Extending the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): The GRADE-TCM.

AIM: To extend and form the "Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation in Traditional Chinese Medicine" (GRADE-TCM). METHODS: Methodologies were systematically reviewed and analyzed concerning evidence-based TCM guidelines worldwide. A survey questionnaire was developed based on the literature review and open-end expert interviews. Then, we performed expert consensus, discussion meeting, opinion collection, external examination, and the GRADE-TCM was formed eventually. RESULTS: 265 Chinese and English TCM guidelines were included and analyzed. Five experts completed the open-end interviews. Ten methodological entries were summarized, screened and selected. One round of consensus was conducted, including a total of 22 experts and 220 valid questionnaire entries, concerning 1) selection of the GRADE, 2) GRADE-TCM upgrading criteria, 3) GRADE-TCM evaluation standard, 4) principles of consensus and recommendation, and 5) presentation of the GRADE-TCM and recommendation. Finally, consensus was reached on the above 10 entries, and the results were of high importance (with voting percentages ranging from 50 % to 81.82 % for "very important" rating) and strong reliability (with the Cr ranging from 0.93 to 0.99). Expert discussion meeting (with 40 experts), opinion collection (in two online platforms) and external examination (with 14 third-party experts) were conducted, and the GRADE-TCM was established eventually. CONCLUSION: GRADE-TCM provides a new extended evidence-based evaluation standard for TCM guidelines. In GRADE-TCM, international evidence-based norms, characteristics of TCM intervention, and inheritance of TCM culture were combined organically and followed. This is helpful for localization of the GRADE in TCM and internationalization of TCM guidelines.

Tuina Intervention in Sodium Monoiodoacetate Injection-Induced Rat Model of Knee Osteoarthritis.

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA), a common degenerative joint disorder, is characterized by chronic pain and disability, which can progress to irreparable structural damage of the joint. Investigations into the link between articular cartilage, muscles, synovium, and other tissues surrounding the knee joint in KOA are of great importance. Currently, managing KOA includes lifestyle modifications, exercise, medication, and surgical interventions; however, the elucidation of the intricate mechanisms underlying KOA-related pain is still lacking. Consequently, KOA pain remains a key clinical challenge and a therapeutic priority. Tuina has been found to have a regulatory effect on the motor, immune, and endocrine systems, prompting the exploration of whether Tuina could alleviate KOA symptoms, caused by the upregulation of inflammatory factors, and further, if the inflammatory factors in skeletal muscle can augment the progression of KOA. We randomized 32 male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats (180-220 g) into four groups of eight animals each: antiPD-L1+Tuina (group A), model (group B), Tuina (group C), and sham surgery (group D). For groups A, B, and C, we injected 25 µL of sodium monoiodoacetate (MIA) solution (4 mg MIA diluted in 25 µL of sterile saline solution) into the right knee joint cavity, and for group D, the same amount of sterile physiological saline was injected. All the groups were evaluated using the least to most stressful tests (paw mechanical withdrawal threshold, paw withdrawal thermal latency, swelling of the right knee joint, Lequesne MG score, skin temperature) before injection and 2, 9, and 16 days after injection.

The role of the thalamus in modular functional networks in temporal lobe epilepsy with cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVE: Cognitive deficit is common in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Here, we aimed to investigate the modular architecture of functional networks associated with distinct cognitive states in TLE patients together with the role of the thalamus in modular networks. METHODS: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired from 53 TLE patients and 37 matched healthy controls. All patients received the Montreal Cognitive Assessment test and accordingly were divided into TLE patients with normal cognition (TLE-CN, n = 35) and TLE patients with cognitive impairment (TLE-CI, n = 18) groups. The modular properties of functional networks were calculated and compared including global modularity Q, modular segregation index, intramodular connections, and intermodular connections. Thalamic subdivisions corresponding to the modular networks were generated by applying a 'winner-take-all' strategy before analyzing the modular properties (participation coefficient and within-module degree z-score) of each thalamic subdivision to assess the contribution of the thalamus to modular functional networks. Relationships between network properties and cognitive performance were then further explored. RESULTS: Both TLE-CN and TLE-CI patients showed lower global modularity, as well as lower modular segregation index values for the ventral attention network and the default mode network. However, different patterns of intramodular and intermodular connections existed for different cognitive states. In addition, both TLE-CN and TLE-CI patients exhibited anomalous modular properties of functional thalamic subdivisions, with TLE-CI patients presenting a broader range of abnormalities. Cognitive performance in TLE-CI patients was not related to the modular properties of functional network but rather to the modular properties of functional thalamic subdivisions. CONCLUSIONS: The thalamus plays a prominent role in modular networks and potentially represents a key neural mechanism underlying cognitive impairment in TLE.

Effect of ST36 electroacupuncture on the switch of skeletal muscle fibres in mice with sciatic nerve dissociation.

Skeletal muscle is striated muscle that moves autonomously and is innervated by peripheral nerves. Peripheral nerve injury is very common in clinical treatment. However, the commonly used treatment methods often focus on the regeneration of the injured nerve but overlook the pathological changes in the injured skeletal muscle. Acupuncture, as the main treatment for denervated skeletal muscle atrophy, is used extensively in clinical practice. In the present study, a mouse model of lower limb sciatic nerve detachment was constructed and treated with electroacupuncture Stomach 36 to observe the atrophy of lower limb skeletal muscle and changes in skeletal muscle fibre types before and after electroacupuncture Stomach 36 treatment. Mice with skeletal muscle denervation showed a decrease in the proportion of IIa muscle fibres and an increase in the proportion of IIb muscle fibres, after electroacupuncture Stomach 36. The changes were reversed by specific activators of p38 MAPK, which increased IIa myofibre ratio. The results suggest that electroacupuncture Stomach 36 can reverse the change of muscle fibre type from IIb to IIa after denervation of skeletal muscle by inhibiting p38 MAPK. The results provide an important theoretical basis for the treatment of clinical peripheral nerve injury diseases with electroacupuncture, in addition to novel insights that could facilitate the study of pathological changes of denervated skeletal muscle.

Plasma metabolomics and network pharmacology identified glutamate, glutamine, and arginine as biomarkers of depression under Shuganjieyu capsule treatment.

Depression is a psychiatric disorder and confers an enormous burden on society. Mild to moderate forms of depression (MMD) are particularly common. Our previous studies showed that the Shuganjieyu (SGJY) capsule might improve depressive and cognitive symptoms in patients with MMD. However, biomarkers evaluating the efficacy of SGJY and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to discover efficacy biomarkers and explore the underlying mechanisms of SGJY as antidepression treatment. Twenty-three patients with MMD were recruited and administered with SGJY for 8 weeks. Results showed that the content of 19 metabolites changed significantly in the plasma of patients with MMD, among which 8 metabolites improved significantly after SGJY treatment. Network pharmacology analysis showed that 19 active compounds, 102 potential targets, and 73 enzymes were related to the mechanistic action of SGJY. Through a comprehensive analysis, we identified four hub enzymes (GLS2, GLS, GLUL, and ADC), three key differential metabolites (glutamine, glutamate, and arginine), and two shared pathways (alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism; and arginine biosynthesis). Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis showed that the three metabolites had a high diagnostic ability. The expression of hub enzymes was validated using RT-qPCR in animal models. Overall, glutamate, glutamine, and arginine may be potential biomarkers for evaluating the efficacy of SGJY. The present study provides a new strategy for pharmacodynamic evaluation and mechanistic study of SGJY, and offers new information for clinical practice and treatment research.

Atractylodes lancea volatile oils target ADAR2-miR-181a-5p signaling to mesenchymal stem cell chondrogenic differentiation.

Atractylodeslancea Rhizoma (Rhizoma atractylodis [RA]) has long been recommended for the treatment of arthritis in traditional Chinese medicine, but its mechanism of action is still unclear. RA contains a large amount of Atractylodes lancea volatile oils (Atr). In this study, we investigated whether Atr can promote mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) chondrogenic differentiation. The Atr were extracted from RA by steam distillation method, and the effect of Atr on MSCs was detected by the CCK8 assay. The optimal concentration of Atr for MSCs cultivation was 3 µg/ml. The differentially expressed miR-181a-5p was screened by miRNA microarray assay, and its mimics and inhibitors were transfected into MSCs. It was found that the inhibitor of miR-181a-5p could upregulate cartilage-specific genes such as SOX9, COL2A1, and ACAN. Meanwhile, we also found that the expression of gene editing enzyme ADAR2 was significantly increased in the chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs induced by Atr, and the bases of precursor sequence of miR-181a-5p were changed from A to G. After ADAR2 deletion, the expression of cartilage-specific genes was significantly down-regulated and the precursor sequence bases of miR-181a-5p were not changed. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the predicted target gene of miR-181a-5p was yingyang1 (YY1), and the targeting relationship was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. After deleting YY1, the expression of cartilage-specific genes was significantly down-regulated. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that Atr can promote chondrogenic differentiation of MSC through regulation of the ADAR2-miR-181a-5p signaling pathway. This may provide a new insight into the possible mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine (Atr) in treating inflammatory joint diseases.

Auricular acupressure for adverse events following immunization after COVID-19 vaccine injection: A multicentre, blinded, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Some adverse events following immunization (AEFI) were observed in potential corelation with COVID-19 vaccination but without prevention or ongoing trial for it. We aimed to investigate efficacy of auricular acupressure (AuriAc) therapy in preventing AEFI after first dosage of the vaccine. METHODS: We performed a multicentre randomized controlled trial with three arms, including AuriAc, SAuriAc (sham auricular acupressure), and TrAsU (treatment as usual) group, carried out in four medical institutions in Chengdu, China, from March 17th to April 23rd, 2021. We enrolled participants based on eligibility criteria and randomized them into three groups: AuriAc (AEFI-specific auricular points applied, n = 52), SAuriAc (n = 51) or TrAsU (n = 44) group. Primary outcomes were percentages of any AEFI and local pain, and secondary outcomes were percentages who reported other AEFI. They were followed at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 14 days, by phone or online, with severity evaluated. RESULTS: 147 participants (73.47% females) were included with median age as 31 years (25-45, IQR). One day after the injection, participants in AuriAc group reported significant reduction on percentages of any AEFI [intention-to-treat, difference of percentage (DP) = -20.13, 95%CI: - 0.39, - 0.02, p = 0.01; per-protocol, DP = -22.21, 95%CI: - 0.40, - 0.03, P = 0.02] and local pain (per-protocol, DP = -18.40, 95%CI: -0.36, -0.01, P = 0.04), compared with TrAsU group. The effects were slight at other follow-up days and for other outcomes, and with a low percentage of mild local allergic reactions. CONCLUSIONS: We firstly explored potential of AuriAc for preventing AEFI related to COVID-19 vaccine injection, which is beneficial for the vaccine recipients, but evidence is limited. TRIAL REGISTRATION: chictr.org.cn no. ChiCTR2100043210 (http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=121519).

Auricular acupressure for adverse events following immunization related to COVID-19 vaccine injection: study protocol for a multicenter, three-arm, blinded randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Some pain, fatigue, and gastrointestinal adverse events were observed in potential association with injection of COVID-19 vaccines, while there was no preventive intervention for it. We aim to investigate the efficacy of auricular acupressure (AA) therapy in preventing and relieving AEFI after injection of COVID-19 vaccine. METHODS: The study design is a randomized, multicentre, three-arm controlled, single-blind trial. Participants meeting the inclusion criteria will be advertised and enrolled and assigned in the medical institutions randomly for post-injection observation. No less than 360 participants will be randomized into one of three groups: auricular acupressure group, sham auricular acupressure group, and wait-list group. Interventions will be performed immediately and will happen 4 to 5 times per day for 5 days. The primary clinical outcomes will be quality and quantity evaluation among participants who reported any AEFI and who reported local pain at injection site. Secondary outcomes will concern headache, muscle and (or) joint pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and other potential events. All the outcomes will be assessed at baseline and 1, 3, 5, 7, and 14 days after the injection. Both intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses will be performed, with significance level determined as 5%. DISCUSSION: Results of this trial will help to clarify the value of auricular acupressure therapy in preventing and relieving overall and certain adverse events following immunization after injection of COVID-19 vaccine. TRIAL REGISTRATION: China Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) ( ChiCTR2100043210 ). Registered on 8 February, 2021.

Research progress on evodiamine, a bioactive alkaloid of Evodiae fructus: Focus on its anti-cancer activity and bioavailability (Review).

Evodiae fructus (Wu-Zhu-Yu in Chinese) can be isolated from the dried, unripe fruits of Tetradium ruticarpum and is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine that is applied extensively in China, Japan and Korea. Evodiae fructus has been traditionally used to treat headaches, abdominal pain and menorrhalgia. In addition, it is widely used as a dietary supplement to provide carboxylic acids, essential oils and flavonoids. Evodiamine (EVO) is one of the major bioactive components contained within Evodiae fructus and is considered to be a potential candidate anti-cancer agent. EVO has been reported to exert anti-cancer effects by inhibiting cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, whilst inducing apoptosis in numerous types of cancer cells. However, EVO is susceptible to metabolism and may inhibit the activities of metabolizing enzymes, such as cytochrome P450. Clinical application of EVO in the treatment of cancers may prove difficult due to poor bioavailability and potential toxicity due to metabolism. Currently, novel drug carriers involving the use of solid dispersion techniques, phospholipids and nanocomplexes to deliver EVO to improve its bioavailability and mitigate side effects have been tested. The present review aims to summarize the reported anti-cancer effects of EVO whilst discussing the pharmacokinetic behaviors, characteristics and effective delivery systems of EVO.

Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis of Potential mRNA and miRNA Regulatory Networks in Mice With Ischemic Stroke Treated by Electroacupuncture.

Background: The complicated molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on ischemic stroke are still unclear. Recently, more evidence has revealed the essential role of the microRNA (miRNA)-mRNA networks in ischemic stroke. However, a systematic analysis of novel key genes, miRNAs, and miRNA-mRNA networks regulated by EA in ischemic stroke is still absent. Methods: We established a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mouse model and performed EA therapy on ischemic stroke mice. Behavior tests and measurement of infarction area were applied to measure the effect of EA treatment. Then, we performed RNA sequencing to analyze differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and functional enrichment between the EA and control groups. In addition, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was built, and hub genes were screened by Cytoscape. Upstream miRNAs were predicted by miRTarBase. Then hub genes and predicted miRNAs were verified as key biomarkers by RT-qPCR. Finally, miRNA-mRNA networks were constructed to explore the potential mechanisms of EA in ischemic stroke. Results: Our analysis revealed that EA treatment could significantly alleviate neurological deficits in the affected limbs and reduce infarct area of the MCAO model mice. A total of 174 significant DEGs, including 53 upregulated genes and 121 downregulated genes, were identified between the EA and control groups. Functional enrichment analysis showed that these DEGs were associated with the FOXO signaling pathway, NF-kappa B signaling pathway, T-cell receptor signaling pathway, and other vital pathways. The top 10 genes with the highest degree scores were identified as hub genes based on the degree method, but only seven genes were verified as key genes according to RT-qPCR. Twelve upstream miRNAs were predicted to target the seven key genes. However, only four miRNAs were significantly upregulated and indicated favorable effects of EA treatment. Finally, comprehensive analysis of the results identified the miR-425-5p-Cdk1, mmu-miR-1186b-Prc1, mmu-miR-434-3p-Prc1, and mmu-miR-453-Prc1 miRNA-mRNA networks as key networks that are regulated by EA and linked to ischemic stroke. These networks might mainly take place in neuronal cells regulated by EA in ischemic stroke. Conclusion: In summary, our study identified key DEGs, miRNAs, and miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks that may help to facilitate the understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying the effect of EA treatment on ischemic stroke.

[Effects of density on growth and gene transcription characteristics of Rehmannia glutinosa].

The present study analyzed the effects of planting density on the development, quality, and gene transcription characte-ristics of Rehmannia glutinosa using 85-5 and J9 as materials with three planting densities of 5 000, 25 000, and 50 000 plants/Mu(1 Mu≈667 m~2). The agronomic characteristics of leaves and tuberous roots, the content of catalpol and acteoside, and the changes of gene expression were determined. The results showed that the leaf size, the diameter of tuberous root, leaf biomass, tuberous root number, and tuberous root biomass per plant at low density were significantly higher than those of medium and high densities. The content of catalpol and acteoside in leaves was higher at high density. The content of catalpol in tuberous roots was higher at low density, and the change trend was similar to that in leaves, while the content of acteoside in tuberous roots was higher at high density. Transcriptome analysis found that about 1/2 of the expansin genes could change regularly in response to density treatment, which was rela-ted to the development of tuberous roots. The change trend of the gene expression of multiple catalytic enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of catalpol and acteoside was consistent with that of their content, which was presumedly involved in the accumulation and regulation of density-responsive medicinal components. Based on the analysis of the development, medicinal components, and gene expression characteristics of R. glutinosa at different densities, this study is expected to provide an important basis for regulating the quality and yield of medicinal materials of R. glutinosa by managing the planting density.

Moxibustion Protects Dopaminergic Neurons in Parkinson's Disease through Antiferroptosis.

Ferroptosis is associated with neural degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, how to control the level of ferroptosis in PD remains unclear. Clinically, moxibustion has been used to treat PD and has an apparent therapeutic effect on improving the motor symptoms of PD. In the present study, the PD rat model was constructed by two-point stereotactic 6-hydroxydopamine injection. Then, moxibustion was used to treat the PD rats. The expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and Ferritin Heavy Chain 1 (FTH1), the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the morphology of mitochondrial were detected to evaluate the level of ferroptosis. The results showed that moxibustion treatment of Shi's moxa sticks could reduce the behavioral score, alleviate the level of ferroptosis, decrease mitochondrial damage, and improve dopaminergic neuron survival. In conclusion, the present study results indicated that Shi's moxa sticks could effectively suppress the level of ferroptosis, thereby improving the survival of dopaminergic neurons in the SNpc of PD rats, which may provide a promising complementary and alternative therapy for PD patients.

Efficient CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing in Rehmannia glutinosa.

KEY MESSAGE: Here, we cloned a phytoene desaturase (PDS) gene from Rehmannia glutinosa, and realized RgPDS1 knock out in R. glutinosa resulted in the generation of albino plants. Rehmannia glutinosa is a highly important traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with specific pharmacology and economic value. R. glutinosa is a tetraploid plant, to date, no report has been published on gene editing of R. glutinosa. In this study, we combined the transcriptome database of R. glutinosa and the reported phytoene desaturase (PDS) gene sequences to obtain the PDS gene of R. glutinosa. Then, the PDS gene was used as a marker gene to verify the applicability and gene editing efficiency of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in R. glutinosa. The constructed CRISPR/Cas9 system was mediated by Agrobacterium to genetically transform into R. glutinosa, and successfully regenerated fully albino and chimeric albino plants. The next-generation sequencing (NGS) confirmed that the albino phenotype was indeed caused by RgPDS gene target site editing, and it was found that base deletion was more common than insertion or replacement. Our results revealed that zCas9 has a high editing efficiency on the R. glutinosa genome. This research lays a foundation for further use of gene editing technology to study the molecular functions of genes, create excellent germplasm, accelerate domestication, and improve the yield and quality of R. glutinosa.

Yu ping feng san for pediatric allergic rhinitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: The potential treatment effects and safety of Yu ping feng san (YPFS) for pediatric allergic rhinitis (PAR) patients have yet to be studied systematically. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects and safety of YPFS for treat pediatric patients, allergic rhinitis. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE (Excerpta Medical Database), Cochrane library, Chinese Cochrane Centre's Controlled Trials Register platform, Wanfang Chinese Digital Periodical and Conference Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, and VIP Chinese Science, from inception dates to November 1, 2019. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. The risk of bias in the trials was assessed in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook, version 5.1.0. RevMan 5.3 software was used to perform a meta-analysis. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology was applied to evaluate the evidence quality for each outcome. The quality of evidence for each outcome measurement was low for 4 outcomes and very low for 5 outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 10 RCTs involving 1069 participants (3-15 years old) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. After exclusion, 8 RCTs were pooled for efficacy assessment. The overall efficacy evaluation result did not show benefit for the experimental group (relative risk 0.32, CI 95% 0.24-0.45; P = .98;) Investigation of variation of serum IgA, immunoglobulin E, IgG in three studies in 2 groups returned no statistical significance. YPFS gave relatively better safety (relative risk 0.29, CI 95% 0.14-0.58; P = .0005; Fig. S8, http://links.lww.com/MD/F751) and lower recurrence rates than did Western medical therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence cannot support the routine use of YPFS for treatment of PAR. This may be due to poor-quality study-design limitations of the included YPFS studies. Our data showed that the use of YPFS for PAR is relatively safe compared to Western medical therapy, but a conclusion could not be drawn because only 5 studies were analyzed. Every study suffered from some methodological limitation. Therefore, further large, rigorously-designed studies are necessary to determine conclusively the utility of YPFS in PAR.

Traditional Chinese medicine auricular point acupressure for the relief of pain, fatigue, and gastrointestinal adverse reactions after the injection of novel coronavirus-19 vaccines: a structured summary of a study protocol for a multicentre, three-arm, single-blind, prospective randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate if traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) auricular point acupressure (APA) can alleviate and (or) reduce the pain (including injection site pain, headache, other muscle and joint pain), fatigue, and gastrointestinal adverse reactions (including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), after the injection of novel coronavirus-19 vaccines (NCVs). TRIAL DESIGN: The study is designed as a multicentre, parallel-group, three-arm, single-blind, prospective, randomized (1:1:1 ratio) study. PARTICIPANTS: More than 360 participants will be recruited from healthy people who vaccinate NCVs in 5 community healthcare centres in the Sichuan province of China and 1 university hospital (Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine). INCLUSION CRITERIA: ①Vaccinators meets the conditions of NCVs injection and have no contraindications to it. The details shall be subject to the instructions of the NCVs used and the statement of medical institutions. The first dose of NCVs injection shall be completed within 24 hours from the time of injection to the time of enrolment; ②No redness, swelling, injury or infection of the skin or soft tissue of both ears, which is not suitable for APA; ③No history of alcohol and adhesive tape contact allergy; ④18-59 years old, regardless of gender; ⑤Those who were able to complete the questionnaire independently at the time of the first and second dose of NCVs and on the 3rd, 7th and 15th day after the first and second dose of NCVs respectively; ⑥Those who agree to participate in the trial and sign the informed consent, and can seriously abide by the precautions after the injection of NCVs and the requirements of traditional Chinese medicine auricular point plasters sticking and acupressure. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: ①Those who are not suitable to be vaccinated because they belong to the contraindication or cautious population; ②Those who have participated in other clinical trials within 4 weeks before the start of this study; ③No chronic/habitual/persistent headache, Muscle or joint pain, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, retching or vomiting before the injection of NCVs, and no related diseases present (details of this item is listed in full protocol); ④Those who are in use or have received TCMAPA within 2 weeks before the trial; ⑤Pregnant or lactating women; ⑥Participants with other serious primary diseases and psychosis. INTERVENTION AND COMPARATOR: ①Auricular point acupressure group: participants receive bilateral, symptom-specific TCMAPA in 5 auricular points (per side, 10 points bilateral) for 5 days, 3-4 times (about 1 min each time) of self-acupressure per day, after each NCVs injection (10 days in total). ②Sham auricular point acupressure group: participants receive bilateral, none symptom-specific, sham APA in 5 auricular points (per side, 10 points bilateral) for 5 days, 3-4 times (about 1 min each time) of self-acupressure per day, after each NCVs injection (10 days in total). ③Blank control group: Non-intervention blank control. The Hebei medical device Co. Ltd, Hebei, China manufactured the auricular point sticking plasters. MAIN OUTCOMES: Primary outcomes are all scores of visual analogue scale (VAS) based on subjective judgment of the participants included, including VAS score of pain at injection site, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, retching, vomiting and diarrhea. Time points for outcomes above are the same: ①Immediately after first and second injection of the vaccine (Baseline assessment); ②Three days after first and second injection of the vaccine; ③Seven days after first and second injection of the vaccine; ④Fifteen days after first and second injection of the vaccine. RANDOMISATION: Participants will be randomized in 1:1:1 ratio to each group by computerized random number generator, and independently in each sub-centre. BLINDING (MASKING): Participants, information collectors and statistical evaluators will be blinded between APA group and sham APA group. No blinding in the control group. NUMBERS TO BE RANDOMISED (SAMPLE SIZE): No less than 360 participants will be randomized in 1:1:1 ratio to each group. TRIAL STATUS: Protocol version 2.0 of February 3rd, 2021. Recruitment is expected to start on February 18th, 2021, and to finish on March 12th, 2021. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered in the China Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) ( ChiCTR2100043210 ) on 8th February, 2021. FULL PROTOCOL: The full protocol is attached as an additional file, accessible from the Trials website (Additional file 1). In the interest in expediting dissemination of this material, the familiar formatting has been eliminated; this Letter serves as a summary of the key elements of the full protocol.

[Effect and mechanism of moxibustion on oxidative stress injury in rats with Parkinson's disease by activating Nrf2/ARE pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of moxibustion on oxidative stress injury of nigrostriatal system in rats with Parkinson's disease (PD) based on nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2)/antioxidant response element (ARE) pathway, and to explore its mechanism. METHODS: A total of 48 SD rats were randomized into a blank group, a sham-operation group, a model group and a moxibustion group, 12 rats in each group. Unilateral two-point injection with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was adopted in the model group and the moxibustion group to establish the PD model; the operation manipulation in the sham-operation group was the same as the model group and the moxibustion group, and the same volume of 0.9% sodium chloride solutions was given by unilateral two-point injection. Moxibustion was adopted at "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Sishencong" (EX-HN 1) in the moxibustion group for 20 min, once a day, 6 times a week for 6 weeks. No intervention was given in the other 3 groups. Morphology of right mesencephalon substantia nigra was observed by HE staining, the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in right mesencephalon substantia nigra was detected by immunohistochemistry method, the expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in corpus striatum was detected by colorimetry method, and the expression of Nrf2 and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) proteins was detected by Western blot in the 4 groups. RESULTS: Clear tissue structure and complete dopaminergic neurons of right mesencephalon substantia nigra were observed in the blank group and the sham-operation group; unclear tissue structure, decreased and swelling dopaminergic neurons were observed in the model group; compared with the model group, more neurons were observed and the swelling of cyton was reduced in the moxibustion group. Compared with the sham-operation group, the expression of TH in right mesencephalon substantia nigra was decreased in the model group (P<0.01); compared with the model group, the expression of TH in right mesencephalon substantia nigra was increased in the moxibustion group (P<0.05). Compared with the sham-operation group, the expression of ROS, MDA was increased (P<0.01), the expression of GSH, GSH-Px, Nrf2 and HO-1 was decreased in the model group (P<0.01, P<0.05); compared with the model group, the expression of ROS, MDA was decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), the expression of GSH, GSH-Px, Nrf2 and HO-1 was increased in the moxibustion group (P<0.05, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Moxibustion can alleviate oxidative stress injury of nigrostriatal system in rats with Parkinson's disease by activating the Nrf2/ARE pathway, and protect the dopamine neurons.

Improved Resting-State Functional Dynamics in Post-stroke Depressive Patients After Shugan Jieyu Capsule Treatment.

Shugan Jieyu Capsule (SG), a Chinese herbal medicine mainly composed of Acanthopanax and Hypericum perforatum, has been used to ameliorate cognitive impairments and emotional problems induced by post-stroke depression (PSD), while the altered brain dynamics underlying the ameliorative effects of SG have remained unclear. Our study focused on investigating the potential neurobiological mechanisms of SG in improving the cognitive function of PSD patients via resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Fifteen PSD patients (mean ages: 64.13 ± 6.01 years) were instructed to take 0.72 g of SG twice a day for 8 weeks. PSD patients underwent fMRIs, the 24-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-24) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) at baseline and the end of intervention, and these assessments were also performed on twenty-one healthy controls (HC) (mean ages: 60.67 ± 6.95 years). Additionally, the dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (dALFF) and functional connectivity (dFC) were determined to reveal changes in dynamic functional patterns. We found that taking SG significantly reduced the depressive symptoms assessed by HAMD-24 and improved cognitive functions assessed by MoCA in PSD patients. Furthermore, at baseline, PSD patients showed decreased dALFF in the right precuneus and increased dFC between the right precuneus and left angular gyrus, compared with HC. After intervention, the dALFF and dFC variances of the abnormal patterns were reversed. Additionally, the dALFF variance in the right precuneus was positively correlated with MoCA scores in PSD patients after SG treatment. Collectively, our results indicate that SG may improve the cognitive function of PSD patients through alteration of brain dynamics. Our findings lay a foundation for the exploration of the neurobiological mechanisms of SG in ameliorating symptoms of PSD patients.

Carbon fluxes response of an artificial sand-binding vegetation system to rainfall variation during the growing season in the Tengger Desert.

Revegetation is considered as an effective approach for desertification control, and artificial sand-binding vegetation exerts a significant contributor to carbon cycling in arid and semiarid regions; however, this is largely determined by the rainfall regime. We measured carbon fluxes (the net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE), the gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) and the ecosystem respiration (Reco)) during the growing season of 2014-2016 using the eddy covariance technique and explored the effects of rainfall variables (amount, timing distribution and pulse size) and environmental factors on carbon fluxes at different time scales. The system had NEE values of -117.5 and -98.9 g C m-2 during the growing seasons of 2015 (dry year) and 2016 (wet year), respectively. When the rainfall amount did not differ significantly between spring and autumn, the cumulative GEP was greater in spring than in autumn, whereas the cumulative Reco and NEE showed the opposite pattern. Small (<5 mm) rain events failed to trigger obvious GEP and NEE pulses, whereas ≥ 5 mm or a series of small rain events led to high assimilation but with hysteresis. The magnitude of Reco increased as the rain pulses increased. The Random Forest (RF) algorithm revealed that soil water contents had a great impact on carbon fluxes at different integration periods. A correlation analysis showed that the soil water contents were positively correlated with GEP and Reco and negatively correlated with NEE over different time scales in most cases. These findings suggest that artificial vegetation not only improves habitat restoration but is a significant carbon sink during both dry and wet growing season, which is likely to supplement our knowledge gap to accurately evaluate the current carbon budget in dry land.

[Comparative observation of acupoint thread-embedding and acupuncture therapy of Shugan Tiaoshen for insomnia of liver depression and qi stagnation].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of Shugan Tiaoshen (soothing the liver and regulating mind) acupoint thread-embedding therapy and Shugan Tiaoshen acupuncture therapy for insomnia of liver depression and qi stagnation. METHODS: A total of 68 patients with insomnia of liver depression and qi stagnation were randomly divided into an acupoint embedding group (34 cases) and an acupuncture group (34 cases). Two groups were respectively treated with acupoint thread-embedding and acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), Shenmen (HT 7), Neiguan (PC 6), Taichong (LR 3), Ganshu (BL 18) and Xinshu (BL 15). The treatment in the acupoint embedding group was given once a week, and in the acupuncture group was given once every other day for 6 weeks. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS), TCM syndrome scores before and after treatment and medical expenses were compared between the two groups, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the PSQI total scores, each sub-item score and SAS and SDS scores of the two groups were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05); the sleep quality, time during fall asleep, sleep time, sleep efficiency, daytime dysfunction scores and PSQI total score in the acupoint embedding group after treatment were lower than those in the acupuncture group (P<0.05). After treatment, except for constipation and yellowish urine, the sub-item scores and total scores of TCM syndromes in the two groups were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05); the sleep disturbance score of the acupoint embedding group was lower than that of the acupuncture group (P<0.05). The medical expenses in the acupoint embedding group was lower than that in the acupuncture group (P<0.05). The total effective rate of the acupoint embedding group was 85.3% (29/34), and the acupuncture group was 82.4% (28/34), there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Shugan Tiaoshen acupoint thread-embedding therapy and Shugan Tiaoshen acupuncture therapy both have significant curative effect on insomnia of liver depression and qi stagnation, but acupoint thread-embedding therapy is better than acupuncture therapy in improving sleep quality and reducing medical expenses.