A novel physical-biochemical treatment of refinery wastewater.

As of 2022, China has achieved a crude oil processing capacity of 918 million tons, leading to a notable escalation in the production of refinery wastewater. The composition of refinery wastewater is intricate and diverse, posing a substantial challenge to its treatment. In order to facilitate appropriate discharge or reuse, an exhaustive separation process is imperative for refinery wastewater. Conventional pre-treatment processes typically employ inclined plate separators and dissolved air flotation (DAF) for the removal of oil and suspended solids (SS), while sequencing batch reactor (SBR), oxidation ditch, or biological aerated filter (BAF) are employed for the biological treatment process. However, these approaches encounter challenges such as a large spatial footprint, suboptimal treatment efficiency, and high energy consumption. In response to these challenges, this study introduces a novel integrated apparatus consisting of a high-efficiency oil remover (HEOR), coalescence oil remover (COR), and an airlift-enhanced loop bioreactor (AELR). A pilot-scale test was conducted to evaluate the performance of this integrated system in practical field applications. The pilot-scale tests reveal that, without the addition of chemical agents, the petroleum removal efficiency of "HEOR + COR" system was 1.2 times that of DAF. Compared with the SBR system, AELR's volume loading was increased by 1.56 times. The effluent quality achieved in the pilot-scale tests attained parity with that the original process. The "HEOR + COR + AELR" system exhibited energy and carbon emissions reduction of 28% and 30% compared to the "DAF + SBR" system, respectively. Therefore, the operating costs was reduced by approximate 1 Chinese Yuan (CNY) per ton of treated water. This technological advancement serves as a valuable reference for the implementation of low-carbon treatment of refinery wastewater.

Neuroprotective neolignan glycosides from the pseudobulbs of Bletilla striata.

Four undescribed neolignan glycosides, bletineosides A-D (1-4) were isolated from the pseudobulbs of Bletilla striata. Their structures with absolute configurations were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses, along with acidic hydrolysis reactions and ECD experiments. All isolates were evaluated for their neuroprotective activities against glutamate-induced PC12 cell injury. Compound 3 and 4 showed significantly neuroprotective effects at the concentration of 10 µM when compared with the model group. Compounds 1-4 represented the first examples of neolignan glycosides from the genus Bletilla. This study disclosed the potency of Bletilla striata as a new source of anti-neurodegenerative agents.

Fire Needling Therapy versus Manual Acupuncture in Post-Stroke Complex Regional Pain Syndrome of the Upper Limb: Study Protocol for a Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Post-stroke complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a devastating disease that causes severe physical and emotional consequences. Conventional therapies are limited due to the insufficient benefits and side effects, and fire needling therapy is considered an alternative for post-stroke CRPS of the upper limb. Methods and Analysis: This is a study protocol for a pilot randomised, two-arm, single-centre, clinical trial at Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Capital Medical University. The trial started in March 2023 and is expected to end in December 2024. A total of 60 patients (aged 40-75 years, male or female) with post-stroke CRPS of the upper limb will be randomly assigned to treatment group (fire needling therapy, 5 sessions per week for 2 weeks) or control group (manual acupuncture, 5 sessions per week for 2 weeks) in a 1:1 ratio using block randomisation and opaque envelopes. Fire needling therapy or manual acupuncture will be performed in ten acupoints. Participants will complete the trial by visiting the research centre at Week 14 for a follow-up assessment. The primary outcome is the response rate. Secondary outcomes include FMA, Barthel Scale/Index (BI), pain threshold (PPT), and muscle elasticity modulus (using shear wave elastography [SWE]). A chi-squared test will be used for response rate. A mixed-effects linear model and a mixed-effects model will be used for FMA, BI, PPT, and SWE, respectively. Discussion: This is the first standardised protocol to compare the effectiveness of fire needling therapy and manual acupuncture. We will use a rigorous methodology to minimise bias and set up supervising committees to ensure the quality of our study, thus providing trustworthy evidence for better understanding of fire needling therapy in treating post-stroke CRPS of the upper limb.

Numerical simulation of a mechanical flocculation process with multi-chambers in series.

A mechanical flocculation system with multi-chambers in series is commonly used as the advanced phosphorus removal technology for wastewater treatment. This work aims to numerically investigate the inner states and overall performance of industrial-scale mechanical flocculators in series. This is based on our previously developed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) flocculation model which is extended to consider the key chemical reactions of phosphorus removal. The effects of the number of flocculation chambers, locations, and sizes of the flocculation chamber connection as well as operational combinations of impeller speeds are investigated. With a decreasing number of flocculation chambers, the main vortexes and chemical reactions are weakened, while the small flocs form. Both the phosphorus removal efficiency η and the average floc size dp reduce as the number of flocculation chambers decreases. The connection location of flocculation chambers directly determines the turbulent flow, thus influencing the key performance indicators. However, the phosphorus removal efficiency η and average particle size dp are little affected by the size of the flocculation chamber connection. As the impeller speeds in series gradually increase, the gradient of floc size distribution in each chamber is enlarged and the chemical reaction is enhanced over the working volume.

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for postpartum hypogalactia: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Breast milk is recognised as the best natural food for neonates, but many women experience postpartum hypogalactia (PH). Randomised trials have found that acupuncture exert therapeutic effect on women with PH. However, systematic reviews on the efficacy and safety of acupuncture are still lacking; therefore, this systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for PH. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Six English databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, EBSCO, Scopus, and Web of Science) and four Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wan-Fang, Chinese Biomedical Literature and Chinese Scientific Journal) will be systematically searched from their establishment to 1 September 2022. Randomised controlled trials of the efficacy of acupuncture for PH will be reviewed. The study selection, data extraction and research quality evaluation will be conducted independently by two reviewers. The primary outcome is the change in serum prolactin level from baseline to the end of treatment. Secondary results include milk secretion volume, total effectiveness rate, degree of mammary fullness, rate of exclusive breast feeding, and adverse events. A meta-analysis will be performed using RevMan V.5.4 statistical software. Otherwise, a descriptive analysis will be conducted. The risk of bias will be assessed using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This systematic review protocol does not require ethical approval because it does not include private information/data of the participants. This article will be published in peer-reviewed journals. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022351849.

Effect of DAP and glutamine supplementation on sulfur-containing volatiles and sensory properties of Chardonnay wine fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast.

Volatile compounds in wine have a critical impact on the consumers' senses. In this study, the effect of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and glutamine on sulfur-containing volatiles and sensory properties of Chardonnay wine fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast were evaluated. Fermentation kinetics was determined by monitoring reducing sugar consumption rates during fermentation. The volatile profile of wines was analyzed by headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) were analyzed by HS-SPME-GC-MS/MS. Flavor attributes of wines were assessed by a sensory panel with quantitative descriptive analysis. A total of 53 volatiles, including 6 VSCs, were identified and quantified in the Chardonnay wine. The results suggested that glutamine supplementation at the beginning of fermentation could help to initiate fermentation earlier and promote the formation of isoamyl acetate, phenethyl acetate, ethyl nonanoate, methyl decanoate, diethyl succinate and phenethyl alcohol, isobutanol, while DAP supplementation had no obvious effect on the volatile composition of the resulting wine and fermentation kinetics. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Suitable nitrogen source is helpful to a healthy fermentation, and can also prevent the off-flavor and regulate aroma profile of wine. This study provides insights on the volatile and sensory characteristics of Chardonnay wines affected by different nitrogen source addition.

Effectiveness of acupuncture-related therapies on schizophrenia: a Bayesian network Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To create the hierarchical model for the comparison of efficacy of different ATs for schizophrenia. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, The Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang Database, and SinoMed were searched using a specified search strategy to identify relevant studies up to December 2021. The data were extracted independently by two reviewers. The quality of included trials was evaluated based on the guidelines of "Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions". Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted by statistical analysis software Addis 1.16.6 and Stata 15.1. RESULTS: In total, 60 randomized controlled trials covering 4810 patients were enrolled. The network meta-analysis result showed that Body Acupuncture (BA), BA + Electro-acupuncture (EA), Scalp Acupuncture (SA) + EA, Auricular Acupuncture (AA), Low-dose medication and Acupuncture (LA), Acupoint Injection (AI), and Acupoint Catgut Embedding (ACE), when combined with Western Medications (WM), demonstrated a better clinical effect at improving the symptoms of schizophrenia, compared to WM alone. Results of rank probability showed that BA, when combined with WM, was the most optimal AT for schizophrenia at decreasing three aspects of PANSS scale score. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture-related therapies help improve the symptoms of schizophrenia, and BA combined with WM may be a better therapy for schizophrenia. This study has been registered on the "PROSPERO" website, and the registration number is CRD42021227403.

[Overview on the modern development of fire needling device: from tradition to innovation].

The appropriate needle device is crucial for obtaining the curative effect of fire needling therapy. The article introduces the material specification, clinical operation, indications, characteristics and advantages of the contemporary traditional fire needling devices (e.g. He's fire needle and Shi 's fire needle) and the contemporary new-type ones (e.g. fire needling with filiform needle and micro-needle); and determines the innovations of modern fire needling. It is anticipated that the needle specifications, production process and operation standard of fire needling devices should be further unified so as to provide the references for the selection of fire needling devices in treatment based on clinical syndrome differentiation and expand the clinical application of fire needling therapy.

Gardenia jasminoides Extract GJ-4 Alleviates Memory Deficiency of Vascular Dementia in Rats through PERK-Mediated Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Pathway.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is involved in the pathological process of vascular dementia (VD). GJ-4 is extracted from Gardenia jasminoides J. Ellis and has been reported to have protective roles in ischemia-related brain damage. However, the role of GJ-4 in ERS has not been elucidated. We established a VD rat model through bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (2-VO). The rats were intragastrically administrated with GJ-4 (10, 25, and 50[Formula: see text]mg/kg) and nimodipine (10[Formula: see text]mg/kg). Data from a Morris water maze test showed that GJ-4 could significantly alleviate learning and memory deficits in VD rats. Nissl and cleaved caspase-3 staining revealed that GJ-4 can inhibit apoptosis and thus exert a protective role in the brain of 2-VO rats. Western blot results suggested that GJ-4 significantly reduced ERS-related protein expression and inhibited apoptosis through suppression of the PERK/eIF2[Formula: see text]/ATF4/CHOP signaling pathway. For in vitro studies, the oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) SH-SY5Y model was employed. Western blot and Hoechst 33342/PI double staining were utilized to explore the effects of crocetin, the main active metabolite of GJ-4. Like GJ-4 in vivo, crocetin in vitro also decreased ERS-related protein expression and inhibited the activation of the PERK/eIF2[Formula: see text]/ATF4/CHOP signaling pathway. Thus, crocetin exerted similar protective roles on OGD challenged SH-SY5Y cells in vitro. In summary, GJ-4 and crocetin reduce the ERS in the brain of VD rats and SY5Y cells subjected to OGD and inhibit neuronal apoptosis through suppression of the PERK/eIF2[Formula: see text]/ATF4/CHOP pathway, suggesting that GJ-4 may be useful for the treatment of VD.

Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) stabilized by natural or synthetic emulsifiers for lutein delivery: Improved physicochemical stability, antioxidant activity, and bioaccessibility.

This study investigated the impacts of individual emulsifiers on the physicochemical stability, antioxidant ability, and in vitro digestion behavior of lutein-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs). NLCs particles stabilized by ethyl lauroyl arginate, rhamnolipid, or tea saponin were fabricated by high-pressure microfluidization method. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction results confirmed the regulatory effect of emulsifiers on the crystallization behavior of NLCs. NLCs stabilized by rhamnolipid presented higher encapsulation efficiency (94.73%) for lutein than those stabilized by tea saponin (90.39%) or ethyl lauroyl arginate (88.86%). Meanwhile, the stability of embedded lutein during storage or photothermal treatments was greatly enhanced. Individual emulsifiers, together with lutein, endowed NLCs with excellent antioxidant capacity. During in vitro digestion, rhamnolipid-stabilized NLCs showed the slowest release of free fatty acids (50.87%) and provided an optimal sustained release for lutein with relatively high bioaccessibility (23.01%).

Application of "major scientific issues and engineering technology difficulties in traditional Chinese medicine(2019-2021)" in national science and t echnology layout / 中国中药杂志

In order to judge the future development trend of science and technology, plan ahead and lay out the frontier technology fields and directions, China Association of Chinese Medicine(CACM) has launched consultation projects for collecting "major scienti-fic issues and engineering technology difficulties in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)" for the industry for three consecutive years since 2019. Up to now, 18 projects have been selected as major issues for research, and some experience and achievements have been made. These projects have been applied in important scientific and technological work such as scientific and technological planning and deployment at all levels of national, local, and scientific research institutions, the selection and cultivation of major national scientific and technological projects, and the construction of innovation bases, giving full play to the role of the think tank advisory committee of CACM. This study reviewed the selection of major issues for the first time, systematically combed its application in the national layout of science and technology, and put forward the existing problems and improvement suggestions, aiming to provide new ideas for further improving the selection of major issues and research direction, providing a theoretical basis and decision support for the national scientific and technological layout in the field of TCM, and promoting scientific and technological innovation to facilitate the high quality development of TCM.

[Constructing of clinical thinking of acupuncture and moxibustion, improving the medical record writing ability of standardized training physicians: teaching experience of the standardized training textbook Acupuncture and Moxibustion for national TCM resident physicians].

To explore the methods of cultivating the clinical thinking ability of acupuncture and moxibustion in the standardized training of resident physicians, so as to improve the medical record writing ability of the regular training physicians. The clinical diagnosis and treatment of acupuncture and moxibustion has its own characteristics and can't copy the syndrome differentiation and treatment mode of TCM internal medicine. In the treatment section, Acupuncture and Moxibustion, a standardized training textbook for national TCM resident physicians, takes clinical cases as the breakthrough point and uses the problem as the guide, guides the training physicians to cultivate acupuncture and moxibustion clinical diagnosis and treatment from three aspects: disease diagnosis, syndrome diagnosis, and treatment ideas, forms a complete understanding of the disease, and improves the standardization, logicality and systematicness of medical record writing through repeated practical training.

[Innovation, development and application of contemporary fire needling].

Physicians in the past dynasties have improved the theory of fire needling from the aspects of fire needling instruments, clinical efficacy, application scope, operation, precautions, etc., which promoted the clinical application of fire needling. Modern fire needling breaks through the traditional clinical taboos such as heat syndrome, face, forbidden acupoints, and no needle retention. By using modern fire needling with various types, characteristics and functions, multiple needles and multiple methods are used to treat various diseases, which can further exert the therapeutic effect of fire needling and promote the popularization and application of fire needle therapy.

[Point-pricking method with fire needle for knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of point-pricking method with fire needle on the symptoms of knee joint and physio-psychological health in the patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). METHODS: Sixty six patients with KOA were randomly divided into a fire needling group (33 cases) and a filiform needling group (33 cases). The patients received the point-pricking method with fire needle in the fire needle group while the conventional acupuncture with filiform needle was provided in the filiform needling group. The basic health management was performed in both groups. The acupoints included bilateral Liangqiu (ST34), Xuehai (SP10), Dubi (ST35), Neixiyan (EX-LE4), Yanglingquan (GB34) and Zusanli (ST36) as well as Ashi points. The treatment was conducted twice a week for 6 weeks consecutively. Before and after treatment, the scores of Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptoms and visual analogue score (VAS), the numbers of affected areas of knee joint pain and the scores of 12-item short-form health survey (SF-12) were assessed and the incidence of adverse effects was recorded. RESULTS: The score for pain, stiffness and function, as well as the total score of WOMAC were all reduced (P<0.05), the score of TCM symptoms, VAS score and the numbers of the affected areas of knee joint pain were lower (P<0.05) after treatment when compared with those before treatment within group. After treatment, the score of each domain of SF-12 (i.e. general health, physical function, role-physical, vitality, role-emotional, physical component summary and mental component summary) was higher in comparison to those before treatment in both groups (P<0.05), while the scores of bodily pain, mental health and social functioning in SF-12 were increased in the fire needling group (P<0.05). Compared with the filiform needling group, the score of joint function and the total score in WOMAC and VAS score were reduced remarkably (P<0.05), and general health score in SF-12 was more obviously increased (P<0.05) in the fire needling group after treatment. None adverse effects were found in either group. CONCLUSION: The point-pricking method with fire needle is safe and effective when compared with conventional acupuncture with filiform needle. In the aspects of improving knee joint function, relieving joint pain and advancing the quality of life, the point-pricking method with fire needle is superior to the conventional acupuncture with filiform needle.

Clerodendrum wallichii Merr Methanol Extract Protected Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury in Sprague-Dawley Rats by Modulating Antioxidant Enzymes.

Materials and Methods: An oral acute toxicity study was carried out following OECD guidelines. Hepatotoxicity was induced by the administration of ethanol for 4 weeks. Hepatic enzymes and oxidative stress biomarkers were determined using commercial diagnostic kits. Results: Treatment of rats with MECW (800 mg/kg) showed the highest reduction of body weight (4.76 ± 0.372 vs. 16.92 ± 0.846) and liver weight (3.06 ± 0.128 vs 5.55 ± 0.311). Treatment of rats with MECW at 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 mg/kg significantly ( ∗∗ p < 0.01) reduced SGPT. Similarly, serum SGOT and ALP were significantly decreased by MECW (200, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 mg/kg). All used doses of MECW significantly increased antioxidant enzymes GSH and SOD. MECW (600 and 800 mg/kg) significantly promoted CAT levels in liver tissues; whereas, it significantly diminished oxidative biomarker, MDA. Histopathological observations of the liver showed improvement in the architecture of hepatic cells having signs of protection with a reduced number of inflammatory cells, vascular degeneration and congestion, cellular degeneration, necrosis, and significant reduction of fatty cells accumulation. Acute toxicity study resulted in the well-tolerability and safety of used doses of MECW (200-1000 mg/kg) in rats. Conclusion: Our study clearly demonstrated the hepatoprotective effect of Clerodendrum wallichii extract against ethanol-induced liver injury in the laboratory rats model.

Network pharmacological investigation into the mechanism of Kaixinsan powder for the treatment of depression.

Kaixinsan powder (KXS), a classic prescription of traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is widely used in the treatment of depression, but its mechanism remains unclear. The network pharmacology method was used to constructe the "herb-component-target" network, and elucidated KXS potential mechanisms of action in the treatment of depression. Moreover, molecular docking was applied to valid the important interactions between the ingredients and the target protein. The "herb-component-target" network indicated that the ingredients of Girinimbin, Gomisin B and Asarone, and the protein targets of ESR, AR and NR3C1 mostly contribute to the antidepressant effect of KXS. KEGG pathway analysis highlighted the most significant pathways associated with depression treatment, including neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway, serotonergic synapse pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway. Go enrichment analysis indicated that the mechanism of KXS in treating depression was involved in the biological process of GPCR signal transduction, hormone metabolism and nerve cell apoptosis. Moreover, molecular docking results showed that Polygalaxanthone III, Girinimbine and Pachymic acid performed greater binding ability with key antidepressant target 5-HTR. In conclusion, this study preliminarily revealed key active components in KXS, including Gomisin B, Asarone, Ginsenoside Rg1, Polygalaxanthone III and Pachymic acid, could interact with multiple targets (5-HTR, DR, ADRA, AR, ESR, NR3C1) and modulate the activation of multiple pathways (Neuroactive ligand -receptor interaction pathway, serotonergic synapse pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway).

[Effects of Biochar Application on Yellow Soil Nutrients and Enzyme Activities].

Due to its special physical and chemical properties, biochar is widely used as a multi-beneficial amendment to improve soil quality. Soil nutrient content and enzyme activities are important chemical and biological factors indicating soil quality. Despite increased interest and studies, a knowledge gap remains regarding the ability of biochar to assess soil nutrient content and enzyme activities due to differences in biochar application amount and soil texture. In the present study, the effects of different amounts of biochar application (CK:0 t·hm-2, B5:5 t·hm-2, B10:10 t·hm-2, B20:20 t·hm-2, and B50:50 t·hm-2) on soil nutrient content and enzyme activities were studied based on a field experiment on typical yellow soil in Guizhou province, southwest China. Structural equation models (SEM) were used to quantitatively evaluate the direct or indirect effects of biochar application on soil nutrient content and enzyme activities. The results showed that soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic carbon (SOC), alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen (AHN), available phosphorus (AP), and available potassium (AK) increased with the applied amount of biochar. With the increase in biochar application amount, the activities of soil catalase and urease showed first an increasing and then a decreasing trend, and the activities of soil sucrase and phosphatase showed an almost constant increasing trend (P<0.05). The highest activities of soil catalase, urease, and phosphatase were recorded under treatment B10. A relatively high activity of soil sucrose was also observed under treatment B10. With the same amount of biochar application, soil pH and the content of soil AHN, AP, and AK in treatments after four months of biochar application were greater than those after 12 months. After 12 months of biochar application treatment, the contents of SOC and EC were greater than those at four months. Compared to those in treatments after four months of biochar application, activities of soil urease and phosphatase increased, activities of soil catalase decreased, and activities of soil sucrose did not obviously change after 12 months of biochar application. The results of SEM showed that biochar application directly decreased activities of soil catalase and indirectly promoted activities of soil sucrase and phosphatase by increasing soil pH, EC, AHN, AK, and AP. In conclusion, the amount and duration of biochar application significantly increased soil nutrient content, directly and indirectly affecting soil enzyme activities. Based on the results of the presents study, biochar application at 10 t·hm-2 was recommended for acidic yellow soil.

Vitis vinifera L. Flavones Regulate Hippocampal Neurons via Autophagy in APP/PS1 Alzheimer Model Mice.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and our current treatment approach can only delay its course rather than cure it completely. Flavones from Vitis vinifera L. have been reported to promote synaptic plasticity and indirectly affect the expression of cholinergic neurotransmitters in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease. Objective: The aim of the study is to explore the effect of Vitis vinifera L. in APP/PS1 Alzheimer model mice. Methods: APP/PS1 AD mice were used as the research subjects, and the mice were divided into a model group, donepezil group, VTF low-dose group, VTF medium-dose group, and VTF high-dose group. C57BL/6 mice served as a control group. The autophagosomes were observed by a transmission electron microscope, and the expressions of LC3I, LC3IIand Beclin-1 were determined by Western blotting. The results of qRT-PCR are consistent with Western blotting. Results: VTF can exert a positive regulatory effect on AD mice by inhibiting autophagy. Conclusion: Our study supports that intragastrically administration of VTF is effective and operable in Alzheimer's disease mice, and that inhibition of excessive autophagy may be one of the potential reasons why VTF exerts a therapeutic effect on AD.

Acupuncture for emotional disorders in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Emotional disorders are often observed in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD with emotional disorders leads to poor quality of life. This systematic review aims to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture in patients with IBD with emotional disorders. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Nine electronic databases, including Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, VIP Database and Wanfang Database, will be searched from inception to October 2021 without language restriction. The grey literature containing conference proceedings, as well as systematic reviews listed in the reference of definite publications, will also be retrieved. Randomised controlled trials either in English or Chinese reporting acupuncture therapy for IBD with emotional disorders will be included. The primary outcome is changes of emotional functioning outcomes. The Colitis Activity Index, Crohn's Disease Activity Index, C reactive protein and adverse events will be assessed as the secondary outcomes. More than two assessors will conduct the study retrieval and selection, as well as the data extraction and evaluation of the risk of bias. Data synthesis will be performed using a random-effects model based on the results of heterogeneity. Data analysis will be performed using RevMan software (V.5.4). Moreover, the dichotomous data will be presented as risk ratios, and the continuous data will be calculated using weighted mean difference or standard mean difference. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This systematic review contains no individual patient data; thus, ethical approval is not required. Moreover, this review will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal or relevant conference. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020176340.

Transcriptome and Metabolome Analyses of Codonopsis convolvulacea Kurz Tuber, Stem, and Leaf Reveal the Presence of Important Metabolites and Key Pathways Controlling Their Biosynthesis.

Codonopsis convolvulacea Kurz. var. vinciflora (Kom.) L.T. Shen is a member of Campanulaceae, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine. However, apart from a few Codonopsis species, no detailed knowledge is available on the metabolite composition and respective transcriptome signatures. We performed a combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis of the tuber, stem, and leaf of C. convolvulacea and found 1,144 metabolites and 231,840 unigenes in three experimental groups. The analysis revealed considerable variations in the three tissues. Tubers were rich in amino acids and derivatives, flavonoids, and organic acids, whereas the stems and leaves were rich in alkaloids and flavonoids, respectively. Transcriptome sequencing revealed candidate genes being involved in flavonoid, tryptophan, and alkaloid biosyntheses. In particular, we indicated that the variation in the isoflavone content is linked to the expressions of CHI, CYP73A, C3'H, F3H, CYP75B1, anthocyanidin synthase, and FLS. In a similar way, the levels of indole, L-tyrosine, and tryptamine were also consistent with the expressions of TDC/DDCs in the respective tissues. In addition, the expression levels of ASP5, ARO8, GOT, and AOC3 indicated that L-tryptophan is being converted to downstream metabolites. Overall, our datasets present a useful resource for future research on the uses of this medicinal plant and put forward many research questions.