Efficacy and safety of moxibustion for menstrual irregularities: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Menstrual irregularities (MI) is 1 of the most common clinical gynaecological diseases, with abnormal menstrual cycles, abnormal bleeding, and abdominal pain before or during menstruation as the main clinical manifestations. In modern medicine, abnormalities in the function of the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, and ovaries can affect menstruation. Currently, hormone levels in the body are mostly regulated by hormonal drugs, but these drugs can lead to hormonal imbalance, which can lead to adverse reactions. Many clinical studies have reported that moxibustion has a good effect on MI treatment, but there is no relevant systematic review. So the purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion in treating MI. METHODS: The following 8 electronic databases will be searched, including PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Web of Science, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, Wanfang Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literatures Database from their inception to 1 December 2020 without any restrictions. Researchers retrieve the literature and extracted the data, evaluation of research methods, quality of literature. The outcomes will include total effective rate, incidence of any adverse events. We use the Cochrane Risk of a bias assessment tool to evaluate methodological qualities. Data synthesis will be completed by RevMan 5.3.0. RESULTS: We will show the results of this study in a peer-reviewed journal. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis will provide reliable evidence for treatment of menstrual irregularities. INPLASY REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY2020120042.

Gender differences in the protective effects of green tea against amnestic mild cognitive impairment in the elderly Han population.

BACKGROUND: Gender differences may contribute to variances in the potential protective effects of tea against cognitive impairment in the elderly. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between different types of tea consumption and the risk of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) along gender lines. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with reference to 20 communities in China. The sample population included elderly participants aged 60 years or older. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect each participant's general demographic information. Trained psychologists administrated the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) to assess participants' cognitive function. An attending psychiatrist evaluated each participant's cognitive function. Finally, data from 2,131 participants were analyzed to assess the association. RESULTS: With regard to male participants, the percentage of green tea consumption was higher in the normal control group than in the aMCI group (X2=4.64, P=0.031). Logistic regression analysis showed that green tea consumption reduced the risk of aMCI in male participants (OR=0.657, P=0.019), and this finding was highly significant in males aged under 70 years (OR=0.376, P=0.002). Regarding female participants across every age group, the results indicated that tea consumption failed to significantly decrease the risk of aMCI (P>0.05). Unlike green tea, black tea and oolong tea were not correlated with a reduced risk of aMCI in terms of gender or age group. Multiple linear regression analysis also revealed that age, years of education, and green tea consumption (B=0.996, P=0.000) were associated with MoCA and MMSE scores, though only in male participants. CONCLUSION: Green tea consumption showed a protective effect against aMCI in males but not in females, particularly in males aged <70 years. However, black tea and oolong tea failed to show any protective effect in either males or females.

Alleviation of plasma homocysteine level by phytoestrogen α-zearalanol might be related to the reduction of cystathionine ß-synthase nitration.

Hyperhomocysteinemia is strongly associated with cardiovascular diseases. Previous studies have shown that phytoestrogen α-zearalanol can protect cardiovascular system from hyperhomocysteinemia and ameliorate the level of plasma total homocysteine; however, the underlying mechanisms remain to be clarified. The aim of this research is to investigate the possible molecular mechanisms involved in ameliorating the level of plasma homocysteine by α-zearalanol. By the successfully established diet-induced hyperhomocysteinemia rat models, we found that, after α-zearalanol treatment, the activity of cystathionine ß-synthase, the key enzyme in homocysteine metabolism, was significantly elevated and level of nitrative stress in liver was significantly reduced. In correlation with this, results also showed a decreased nitration level of cystathionine ß-synthase in liver. Together data implied that alleviation of plasma homocysteine level by phytoestrogen α-zearalanol might be related to the reduction of cystathionine ß-synthase nitration.

Methodology of China's national study on the evaluation, early recognition, and treatment of psychological problems in the elderly: the China Longitudinal Aging Study (CLAS).

SUMMARY: Cognitive and depressive disorders are common in elderly Chinese and are becoming an increasingly important public health problem, partly because of the rapid aging of the population. To help address this issue China's national government has funded a major study to establish national standards for the early identification, evaluation and treatment of common psychological disorders in the elderly. The present paper describes the overall methodology of this study. Fifteen centers in eight provinces will recruit representative samples of subjects aged 60 and over, collect a detailed history, conduct a physical and neurological examination, administer a comprehensive battery of psychological tests, and carry out a diagnostic exam using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). These subjects will participate in follow-up evaluations one year and three years after the initial evaluation. Subsamples of subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and subclinical depression will be enrolled in randomized controlled trials of a cognitive training program (for MCI) or group cognitive behavioral therapy (for subclinical depression). The results of the study will be used to estimate the prevalence of cognitive and affective disorders in the elderly, to develop a standard screening procedure for these conditions that can be promulgated nationally, and to promote the use of specific interventions that can prevent the development of dementia in persons with MCI and the development of depressive episodes in elderly individuals with subclinical depression.

[Controlled study of needle warming therapy and electroacupuncture on simple obesity of spleen deficiency type].

OBJECTIVE: To compare therapeutic effects of needle warming therapy and electroacupuncture on simple obesity with spleen deficiency. METHODS: Sixty-eight cases of simple obesity with spleen deficiency, including water-dampness retention due to spleen deficiency, qi-deficiency of the lung and spleen, yang-deficiency of the spleen and kidney, were randomly divided into a needle warming therapy group (n = 36) and an electroacupuncture group (n = 32). Zhongwan(CV 12), Shuifen (CV 9), Qihai (CV 6), Zhongji (CV 3), Tianshu (ST 25), Shuidao (ST 28), and so on were selected as main acupoints in the both groups. Their therapeutic effects and body mass indexes were observed. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 88.9% in the needle warming therapy group and 71.9% in the electroacupuncture group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05); and there was a significant difference between the two groups in decrease of body mass index (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Needle warming therapy has definite and long-term therapeutic effect on simple obesity with spleen deficiency.