Swertiamarin attenuates paraquat-induced pulmonary epithelial-like cell apoptosis via NOX4-mediated regulation of redox and mitochondrial function

Abstract The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of swertiamarin (STM) in attenuating paraquat (PQ)-induced human lung alveolar epithelial-like cell (A549) apoptosis and the underlying mechanisms. A549 cells were pretreated with different concentrations of STM for 2 hr and then cultured with or without PQ (700 µM) for 24 hr. Cell survival was determined using the CCK8 assay. Morphological changes, MDA content, inflammatory factors, fibrogenesis parameters, apoptosis rates, redox status and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were evaluated. The expression of several genes involved in the modulation of redox status was measured by Western blotting. Cell viability and MMP were decreased, but the apoptosis rate and DCFH oxidation were elevated by PQ exposure. STM pretreatment notably increased cell viability and MMP and reduced the apoptosis rate and DCFH oxidation. Furthermore, TLR4- NOX4 signaling was significantly inhibited by STM. The downregulation of NOX4 by siRNA exerted the same protective effects as STM. This study provides the first evidence that STM attenuates PQ-induced pulmonary epithelial-like cell apoptosis via NOX4-mediated regulation of redox and mitochondrial function

Inversion of soil salinity in China's Yellow River Delta using unmanned aerial vehicle multispectral technique.

The rapid and accurate acquisition of soil property information, especially the soil salinity (SS), is required for saline soil management in the Yellow River Delta (YRD). In this study, Lijin County and Kenli District were selected as study area. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral data and soil sample data were acquired from March 25 to 28, 2019. Pearson correlation and gray correlation analyses were first used to screen sensitive spectral bands/indices, which were used for model parameters construction. Three machine learning and one statistical analysis methods were used to construct the SS inversion models. The results found that the gray correlation coefficient value were greater than the Pearson coefficient value for all bands and indices. Based on the gray correlation coefficient, nine sensitive bands and indices were selected to construct 18 model parameters. By comparing the 4 models, it was concluded that the BPNN model had the highest inversion accuracy, and its calibration coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE) were 0.769 and 1.342, respectively. The validation R2 and RMSE were 0.774 and 1.975, respectively, and the relative prediction deviation (RPD) was 2.963. The SS estimation results based on BPNN model were consistent with those of the field investigation. Rapid and accurate inversion of SS based on UAV multispectral technique was achieved in this study, which provides technical support for regional management.

Estimation of Soil Salt Content and Organic Matter on Arable Land in the Yellow River Delta by Combining UAV Hyperspectral and Landsat-8 Multispectral Imagery.

Rapid and large-scale estimation of soil salt content (SSC) and organic matter (SOM) using multi-source remote sensing is of great significance for the real-time monitoring of arable land quality. In this study, we simultaneously predicted SSC and SOM on arable land in the Yellow River Delta (YRD), based on ground measurement data, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hyperspectral imagery, and Landsat-8 multispectral imagery. The reflectance averaging method was used to resample UAV hyperspectra to simulate the Landsat-8 OLI data (referred to as fitted multispectra). Correlation analyses and the multiple regression method were used to construct SSC and SOM hyperspectral/fitted multispectral estimation models. Then, the best SSC and SOM fitted multispectral estimation models based on UAV images were applied to a reflectance-corrected Landsat-8 image, and SSC and SOM distributions were obtained for the YRD. The estimation results revealed that moderately salinized arable land accounted for the largest proportion of area in the YRD (48.44%), with the SOM of most arable land (60.31%) at medium or lower levels. A significant negative spatial correlation was detected between SSC and SOM in most regions. This study integrates the advantages of UAV hyperspectral and satellite multispectral data, thereby realizing rapid and accurate estimation of SSC and SOM for a large-scale area, which is of great significance for the targeted improvement of arable land in the YRD.

Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of Xiao Yao San as a Treatment for Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: Xiaoyao San (XYS) is a medicinal preparation that is commonly employed in China for the treatment of anxiety disorders (AD). Despite suggestions that it may offer certain advantages in this context, there are no reliable evidence-based studies regarding its efficacy at present. The present study was developed to gauge the efficacy and safety of XYS for the treatment of AD in a systematic manner. Methods: PubMed, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database, Weipu database, and China Biomedical Documentation Service System (CBM) databases were systematically searched for all randomized control trials (RCTs) evaluating the use of XYS for the treatment of AD published as of November 2021. Two investigators independently screened all studies, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias for included studies using RevMan5.3. Results: In total, 9 RCTs incorporating 809 patients were included in the present meta-analysis, of which 3 compared oral XYS to anxiolytic treatment and 6 compared oral XYS + anxiolytics to anxiolytic treatment alone. The resultant meta-analysis revealed that XYS alone or in combination with anxiolytic treatment was associated with better improvements in anxiety-related symptoms and reduced adverse drug-related reactions as compared to anxiolytic treatment alone. Conclusion: The available evidence suggests that oral XYS alone or in combination with anxiolytic agents is more effective and safer than anxiolytic treatment alone when used for the treatment of AD. However, owing to the limited number and quality of the studies included in this analysis, further high-quality research will be essential to validate these results.

Changes in total organic carbon and organic carbon fractions of reclaimed minesoils in response to the filling of different substrates.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) of reclaimed minesoil (RMS) is regarded as an important part of terrestrial SOC, and SOC losses of RMSs occur during the substantial soil compaction and the removal, storage and backfilling of the topsoil, which lead to poor soil structure. The filling of alternative soil substrates is considered to disturb the soil structure of RMSs, however, how SOC pool changes in the RMSs filled with various substrates and the mechanisms are less clearly understood. Therefore, a study on reclaimed area filled with three typical alternative soil substrates, including mining waste reclamation (MWR), river sand reclamation (RSR) and river mud reclamation (RMR), was started in mining area of Eastern China, where total SOC, labile SOC fractions, stable SOC fraction and soil physicochemical properties were measured. The results showed that (1) the total SOC, labile SOC fractions (microbial biomass carbon (MBC), readily oxidizable organic carbon (ROOC), light fraction organic carbon (LFOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC)) and stable SOC fraction (humic acids carbon (HAC)) contents of RMSs were lower than those of non-subsided cultivated land (NCL), the filling of alternative soil substrates had a significant effect on the SOC composition of RMSs, and the backfilling layer of RSR and the filling layer of MWR were more similar with NCL than other treatments in SOC composition; (2) In backfilling layer, bulk density (BD), connectivity index (τ), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK) and soil urease (URE) were strong predictors for dissimilarities of SOC composition, and the difference in soil physics and soil fertility had more direct and indirect effects on the contents of SOC and SOC fractions; (3) In filling layer, water content (WC), macropore number (MN), microporosity (Φmac), available nitrogen (AN), electronic conductivity (EC), soil urease (URE) and sucrase (SUC) were strong predictors for dissimilarities of SOC composition, and the substrate texture and soil physics had more direct and indirect effects on the contents of SOC and SOC fractions. Easing the compactness and strengthening fertilizing management of backfilling layer, while improving the texture of filling substrates benefit the increasing of the SOC content of RMSs.

Circular RNA circ_0002360 regulates the Taxol resistance and malignant behaviors of Taxol-resistant non-small cell lung cancer cells by microRNA-585-3p-dependent modulation of G protein regulated inducer of neurite outgrowth 1.

Drug resistance has become the major obstacle for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are tightly linked to the development of drug resistance of NSCLC. Herein, we tested the function of circ_0002360 in the Taxol resistance of NSCLC. Circ_0002360, microRNA (miR)-585-3p and G protein regulated inducer of neurite outgrowth 1 (GPRIN1) were quantified by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). To identify the circular structure of circ_0002360, RNase R digestion was applied. To detect cell proliferation, colony formation and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assays were used. For assessment of cell apoptosis, flow cytometry was adopted. For motility and invasion analyses, transwell assay was employed. Our data showed that circ_0002360 was mainly located in the cytoplasm and was highly expressed in the Taxol-resistant NSCLC. Silencing of circ_0002360 inhibited cell Taxol resistance, proliferation, motility, and invasiveness and induced apoptosis in vitro. MiR-585-3p was underexpressed in Taxol-resistant NSCLC and was targeted by circ_0002360. MiR-585-3p knockdown alleviated the influence of circ_0002360 silence on Taxol-resistant cells. GPRIN1 was directly targeted by miR-585-3p. The influence of miR-585-3p on cell Taxol resistance and functional behaviors was reversed by GPRIN1 overexpression. Moreover, circ_0002360 modulated GPRIN1 through miR-585-3p. Additionally, silencing of circ_0002360 weakened the growth of xenografts in vivo. Our study demonstrated that silencing of circ_0002360 enhanced the Taxol sensitivity and suppressed the malignant behaviors of Taxol-resistant NSCLC cells by miR-585-3p/GPRIN1 axis, providing novel targets for improving the anti-tumor efficacy of Taxol in NSCLC.

Improved holding and releasing capacities of coal gangue toward phosphate through alkali-activation.

Activation is an effective method to improve adsorption capacity of coal gangue, however, most activated gangues reported have limited adsorption capacity for phosphate because of the electronegativity, affecting their use in agricultural production and environmental protection. In order to enhance the phosphate absorption capacity of coal gangue through alkali-activation, three alkali-activated silicate coal gangue according to fine-size (AS-FCG1), medium-size (AS-MCG2), and large-size (AS-LCG3) were prepared through grinding, calcining (800 °C) and stimulating with Ca(OH)2 solution (0.1 M), and raw coal gangue (RCG4) was used as control. The results revealed that AS-FCG has the best modified effects, its maximum phosphate adsorption capacity, according to Langmuir model, was 11.796 mg g-1, which was 4.41, 8.16 and 73.73 times higher than that of AS-MCG, AS-LCG and RCG, respectively. The adsorption penetration time of AS-FCG packed column was over 30 h, which was longer than that of other samples. Besides, when the AS-FCG packed column loaded with phosphate was desorbed with distilled water, the phosphate concentration of filtrate was low and rapidly tended to 0 mg L-1, while when it was desorbed with NaHCO3 solution, the concentration remained high sustainably. The best adsorption performance of AS-FCG were associated with generation of calcium silicate hydrate gel and ettringite, which provided more Ca2+, Al3+, hydroxyl and larger specific surface area. It is suggested that alkali-activation is able to truly realize the recycling of solid waste, AS-FCG is an inexpensive, durable and eco-friendly material, which could not only be used to hold phosphate, but also release it slowly as fertilizer.

Efficacy and Safety of Chinese Medicine in Treating Arrhythmia: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of arrhythmia. METHODS: The researchers searched CNKI, VIP, WF, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library with the set-up themes as randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of arrhythmia. This research evaluated all the retrieve literature and conducted selection based on the evaluation. Stata software was applied for meta-analysis. RESULTS: 23 articles were retrieved with a total patient number of 2846. The results observed from the meta-analysis indicated the following: (1) compared with the result showed in placebo group, the traditional Chinese medicine group presented to have good efficacy, especially in the treatment of premature ventricular contractions. (2) In comparison with the western medicine group, the curative effect of Chinese medicine could approximately equal the therapeutic effect as western medicine. (3) Compared with the application of sole western medicine group, the combination of both traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine could have a better curative effect. CONCLUSION: In the treatment of arrhythmia disease, the application of traditional Chinese medicine can be considered as an effective method. In addition to that, the therapeutic effect obtained from the combination of both Chinese traditional medicine and western medicine is clinically better than that of the sole use of western medicine.

Efficacy and Safety of Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Decoction in the Treatment of Poststroke Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli decoction (CLMD) is widely used in the treatment of poststroke depression (PSD) in China. Some evidences show that it has advantages, but there lacks reliable evidence. This study aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of CLMD in the treatment of PSD. METHODS: All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of CLMD in the treatment of PSD were searched from the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, VIP Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Service System (CBM), from their inception to May 2021. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data, and evaluated the risk of bias in the included studies. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5.3 software. RESULTS: A total of 13 RCTs involving 1665 patients were finally included in this study, among which 5 RCTs were oral CLMD alone versus antidepressants, and 8 RCTs were oral CLMD with antidepressants versus antidepressants. Meta-analysis results showed that oral administration of CLMD could improve Hamilton's Depression Scale (HAMD) and the Modified Edinburgh-Scandinavian Stroke Scale (MESSS) scores, improve the Barthel index, and have a low rate of adverse reactions, but there was no significant difference in the total effective rate (p=0.21 > 0.05) and the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (p=0.47 > 0.05) between the antidepressants group and the oral administration of the CLMD group. Oral CLMD combined with antidepressants could improve the total effective rate, HAMD, and MESSS score, but there was no significant difference in Barthel index (p=0.06 > 0.05) and the adverse reaction rate (p=0.14 > 0.05) between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Current evidence suggests that oral CLMD alone or with antidepressants is more effective and safer in the treatment of PSD than oral antidepressants. Due to the limitation of the quality and quantity of the included studies, more high-quality studies are needed to confirm the above conclusion.

Identification of a germline CSPG4 variation in a family with neurofibromatosis type 1-like phenotype.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), an autosomal dominant and multisystem disorder, is generally considered to be caused by NF1 inactivation. However, there are also numerous studies showing that Neurofibromatosis type 1-like phenotype can be caused by the abnormalities in the other genes. Through targeted parallel sequencing, whole-exome sequencing, de novo genomic sequencing, and RNA isoform sequencing, we identified a germline V2097M variation in CSPG4 gene probably increased susceptibility to a NF1-like phenotype family. Besides, a series of in vitro functional studies revealed that this variant promoted cell proliferation by activating the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway via hindering ectodomain cleavage of CSPG4. Our data demonstrate that a germline variation in the CSPG4 gene might be a high risk to cause NF1-like phenotype. To our knowledge, this is the first report of mutations in the CSPG4 gene in human diseases.

Analysis of EGFR, KRAS, and PIK3CA gene mutation rates and clinical distribution in patients with different types of lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: To analyze and evaluate EGFR, KRAS, and PIK3CA gene mutation rates and clinical distribution in patients with different types of lung cancer METHOD: A total of 221 lung cancer patients treated in our hospital between January 2016 and June 2019 were enrolled. Tissue and whole blood samples were collected and analyzed to determine the mutation status of EGFR, KRAS, and PIK3CA genes. The gene exon mutation rates were determined. Relevant clinical data, such as age, gender, tumor sample type, treatment method, pathologic type, and lung cancer stage were recorded and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The EGFR gene mutation rates in exons E18-E21 were 2.3%, 17.6%, 3.6%, and 20.4%, respectively. E18, E19, and E20 mutations were commonly detected in adenosquamous carcinoma, and E21 mutations were commonly detected in adenocarcinoma. Mutations in exons E18-E21 were frequently detected in patients with lung cancer stages IA, IB, IIA, or IIB, respectively. The KRAS gene mutation rate in lung cancer patients in exon E2 was higher in whole blood and tissue samples than other exon mutations, while the KRAS gene mutation rate in exons E2 and E3 was significantly higher in patients with lung cancer stages IIB and IA, respectively. PIK3CA gene mutations in exons E9 and E20 occurred in patients < 60 years of age. Exon E9-positive mutations were more common in men or patients with squamous cell carcinoma, while exon E20-positive mutations were more common in females. CONCLUSION: The EGFR, KRAS, and PIK3CA gene exon mutation rates differ and were shown to be correlated with different clinical indicators, which have significance in clinical treatment.

Vegetation dynamics and its linkage with climatic and anthropogenic factors in the Dawen River Watershed of China from 1999 through 2018.

The Dawen River Watershed (DRW), an important sub-basin of the Yellow River, has been experiencing substantial climatic and anthropogenic stresses. Identifying how stressors relate to shifts in vegetation growth is critical for maintaining the health and stability of its regional ecosystems. To address this, we constructed a 20-year dataset (1999-2018) reflecting changes in satellite-based normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), climate variables, and land use in the DRW. We then used time series, principal component, and partial correlation analyses to detect spatial and temporal patterns in vegetation dynamics over time, as well as linkages with temperature, precipitation, and anthropogenic activities. Over 20 years, the DRW exhibited a warming-greening trend and experienced four regime shifts in its climate-vegetation system, roughly centered on 2001, 2006, 2013, and 2016. Both the average and maximum NDVI increased in all seasons, likely due to favorable changes in seasonal climatic conditions. Temperature was the dominant factor promoting vegetative growth in spring, autumn, and throughout the growing season. Precipitation had a considerable positive effect on the average NDVI during the summer. Spatial analyses indicated that 67.94% of the study area exhibited significant increase in NDVI values over time, mainly locating in the mountains and in Dongping County; Significant NDVI decrease was generally located in the urban expansion areas around cities and counties. Land cover types and annual growth cycles appeared to govern spatial patterns and the extent of variation in vegetation growth, followed by land use-related drivers and climate anomalies. These findings offer an insight on appropriate ecological management and climatic adaptation within the Dawen River Watershed.

[Spatiotemporal dynamics of soil salinity in the Yellow River Delta under the impacts of hydrology and climate.] / 水文气候影响下黄河三角洲土壤盐分时空动态.

In recent years, soil salinization in the Yellow River Delta under the effects of hydrology, climate and human activities have become increasingly prominent. Based on the 20 Landsat series images of Hekou, Kenli, Dongying districts and Lijin County of Dongying City selected from 1985 to 2018, numerical regression correction method was used to perform image spectral consistency conversion. The partial least squares regression method was used to construct quantitative inversion models of soil salt content. The soil salt content of the study area were retrieved by the best salt prediction model. The temporal and spatial characteristics of soil salt changes in the Yellow River Delta were analyzed. The results showed that the soil salt inversion model constructed with 10 sensitive spectral indices performed higher prediction accuracy, with coefficient of determination R2=0.769 and RMSE=1.125 for calibration, R2=0.752 and RMSE=1.203 for validation, and relative prediction deviation (RPD)=2.08. Using the measured soil salt data in 2016 to verify the inversion accuracy of the model, the correlation between the measured value and the inverted value was 0.7279. The model was used to map the soil salinity of the Yellow River Delta based on 20 images from 1985 to 2018. The abnormal soil salinity retrieval values was all less than 10%. During the study period, the soil salinity showed an overall trend of rising first and then falling which was lowest in 1985 (3.14 g·kg-1) and highest in 1995 (5.86 g·kg-1). Spatially, the area of heavily saline soil and saline soil in the study area decreased, and that of mildly and moderately saline soil significantly increased (66.6%). The total area of saline soil showed an increasing trend. The effects of hydrological and climatic conditions on soil salinity exhibited hysteresis. The increases of temperature promoted soil salinity, with the relationship between the soil salinity and the average temperatures in the past six months and one year being significantly correlated (R=0.507 and 0.538). Soil salinity did not correlate with regional precipitation, and was most affected by the Yellow River streamflow in the previous season (R=-0.543).

The efficacy and safety of auricular point combined with moxibustion for insomnia: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Insomnia is a common sleep disorder, which seriously affects people's quality of life and work ability. In China, auricular therapy and moxibustion therapy have a long history in treating insomnia. Clinical studies have shown that auricular point and moxibustion can effectively improve insomnia symptoms. At present, auricular point combined with moxibustion in the treatment of insomnia has been widely used in China, but its overall effectiveness and safety are still unclear. There is a lack of systematic evaluation of auricular point combined with moxibustion in the treatment of insomnia. This paper aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of auricular point combined with moxibustion in the treatment of insomnia. METHODS: Retrieve randomized controlled trials of auricular point combined with moxibustion from PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang, the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, and China biomedical literature database from their establishment to August 2020. Search Baidu Scholar, Google Scholar, International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and Chinese Clinical Trials Registry for unpublished gray literature. Two researchers independently applied RevMan 5.3 software for data extraction and risk assessment of bias. RESULTS: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of auricular point combined with moxibustion in the treatment of insomnia from Pittsburgh sleep quality index, Rhone planck sleepiness scale, Traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores, Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA), Hamilton Depression, 5-hydroxytryptamine, incidence of adverse reactions, and other aspects. CONCLUSION: This study will provide theoretical support for the clinical application of auricular point combined with moxibustion in the treatment of insomnia. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The private information from individuals will not publish. This systematic review also will not involve endangering participant rights. Ethical approval is not required. The results may be published in a peer-reviewed journal or disseminated in relevant conferences. OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/8VZRJ.

[Effect of Tiaoli Piwei needling technique on diabetic gastroparesis and transmembrane protein 16A].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of Tiaoli Piwei needling technique (acupuncture for regulating spleen and stomach) on diabetic gastroparesis (DGP), and to explore its possible mechanism. METHODS: A total of 128 patients with DGP were randomized into an observation group (64 cases, 4 cases dropped off) and a control group (64 cases, 4 cases dropped off). On the basis of intervention on controlling blood glucose by western medication, Tiaoli Piwei needling technique was adopted at Zhongwan (CV 12), Zusanli (ST 36), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Xuehai (SP 10), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Diji (SP 8), etc. in the observation group, once a day. Mosapride citrate dispersible tablet 5 mg was given orally 3 times a day in the control group. The treatment was given 6 times a week in the both groups, and totally 4-week treatment was required. Before and after treatment, the DGP symptom score, serum content of transmembrane protein 16A (ANO1) were observed, and the clinical therapeutic effect and the safety were evaluated in the both groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the each subitem score (belching, abdominal distension, inappetence, nausea and vomiting, epigastric pain, abnormal defecation) and the total score of DGP symptom were decreased in both groups (P<0.05), the subitem scores of belching, abdominal distension, inappetence, nausea and vomiting and the total score in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the serum contents of transmembrane protein 16A were reduced in both groups (P<0.05), and that in the observation group was lower than the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 86.7% (52/60) in the observation group, which was superior to 70.0% (42/60) in the control group (P<0.05). Subcutaneous hematoma occurred in 5 cases in the observation group, which was improved after cold compress without other particular intervention. CONCLUSION: The therapeutic effect of Tiaoli Piwei needling technique on improving symptoms in patients with diabetic gastroparesis is superior to mosapride citrate dispersible tablet, its mechanism may be related to alleviating the damage of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC).

The efficacy and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion combined with western medicine for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Obsessive-compulsive disorder is common, chronic mental disorder, which is characterized by recurrent, unwanted, or intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors or mental action. Acupuncture and moxibustion, as a popular form of complementary and alternative therapy, have the advantages of low side effects, high safety, and low cost. The research showed that acupuncture and moxibustion have a good clinical efficacy on obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, there is no literature to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder. Thus, this study is aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion for obsessive-compulsive disorder patients, providing reliable evidence for clinical application. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials of acupuncture and moxibustion combined with western medicine for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder will be searched in the databases including PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane library, Web of science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI), WanFang, the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, and China biomedical literature database (CBM) from inception to June, 2020. In addition, Baidu, Google Scholar, International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and Chinese Clinical Trials Registry will be searched to obtain the gray literature and relevant data that have not yet been published. Two qualified researchers will extract data and assess the risk of bias from included studies dependently. Statistical analysis is performed in RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: The efficacy and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion combined with western medicine for obsessive-compulsive disorder will be assessed based on the total effective rate, Hamilton Anxiety Scale score, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score, Clinical Global Impression score, side effects, and so on. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed systematic review and meta-analysis of acupuncture and moxibustion combined with western medicine for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder is expected to provide reliable evidence for clinical application. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The private information from individuals will not publish. This systematic review also will not involve endangering participant rights. Ethical approval is not required. The results may be published in a peer-reviewed journal or disseminated in relevant conferences. OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/CDGTW.

The efficacy and safety of acupuncture or combined with western medicine for dry eye: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: As a traditional Chinese medicine external treatment method, acupuncture is characterized by simple operation, significant treatment effect and few side effects. Dry eye, also known as conjunctival xerosis, refers to pathological changes in tissues of ocular surface caused by abnormal tear quality and quantity or dynamics due to various reasons, which can cause red and swollen eyes, congestion, and severe cases may result in lesions of the conjunctiva. Clinical practice shows that acupuncture has a certain therapeutic effect on dry eye, but there is a lack of medical evidence. The objective of the research carried out in this program is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture combined with western medicine in the treatment of dry eye. METHODS: Computer retrieval English database (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library) and Chinese database (CNKI, WF, VIP, CBMDISC), moreover manual retrieval of clinical research on the treatment of dry eyes by acupuncture in combination with western medicine from Baidu academic and Google Academic from database building to May 2020, the quality included in the study was evaluated and data extraction was completed by 2 independent researchers. RevMan5.3 software was utilized for meta-analysis to the included literature. RESULTS: In this study, the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture combined with western medicine in the treatment of dry eye were evaluated by several indicators, such as the score of the ocular surface disease index, the amount of tear secretion and the tear film rupture time. CONCLUSIONS: This study will provide reliable evidence for the clinical application of acupuncture combined with western medicine in the treatment of dry eyes. OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/5DJ9W.

Regional-scale monitoring of underwater and dry ground subsidence in high phreatic areas of North China Plain.

Land subsidence monitoring provides information required when developing land use plans and allows for proactive management of subsidence issues. However, it has been challenging to accurately detect land subsidence areas, especially those under waterbodies. This study evaluated the applicability of integrated use of the optical Landsat-8 OLI and microwave Sentinel-1A TOPSAR imagery to delineate subsidence areas and quantify subsidence rates in a typical coal mining area of North China Plain. An Enhanced Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (E-MNDWI) was combined with Short BAseline Subset-Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SBAS-InSAR) image to monitor underwater and dry ground subsidence. The results demonstrated that the method could delineate underwater and dry ground subsidence and quantify its rates accurately. The proposed method estimated subsidence area corresponded to 34.8% (16.7 km2) of the study area. The size of underwater subsidence areas was substantial and accounted for 43.7% of the subsidence areas. Seasonal underwater subsidence areas were generally distributed in the vicinity of perennial ones. Dry ground subsidence covered 9.4 km2 of the study area and generally occurred in urban and rural residential areas with the maximum subsidence of up to 80.1 mm/year. This study demonstrates the efficiency and capacity of integrating optical and microwave images to monitor the subsidence progresses, which thus can help develop effective rehabilitation policy and strategy to mitigate the impacts of land subsidence.

Efficacy and safety of fire-needle in the treatment of gouty arthritis: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis.

BACKGROUND: Fire needle therapy is an ancient external treatment method of traditional Chinese medicine. This therapy is simple to operate and has fewer side effects. Gouty arthritis (GA) is common disease that is often characterized by high excruciating pain on joint. Evidence from clinical studies show that fire needle exerts therapeutic effects on gout arthritis, but no evidence-based medicine is available. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of fire acupuncture in the treatment of gout arthritis. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials of fire needle in the treatment of GA published until May 2020 will be searched in the English databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library) and Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, Wanfang database, and China Biomedical Literature Database). Additional search will be performed on Google academy and Baidu Academy. Data will be extracted from the studies by 2 reviewers working independently. Subsequently, quality assessment and a meta-analysis will be carried out for the studies using RevMan 5.3. RESULTS: The efficacy and safety of fire needle in the treatment of GA will be evaluated based on overall effective rate, visual analog scale, blood uric acid, C-reactive protein, joint swelling and pain score, adverse reaction rate, and other clinical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed systematic review and meta-analysis are expected to provide reliable evidence for the clinical benefits of fire-needle therapy in GA.

Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine Bufei Granule on Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Based on Existing Evidence.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at evaluating the effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Bufei granule on stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We retrieved data from PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CNKI, Wanfang, and WeiPu (VIP) for studies focusing on whether the TCM Bufei granule would be effective in treating stable COPD. No language restriction and blinding were used. All trials involved were examined based on the standards of the Cochrane Handbook, and Review Manager 5.3 software was applied for analyzing data. We included four studies involving 599 patients with stable COPD. When compared to placebo treatment, TCM Bufei granule intervention exhibited improvement in the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.70; range, 0.50-0.91; I 2 = 0%), forced vital capacity (FVC) (SMD = 0.43; range, 0.23-0.62; I 2 = 0%), FEV1 percentage of predicted value (FEV1%) (SMD = 0.57; range, 0.38-0.76; I 2 = 4%), and FEV1/FVC (SMD = 0.69; range, 0.50-0.87; I 2 = 0%). There was a statistically significant difference in St George's Respiratory Questionnaire scores between the TCM Bufei granule and placebo treatments (SMD = -1.29; range, -2.32 to -0.26, I 2 = 97%). None of the studies reported any adverse events. Therefore, TCM Bufei granule intervention could help in improving the lung function and quality of life in patients with stable COPD.