used as a tool for early screening of T2D, especially for individuals with high genetic risk, and may be associated with the risk of diabetic complications among people in Taiwan.

Familial factors rather than paternal age contribute to the aetiology of epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: Whether paternal age associated with offspring's epilepsy risk is a cause of de novo mutation as men age, or just an association due to confounding factors, is still unclear. METHODS: We performed a population-based, multi-generation and sibling comparison study in Taiwan, which included 2 751 232 singletons born in 2001-17 who were followed until 2020. Of these, 819 371/826 087 with information on paternal/maternal grandparents were selected for multi-generation analyses and 1 748 382 with sibling(s) were selected for sibling comparison. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: In the total cohort, there was an increased risk of epilepsy in individuals with advanced paternal age, e.g. the HR for paternal age ≥50 was1.36 (95% CI: 1.15-1.61) compared with paternal age 25-29, and fathers older than mothers, e.g. the HR for parental age difference ≥15 years was 1.29 (95% CI: 1.16-1.43). When accounting for parental age difference, the association between paternal age and epilepsy in offspring was attenuated (HR for paternal age ≥50 was 1.11, 95% CI: 0.93-1.34). Multi-generation analyses did not support the association of advanced grand-paternal age at childbirth of the parent with offspring's risk of epilepsy. Sibling comparison analyses did not support the association of older paternal age with increased risk of epilepsy (HR was 0.96 for per year increase in paternal age, 95% CI: 0.96-0.97). CONCLUSIONS: These results do not support the hypothesis that advanced paternal age is associated with epilepsy in offspring. Instead, familial factors may explain the observed paternal age association with the offspring's risk of epilepsy.

Flexible Accelerated-Wound-Healing Antibacterial Hydrogel-Nanofiber Scaffold for Intelligent Wearable Health Monitoring.

Flexible epidermal sensors hold significant potential in personalized healthcare and multifunctional electronic skins. Nonetheless, achieving both robust sensing performance and efficient antibacterial protection, especially in medical paradigms involving electrophysiological signals for wound healing and intelligent health monitoring, remains a substantial challenge. Herein, we introduce a novel flexible accelerated-wound-healing biomaterial based on a hydrogel-nanofiber scaffold (HNFS) via electrostatic spinning and gel cross-linking. We effectively engineer a multifunctional tissue nanoengineered skin scaffold for wound treatment and health monitoring. Key features of HNFS include high tensile strength (24.06 MPa) and elasticity (214.67%), flexibility, biodegradability, and antibacterial properties, enabling assembly into versatile sensors for monitoring human motion and electrophysiological signals. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate that HNFS significantly enhances cell proliferation and skin wound healing, provide a comprehensive therapeutic strategy for smart sensing and tissue repair, and guide the development of high-performance "wound healing-health monitoring" bioelectronic skin scaffolds. Therefore, this study provides insights into crafting flexible and repairable skin sensors, holding potential for multifunctional health diagnostics and intelligent medical applications in intelligent wearable health monitoring and next-generation artificial skin fields.

Analysis across Taiwan Biobank, Biobank Japan, and UK Biobank identifies hundreds of novel loci for 36 quantitative traits.

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified tens of thousands of genetic loci associated with human complex traits. However, the majority of GWASs were conducted in individuals of European ancestries. Failure to capture global genetic diversity has limited genomic discovery and has impeded equitable delivery of genomic knowledge to diverse populations. Here we report findings from 102,900 individuals across 36 human quantitative traits in the Taiwan Biobank (TWB), a major biobank effort that broadens the population diversity of genetic studies in East Asia. We identified 968 novel genetic loci, pinpointed novel causal variants through statistical fine-mapping, compared the genetic architecture across TWB, Biobank Japan, and UK Biobank, and evaluated the utility of cross-phenotype, cross-population polygenic risk scores in disease risk prediction. These results demonstrated the potential to advance discovery through diversifying GWAS populations and provided insights into the common genetic basis of human complex traits in East Asia.

Association between 14 candidate genes, PM2.5, and affective disorders: a study of the Taiwan Biobank.

BACKGROUND: Most studies have focused on the risk factors, treatment, and care of affective psychosis, and several have reported a relationship between ambient air quality and this psychosis. Although an association has been reported between psychosis and genes, studies mainly explored the associations between one type of psychosis and one gene; few have identified genes related to affective psychosis. This study investigates the genetic and environmental factors of affective psychosis. METHODS: In this retrospective longitudinal study, 27 604 participants aged 30-70 were selected from Taiwan Biobank. The participants' propensity scores were calculated based on their demographic information, and propensity score matching was performed to divide the participants into an experimental (i.e., affective psychosis) and control group at a 1:5 ratio. Plink was used to analyze the major and minor types of gene expression related to affective psychosis, and PM2.5 exposure was incorporated into the analyses. RESULTS: According to the generalized estimating equation analysis results, 8 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) belonging to the ANK3, BDNF, CACNA1C, and GRID1 genotypes were significantly correlated with depressive disorder (P < .001), with the majority belonging to the ANK3 and CACNA1C. A total of 5 SNPs belonging to the CACNA1C, GRID1, and SIRT1 genotypes were significantly correlated with bipolar disorder (P < .001), with the majority belonging to the CACNA1C. No significant correlation was identified between ambient air pollution and affective psychosis. CONCLUSIONS: CACNA1C and GRID1 are common SNP genotypes for depressive disorder and bipolar disorder and should be considered associated with affective psychosis.

Acupuncture or moxibustion adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: To compare the advantages and disadvantages of different acupuncture and moxibustion methods by network meta-analysis, in order to find out the best acupuncture and moxibustion adjuvant chemotherapy scheme of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Randomized controlled trials of acupuncture and moxibustion adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of NSCLC were searched in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of science, EMbase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, VIP database and SinoMed. The retrieval time was up to December 03, 2022. ROB2 was used to evaluate publication bias, and Stata16 was used for network meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 14 studies involving 921 patients were included. The results of network Meta-analysis showed that the effect of acupuncture combined with chemotherapy was better than that of chemotherapy (RR = 1.28, 95%CI (1.04,1.58), P < .0001). The effect of acupuncture combined with chemotherapy was better than that of chemotherapy in improving KPS score (MD = 9.01, 95%CI (3.35,14.67), P < .0001). The safety of acupuncture combined with chemotherapy (RR = 0.35, 95%CI (0.15,0.83), P < .0001) was better than that of chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture combined with chemotherapy has the best comprehensive effect.

Adjunctive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) plus sodium benzoate for the treatment of early-phase Alzheimer's disease: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Previous studies found that an NMDA receptor (NMDAR) enhancer, sodium benzoate, improved cognitive function of patients with early-phase Alzheimer's disease (AD). Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) induces NMDAR-dependent synaptic plasticity and strengthens cognitive function of AD patients. This study aimed to evaluate efficacy and safety of tDCS plus benzoate in early-phase dementia. In this 24-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 97 patients with early-phase AD received 10-session tDCS during the first 2 weeks. They then took benzoate or placebo for 24 weeks. We assessed the patients using Alzheimer's disease assessment scale - cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog), Clinician's Interview-Based Impression of Change plus Caregiver Input, Mini Mental Status Examination, Alzheimer's disease Cooperative Study scale for ADL in MCI, and a battery of additional cognitive tests. Forty-seven patients received sodium benzoate, and the other 50 placebo. The two treatment groups didn't differ significantly in ADAS-cog or other measures. Addition of benzoate to tDCS didn't get extra benefit or side effect in this study. For more thoroughly studying the potential of combining tDCS with benzoate in the AD treatment, future research should use other study designs, such as longer-term benzoate treatment, adding benzoate in the middle of tDCS trial sessions, or administering benzoate then tDCS.

Association between neighborhood availability of physical activity facilities and cognitive performance in older adults.

The existing evidence on the contextual influence of the availability of local facilities for physical activity on the cognitive health of elderly residents is sparse. This study examined the association between neighborhood physical activity facilities and cognitive health in older individuals. A cohort study of community-dwelling older adults was performed using baseline data and follow-up data from the Taiwan Biobank. Cognitive health was measured in 32,396 individuals aged 60-70 years using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) with follow-up information on 8025 participants. The district was used as the proxy for local neighborhood. To determine neighborhood physical activity facilities, school campuses, parks, activity centers, gyms, swimming pools, and stadiums were included. Multilevel linear regression models were applied to examine the associations of neighborhood physical activity facilities with baseline MMSE and MMSE decline during follow-up, with adjustment for individual factors and neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics. Multilevel analyses revealed that there was a neighborhood-level effect on cognitive health among older adults. After adjusting for compositional and neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics, baseline MMSE was higher in individuals living in the middle- (beta = 0.12, p-value = 0.140) and high-density facility (beta = 0.22, p-value = 0.025) groups than in the low-density group (p-value for trend-test = 0.031). MMSE decline during follow-up was slower in the middle- (beta = 0.15, p-value = 0.114) and high-density facility (beta = 0.27, p-value = 0.052) groups than in the low-density group (p-value for trend-test = 0.032). Greater neighborhood availability of physical activity facilities was associated with better cognitive health among older residents. These findings have implications for designing communities and developing strategies to support cognitive health of an aging population.

Causal influence of sleeping phenotypes on the risk of coronary artery disease and sudden cardiac arrest: A Mendelian randomization analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the causal influence of sleep and circadian traits on coronary artery disease and sudden cardiac arrest with adjustment for obesity through a two-sample Mendelian randomization study. METHODS: We used summary statistics of 5 sleep and circadian traits for genome-wide association studies, including chronotype, sleep duration, long sleep (≥9 h a day), short sleep (<7 h a day), and insomnia (sample size range: 237,622-651,295). Coronary artery disease genome-wide association studies with 60,801 cases and 123,504 controls, sudden cardiac arrest genome-wide association studies with 3939 cases and 25,989 controls, and obesity genome-wide association studies with 806,834 individuals were also used. Multivariable Mendelian randomization was performed to estimate the causality. RESULTS: After adjusting for obesity, genetically predicted short sleep (odds ratio = 1.87 and p = .02), and genetically predicted insomnia (odds ratio = 1.17 and p = .001) were causally associated with increased odds of coronary artery disease. Genetically predicted long sleep (odds ratio = 0.06 and p = .02) and genetically predicted longer sleep duration (odds ratio = 0.36 for per-hour increase in sleep duration and p = .0006) were causally associated with decreased odds of sudden cardiac arrest. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this Mendelian randomization study indicate that insomnia and short sleep contribute to the development of coronary artery disease, whereas a longer sleep duration protects from sudden cardiac arrest, independent of the influence of obesity. The mechanisms underlying these associations warrant further investigation.

Differential relationships of NMDAR hypofunction and oxidative stress with cognitive decline.

NMDAR hypofunction and oxidative stress are implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. D-amino acid oxidase (DAO) regulates NMDAR function. Glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase are three first-line endogenous antioxidants. This study explored the associations of these potential biomarkers with mild cognitive impairment. Cognitive function and blood levels of DAO, glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase were measured in 63 mild cognitive impairment patients and 24 healthy individuals every 6 months for 2 years. Among the patients, DAO and glutathione levels at baseline contributed to the cognitive decline 2 years later. Among the healthy individuals, only glutathione levels were associated with cognitive change. The four biomarkers differed in change directions (upward vs. downward) in the patients and in the healthy individuals. Among patients, glutathione levels were negatively correlated with superoxide dismutase and positively correlated with catalase, and DAO levels were negatively correlated with superoxide dismutase. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the differential associations of NMDAR hypofunction and oxidative stress with cognitive change between the mild cognitive impairment patients and healthy people. Glutathione may be regarded as an aging marker for both mild cognitive impairment and normal aging; and DAO, a biomarker exclusively for mild cognitive impairment.

Associations between antenatal education program and mental health outcomes in Taiwan: A population-based cohort study.

Universal antenatal education has been offered to expectant mothers in Taiwan since 2014. Depression screening is included in the offered education sessions. This study aimed to examine the association of antennal education and depression screening with mental health outcomes, including perinatal depression diagnosis and psychiatrist visits. Data was obtained from the antenatal education records and Taiwan's National Health Insurance claims database. A total of 789,763 eligible pregnant women were included in the current study. The psychiatric-related outcomes were measured between antenatal education and the six-month after delivery. It was found that the antenatal education was widely used in Taiwan, and the attendance rate has increased to 82.6% since its launch. The attenders were more likely to be from disadvantaged backgrounds, and 5.3% of them were screened positive for depressive symptoms. They were also more likely to visit a psychiatrist but less likely to be diagnosed with depression than the non-attenders. Factors including young age, high healthcare utilization, and comorbid psychiatric disorder history were consistently associated with depression symptoms, perinatal depression diagnoses and psychiatrist visits. Further research is needed to understand the reasons for the nonattendance at antenatal education programmes and the barriers to utilizing mental health services.