Network meta-analysis of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics for the treatment of chronic constipation in adults.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes associated with the use of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics for the treatment of chronic constipation in adults. METHODS: We searched eight electronic databases from database inception to July 11, 2023, to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that report efficacy and safety for the treatment of chronic constipation. The risk of bias in the included RCTs was evaluated according to the Cochrane tool, and the certainty of the evidence was assessed using the Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis framework. The analysis was conducted using R version 4.3.0. RESULTS: Out of the 37 RCTs, a total of 21 different types of interventions were reported, involving 3,903 patients. This NMA demonstrated that both prebiotics and synbiotics resulted in an increase in frequency of stool movements per week. Compared to placebo, lactulose (Mean difference [MD] = 3.39, 95% Confdence interval [CI] [1.13, 5.65], moderate certainty), mix2 (consisting of Lactulose and Bacillus coagulans) (MD = 3.63, 95% CI [1.37, 5.89], moderate certainty), mix6 (consisting of Lactulose and Bifidobacterium coagulans) (MD = 4.30, 95% CI [1.04, 7.54], low certainty), and mix7 (consisting of Lactulose, Bifidobacterium subtilis, and Enterococcus faecium) (MD = 4.58, 95% CI [1.35, 7.78], moderate certainty) exhibited a significant effect. Notably, mix7 demonstrated the highest probability of being the most effective intervention (94.8%). Furthermore, when compared to L. plantarum, four probiotics and two synbiotics showed significant advantages in the Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptoms (PAC-SYM) score. L. reuteri (MD = -13.74, 95% CI [-22.20, -4.66], very low certainty) exhibited a significant effect in improving the Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life (PAC-QoL) score. In terms of safety, there were no statistically significant differences between the intervention and control groups in all adverse event analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate to very low evidence supports the use of lactulose and synbiotics to increase the number of weekly stool movements in patients, particularly highlighting the significant impact of synbiotics in increasing the number of weekly stool movements in patients with constipation. The use of L. paracasei showed improvements in PAC-SYM scores, while L. reuteri demonstrated enhancements in PAC-QoL scores.

Facilely Prepared Carbon Dots as Effective Anode Modifier for Enhanced Performance of Microbial Fuel Cells.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a promising technology for obtaining energy in wastewater. Effective extracellular electron transfer is one of the key factors for its practical application. In this work, carbon dots (CDs) enriched with oxygen-containing groups on the surface were synthesized as an efficient anode modifier using a simple hydrothermal method and common reactants. The experimental findings indicated that anodes modified with CDs exhibited increased electrical conductivity and greater hydrophilicity. These modifications facilitated increased microorganism loading and contributed to enhancing electrochemical processes within the anode biofilm. The CD-modified MFCs exhibited higher maximum power density (661.1 ± 42.6 mW·m-2) and open-circuit voltage (534.50 ± 6.4 mV), which were significantly better than those of the blank group MFCs (484.1 ± 14.1 mW·m-2 and 447.50 ± 12.1 mV). The use of simple carbon materials to improve the microbial loading on the MFCs anode and the electron transfer between the microbial-electrode may provide a new idea for the design of efficient MFCs.

Comparison of effectiveness and safety of lasmiditan and CGRP-antagonists for the acute treatment of migraine in adults: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised trials.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes associated with the use of lasmiditan, rimegepant, ubrogepant, and zavegepant for the acute management of migraine headaches. METHODS: We searched four electronic databases from database inception to August 31, 2023, to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that report efficacy and safety for the acute treatment of migraine. The risk of bias in the included RCTs was evaluated according to the Cochrane tool, and the certainty of evidence using the CINeMA approach. We conducted frequentist network meta-analyses (NMA) to summarise the evidence. Data were analyzed using R-4.3.1. RESULTS: A total of 18 eligible studies including 10 different types of interventions with 22,429 migraine patients were included. NMA results showed that compared to ubrogepant (25 mg and 50 mg) and zavegepant, lasmiditan (100 mg and 200 mg) exhibits an elevated probability of achieving pain relief within a 2-hour interval. Similarly, relative to zavegepant, rimegepant (75 mg) and ubrogepant (50 mg and 100 mg) demonstrate an enhanced likelihood of sustaining pain relief over a 24-hour period. Furthermore, in contrast to ubrogepant (25 mg) and lasmiditan (50 mg), rimegepant (75 mg) presents a heightened probability of achieving freedom from photophobia within 2 h. Regarding safety, lasmiditan carries the highest risk of adverse events, which are associated with an increased incidence of adverse effects, including dizziness, somnolence, asthenia, paresthesia, and fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: In this NMA, a spectrum of evidence ranging from very low to high levels underscores the favorable efficacy and tolerability of rimegepant 75 mg and ubrogepant 100 mg, positioning them as potential candidates for the acute management of migraine. Concurrently, lasmiditan (100 mg and 200 mg) exhibits notable efficacy, albeit accompanied by an increased susceptibility to adverse events. These findings should still be approached with caution, primarily due to the intrinsic limitations associated with indirect comparisons.

Extended endoscopic endonasal approach to the chiasmatic cistern: An anatomical study of the arachnoid.

This paper studied the arachnoid of the chiasmatic cistern (CC) and the methods for increasing the exposure of the CC from an endoscopic perspective. Eight anatomical specimens with vascular injection were used for endoscopic endonasal dissection. The anatomical characteristics of the CC were studied and documented, and anatomical measurements were collected. The CC is an unpaired five-walled arachnoid cistern located between the optic nerve, optic chiasm, and the diaphragma sellae. The average exposed area of the CC before the anterior intercavernous sinus (AICS) was transected was 66.67 ± 33.76 mm2 . After the AICS was transected and the pituitary gland (PG) was mobilized, the average exposed area of the CC was 95.90 ± 45.48 mm2 . The CC has five walls and a complex neurovascular structure. It is located in a critical anatomical position. The transection of the AICS and mobilization of the PG or the selective sacrifice of the descending branch of the superior hypophyseal artery can improve the operative field.

Study on fluvoxamine maleate sustained-release pellets and its compression technology / 药学学报

In this study, fluvoxamine maleate sustained-release pellet system tablets were prepared and were used to evaluate their release behaviors in vitro. Fluvoxamine maleate pellets were prepared using centrifugal-spherization method and coated by fluidized bed as bottom-spray. The multi-unit sustained-release pellets and appropriate excipients for prescription volumes were mixed uniformly and then compressed to tablets. Screening and determining the optimal formulation of drug loaded pellets through L8 (24) Taguchi experiment. Using Minitab software to design a DOE experiment with 24 partial factors, including material temperature, fan speed, atomization pressure, and spray rate to optimize the bottom spray coating process. Taking monostearate glycerol ester with a particle size of 24-40 mesh as the main diluent for tableting to relieve the delamination phenomenon between pellets and excipients during tablet pressing and reduce mechanical damage to the coating film. By examining the powder fluidity indexes such as angle of repose, bulk density, tapped density, and Hausner ratio of mixed particles, it was found that the flowability and compressibility are good and suitable for direct compression. Evaluate the basic properties of the sustained-release tablets, investigate the in vitro release behavior and study the release mechanism. The results of in vitro release test showed that the self-made sustained-release tablets could disintegrate into independent pellet units in phosphate buffer at pH 6.8 and release slowly within 24 h, which conformed to the first-order drug release model. The fluvoxamine maleate sustained-release pellet system tablets meet the requirements of preparation design and has a great commercial prospect.

Targeting cAMP in D1-MSNs in the nucleus accumbens, a new rapid antidepressant strategy

Studies have suggested that the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is implicated in the pathophysiology of major depression; however, the regulatory strategy that targets the NAc to achieve an exclusive and outstanding anti-depression benefit has not been elucidated. Here, we identified a specific reduction of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in the subset of dopamine D1 receptor medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) in the NAc that promoted stress susceptibility, while the stimulation of cAMP production in NAc D1-MSNs efficiently rescued depression-like behaviors. Ketamine treatment enhanced cAMP both in D1-MSNs and dopamine D2 receptor medium spiny neurons (D2-MSNs) of depressed mice, however, the rapid antidepressant effect of ketamine solely depended on elevating cAMP in NAc D1-MSNs. We discovered that a higher dose of crocin markedly increased cAMP in the NAc and consistently relieved depression 24 h after oral administration, but not a lower dose. The fast onset property of crocin was verified through multicenter studies. Moreover, crocin specifically targeted at D1-MSN cAMP signaling in the NAc to relieve depression and had no effect on D2-MSN. These findings characterize a new strategy to achieve an exclusive and outstanding anti-depression benefit by elevating cAMP in D1-MSNs in the NAc, and provide a potential rapid antidepressant drug candidate, crocin.

Association between napping and cognitive impairment: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Increasing evidence suggests that napping is associated with cognitive impairment and dementia, but the conclusions are inconsistent. Moreover, the extent of the risk is uncertain. We therefore conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify the connection between napping and cognitive impairment. METHODS: We performed a systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library for studies that were published up to June 2023, and assessed associations between napping and cognitive impairment. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated as the effect sizes for all studies. Heterogeneity and potential publication biases were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 4535 papers were retrieved, with 20 reports assessing the relationships between napping and cognitive impairment. Pooled analysis indicated that napping was associated with dementia (OR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.07-1.21). Importantly, we found that those napping longer than 30, 45, and 60 min/day were 35%, 41%, and 40%, respectively, more likely to have an increased risk of cognitive impairment (30 min: OR = 1.35; 95% CI: 1.24-1.48; 45 min: OR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.27-1.58; 60 min: OR = 1.40; 95% CI: 1.26-1.56). North America and Europe showed that associations existed between napping and cognitive impairment (North America: OR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.04-1.27; Europe: OR = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.08-1.18). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis indicated associations between long napping durations and cognitive impairment or dementia, suggesting that longer napping might be a potential risk factor of adverse cognitive outcomes.

Effectiveness of Multicomponent Interventions in Office-Based Workers to Mitigate Occupational Sedentary Behavior: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Sedentary time in workplaces has been linked to increased risks of chronic occupational diseases, obesity, and overall mortality. Currently, there is a burgeoning research interest in the implementation of multicomponent interventions aimed at decreasing sedentary time among office workers, which encompass a comprehensive amalgamation of individual, organizational, and environmental strategies. OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aims at evaluating the effectiveness of multicomponent interventions to mitigate occupational sedentary behavior at work compared with no intervention. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases were searched from database inception until March 2023 to obtain randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the efficacy of multicomponent interventions on occupational sedentary behavior among office-based workers. Two reviewers independently extracted the data and assessed the risk of bias by using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. The average intervention effect on sedentary time was calculated using Stata 15.1. Mean differences (MDs) with 95% CIs were used to calculate the continuous variables. Subgroup analyses were performed to determine whether sit-stand workstation, feedback, and prompt elements played an important role in multicomponent interventions. Further, the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) system was used to evaluate the certainty of evidence. RESULTS: A total of 11 RCTs involving 1894 patients were included in the analysis. Five studies were rated as low risk of bias, 2 as unclear risk of bias, and 4 as high risk. The meta-analysis results showed that compared with no intervention, multicomponent interventions significantly reduced occupational sitting time (MD=-52.25 min/8-h workday, 95% CI -73.06 to -31.44; P<.001) and occupational prolonged sitting time (MD=-32.63 min/8-h workday, 95% CI -51.93 to -13.33; P=.001) and increased occupational standing time (MD=44.30 min/8-h workday, 95% CI 23.11-65.48; P<.001), whereas no significant differences were found in occupational stepping time (P=.06). The results of subgroup analysis showed that compared with multicomponent interventions without installment of sit-stand workstations, multicomponent interventions with sit-stand workstation installment showed better effects for reducing occupational sitting time (MD=-71.95 min/8-h workday, 95% CI -92.94 to -51.15), increasing occupational standing time (MD=66.56 min/8-h workday, 95% CI 43.45-89.67), and reducing occupational prolonged sitting time (MD=-47.05 min/8-h workday, 95% CI -73.66 to -20.43). The GRADE evidence summary showed that all 4 outcomes were rated as moderate certainty. CONCLUSIONS: Multicomponent interventions, particularly those incorporating sit-stand workstations for all participants, are effective at reducing workplace sedentary time. However, given their cost, further research is needed to understand the effectiveness of low-cost/no-cost multicomponent interventions.

Long-term exposure to particulate matter on cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM) has essential and profound effects on human health, but most current studies focus on high-income countries. Evidence of the correlations between PM and health effects in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), especially the risk factor PM1 (particles < 1 µm in size), remains unclear. Objective: To explore the effects of long-term exposure to particulate matter on the morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in LMICs. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases from inception to May 1, 2022. Cohort studies and case-control studies that examine the effects of PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 on the morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in LMICs were included. Two reviewers independently selected the studies, extracted the data, and assessed the risk of bias. Outcomes were analyzed via a random effects model and are reported as the relative risk (RR) with 95% CI. Results: Of the 1,978 studies that were identified, 38 met all the eligibility criteria. The studies indicated that long-term exposure to PM2.5, PM10, and PM1 was associated with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases: (1) Long-term exposure to PM2.5 was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity (RR per 1.11 µg/m3, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.17) and mortality (RR per 1.10 µg/m3, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.14) and was significantly associated with respiratory mortality (RR 1.31, 95% CI: 1.25, 1.38) and morbidity (RR 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.04); (2) An increased risk of respiratory mortality was observed in the elderly (65+ years) (RR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.47) with long-term exposure to PM2.5; (3) Long-term exposure to PM10 was associated with cardiovascular morbidity (RR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01, 1.13), respiratory morbidity (RR 1.43, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.69) and respiratory mortality (RR 1.28, 95% CI 1.10, 1.49); (4) A significant association between long-term exposure to PM1 and cardiovascular disease was also observed. Conclusions: Long-term exposure to PM2.5, PM10 and PM1 was all related to cardiovascular and respiratory disease events. PM2.5 had a greater effect than PM10, especially on respiratory diseases, and the risk of respiratory mortality was significantly higher for LMICs than high-income countries. More studies are needed to confirm the effect of PM1 on cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

Oral direct thrombin inhibitors or oral factor Xa inhibitors versus conventional anticoagulants for the treatment of pulmonary embolism.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially life-threatening condition in which a clot can migrate from the deep veins, most commonly in the leg, to the lungs. Conventional treatment of PE used unfractionated heparin (UFH), low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), fondaparinux, and vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). Recently, two forms of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been developed: oral direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs) and oral factor Xa inhibitors. DOACs have characteristics that may be favourable to conventional treatment, including oral administration, a predictable effect, no need for frequent monitoring or re-dosing, and few known drug interactions. This review reports the efficacy and safety of these drugs in the long-term treatment of PE (minimum duration of three months). This is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in 2015.  OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and safety of oral DTIs and oral factor Xa inhibitors versus conventional anticoagulants for the long-term treatment of PE. SEARCH METHODS: The Cochrane Vascular Information Specialist searched the Cochrane Vascular Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL databases, the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and the ClinicalTrials.gov trials registers to 2 March 2022. We checked the reference lists of relevant articles for additional studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in which people with a PE confirmed by standard imaging techniques were allocated to receive an oral DTI or an oral factor Xa inhibitor compared with a conventional anticoagulant or compared with each other for the long-term treatment of PE (minimum duration three months). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard Cochrane methods. Our primary outcomes were recurrent PE, recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality, major bleeding, and health-related quality of life. We used GRADE to assess the certainty of evidence for each outcome. MAIN RESULTS: We identified five additional RCTs with 1484 participants for this update. Together with the previously included trials, we have included ten RCTs with a total of 13,073 participants. Two studies investigated an oral DTI (dabigatran) and eight studies investigated oral factor Xa inhibitors (three rivaroxaban, three apixaban, and two edoxaban). The studies were of good methodological quality overall.  Meta-analysis showed no clear difference in the efficacy and safety of oral DTI compared with conventional anticoagulation in preventing recurrent PE (odds ratio (OR) 1.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.50 to 2.04; 2 studies, 1602 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), recurrent VTE (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.52 to 1.66; 2 studies, 1602 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), DVT (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.29 to 2.13; 2 studies, 1602 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), and major bleeding (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.15 to 1.68; 2 studies, 1527 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). We downgraded the certainty of evidence by one level for imprecision due to the low number of events. There was also no clear difference between the oral factor Xa inhibitors and conventional anticoagulation in the prevention of recurrent PE (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.29; 3 studies, 8186 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), recurrent VTE (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.03; 8 studies, 11,416 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), DVT (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.48 to 1.25; 2 studies, 8151 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), all-cause mortality (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.70; 1 study, 4817 participants; moderate-certainty evidence) and major bleeding (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.36 to 1.41; 8 studies, 11,447 participants; low-certainty evidence); the heterogeneity for major bleeding was significant (I2 = 79%). We downgraded the certainty of the evidence to moderate and low because of imprecision due to the low number of events and inconsistency due to clinical heterogeneity. None of the included studies measured health-related quality of life. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Available evidence shows there is probably little or no difference between DOACs and conventional anticoagulation in the prevention of recurrent PE, recurrent VTE, DVT, all-cause mortality, and major bleeding. The certainty of evidence was moderate or low. Future large clinical trials are required to identify if individual drugs differ in effectiveness and bleeding risk, and to explore effect differences in subgroups, including people with cancer and obesity.

Oral direct thrombin inhibitors or oral factor Xa inhibitors versus conventional anticoagulants for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis.

BACKGROUND: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition in which a clot forms in the deep veins, most commonly of the leg. It occurs in approximately one in 1000 people. If left untreated, the clot can travel up to the lungs and cause a potentially life-threatening pulmonary embolism (PE). Previously, a DVT was treated with the anticoagulants heparin and vitamin K antagonists. However, two forms of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been developed: oral direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs) and oral factor Xa inhibitors, which have characteristics that may be favourable compared to conventional treatment, including oral administration, a predictable effect, lack of frequent monitoring or dose adjustment and few known drug interactions. DOACs are now commonly being used for treating DVT: recent guidelines recommended DOACs over conventional anticoagulants for both DVT and PE treatment. This Cochrane Review was first published in 2015. It was the first systematic review to measure the effectiveness and safety of these drugs in the treatment of DVT. This is an update of the 2015 review.  OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness and safety of oral DTIs and oral factor Xa inhibitors versus conventional anticoagulants for the long-term treatment of DVT. SEARCH METHODS: The Cochrane Vascular Information Specialist searched the Cochrane Vascular Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL databases and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov trials registers to 1 March 2022. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in which people with a DVT, confirmed by standard imaging techniques, were allocated to receive an oral DTI or an oral factor Xa inhibitor compared with conventional anticoagulation or compared with each other for the treatment of DVT.  DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard Cochrane methods. Our primary outcomes were recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), recurrent DVT and PE. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, major bleeding, post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) and quality of life (QoL). We used GRADE to assess the certainty of evidence for each outcome. MAIN RESULTS: We identified 10 new studies with 2950 participants for this update. In total, we included 21 RCTs involving 30,895 participants. Three studies investigated oral DTIs (two dabigatran and one ximelagatran), 17 investigated oral factor Xa inhibitors (eight rivaroxaban, five apixaban and four edoxaban) and one three-arm trial investigated both a DTI (dabigatran) and factor Xa inhibitor (rivaroxaban). Overall, the studies were of good methodological quality. Meta-analysis comparing DTIs to conventional anticoagulation showed no clear difference in the rate of recurrent VTE (odds ratio (OR) 1.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.83 to 1.65; 3 studies, 5994 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), recurrent DVT (OR 1.11, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.66; 3 studies, 5994 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), fatal PE (OR 1.32, 95% CI 0.29 to 6.02; 3 studies, 5994 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), non-fatal PE (OR 1.29, 95% CI 0.64 to 2.59; 3 studies, 5994 participants; moderate-certainty evidence) or all-cause mortality (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.41 to 1.08; 1 study, 2489 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). DTIs reduced the rate of major bleeding (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.89; 3 studies, 5994 participants; high-certainty evidence).   For oral factor Xa inhibitors compared with conventional anticoagulation, meta-analysis demonstrated no clear difference in recurrent VTE (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.01; 13 studies, 17,505 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), recurrent DVT (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49 to 1.01; 9 studies, 16,439 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), fatal PE (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.69 to 2.02; 6 studies, 15,082 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), non-fatal PE (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.27; 7 studies, 15,166 participants; moderate-certainty evidence) or all-cause mortality (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.14; 9 studies, 10,770 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). Meta-analysis showed a reduced rate of major bleeding with oral factor Xa inhibitors compared with conventional anticoagulation (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.89; 17 studies, 18,066 participants; high-certainty evidence).  AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The current review suggests that DOACs may be superior to conventional therapy in terms of safety (major bleeding), and are probably equivalent in terms of efficacy. There is probably little or no difference between DOACs and conventional anticoagulation in the prevention of recurrent VTE, recurrent DVT, pulmonary embolism and all-cause mortality. DOACs reduced the rate of major bleeding compared to conventional anticoagulation. The certainty of evidence was moderate or high.

The relationship of publication language, study population, risk of bias, and treatment effects in acupuncture related systematic reviews: a meta-epidemiologic study.

BACKGROUND: There are debates in acupuncture related systematic reviews and meta-analyses on whether searching Chinese databases to get more Chinese-language studies may increase the risk of bias and overestimate the effect size, and whether the treatment effects of acupuncture differ between Chinese and non-Chinese populations. METHODS: In this meta-epidemiological study, we searched the Cochrane library from its inception until December 2021, and identified systematic reviews and meta-analyses with acupuncture as one of the interventions. Paired reviewers independently screened the reviews and extracted the information. We repeated the meta-analysis of the selected outcomes to separately pool the results of Chinese- and non-Chinese-language acupuncture studies and presented the pooled estimates as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). We calculated the Ratio of ORs (ROR) by dividing the OR of the Chinese-language trials by the OR of the non-Chinese-language trials, and the ROR by dividing the OR of trials addressing Chinese population by the OR of trials addressing non-Chinese population. We explored whether the impact of a high risk of bias on the effect size differed between studies published in Chinese- and in non-Chinese-language, and whether the treatment effects of acupuncture differed between Chinese and non-Chinese population. RESULTS: We identified 84 Cochrane acupuncture reviews involving 33 Cochrane groups, of which 31 reviews (37%) searched Chinese databases. Searching versus not searching Chinese databases significantly increased the contribution of Chinese-language literature both to the total number of included trials (54% vs. 15%) and the sample size (40% vs. 15%). When compared with non-Chinese-language trials, Chinese-language trials were associated with a larger effect size (pooled ROR 0.51, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.91). We also observed a higher risk of bias in Chinese-language trials in blinding of participants and personnel (97% vs. 51%) and blinding of outcome assessment (93% vs. 47%). The higher risk of bias was associated with a larger effect estimate in both Chinese-language (allocation concealment: high/unclear risk vs. low risk, ROR 0.43, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.87) and non-Chinese-language studies (blinding of participants and personnel: high/unclear risk vs. low risk, ROR 0.41, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.74). However, we found no evidence that the higher risk of bias would increase the effect size of acupuncture in Chinese-language studies more often than in non-Chinese-language studies (the confidence intervals of all ROR in the high-risk group included 1, Table 3). We further found acupuncture appeared to be more effective in Chinese than in non-Chinese population (Table 4). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest the higher risk of bias may lead to an overestimation of the treatment effects of acupuncture but would not increase the treatment effects in Chinese-language studies more often than in other language studies. The difference in treatment effects of acupuncture was probably associated with differences in population characteristics. TRIAL REGISTRATION: We registered our protocol on the Open Science Framework (OSF) ( https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/PZ6XR ).

ZIF-8-derived Cu, N co-doped carbon as a bifunctional cathode catalyst for enhanced performance of microbial fuel cell.

The development of bifunctional catalysts is an effective way to simultaneously address the slow kinetics of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on the cathode and biofilm contamination in the microbial fuel cells (MFC). Cu-N/C@Cu composites were synthesized as bifunctional cathode catalysts for MFC by doping, adsorption, and two calcinations by using Cu-ZIF-8 as the precursor. The higher Cu-Nx content confers excellent ORR catalytic activity to the optimized Cu-N/C@Cu-2 catalyst. The half-wave potential for Cu-N/C@Cu-2 in a neutral solution is 0.67 V vs. RHE, which is close to that of commercial 20% Pt/C (0.70 V vs. RHE). The maximum power density of the MFCs assembled with Cu-N/C@Cu-2 reached 581 ± 13 mW m-2, which is even better than that using Pt/C (499 ± 13 mW m-2). Moreover, the results of antimicrobial activity and biomass test show that the higher Cu content made Cu-N/C@Cu-2 effective against the contamination of cathode biofilm. And the 16S rDNA results find that the community structure of the biofilm is favorable for the power production and purification of MFC. This work shows that copper-based materials can be used as potential bifunctional catalysts to promote MFC applications in wastewater treatment.

Surgical Treatment of Pineal Region Tumors: An 18 year-Experience at a Single Institution.

BACKGROUND: The pineal tumor was once considered as a restricted area for surgery. Such cases are rare, with many different opinions on surgical treatment. This study aimed to review our experience of tumor treatment in the pineal region and explore the optimal treatment strategy. METHODS: The clinical data of 72 patients with pineal tumors from January 1997 to May 2015 (18 years) were retrospectively analyzed. Preoperative preparation, pathology type, tumor resection rate, surgical approach, and follow-up outcomes were used as the indicators to evaluate the treatment efficacy. RESULTS: The Krause approach was used in 46 cases, the Poppen approach in 10 cases, and the transcallosal-lateral ventricle-choroid fissure approach in 16 cases. The postoperative pathological results were as follows: 24 cases of germinoma, 11 of teratoma, 15 of glioma, 6 of meningioma, 11 of Pineocytoma, 2 of cholesteatoma, 2 of cavernous hemangioma, and 1 of choriocarcinoma. Further, the study included 64 cases of total surgical resections, 8 of subtotal resections, and 2 deaths. The follow-up period was from 7 months to 10 years. Further, 51 (70.8%) patients were followed up. The multivariate regression model showed that the surgical method and the pathological type contributed significantly to predicting outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The type of pathology, extent of excision, and surgical approach had a significant impact on the prognosis of patients. The transcallosal-lateral ventricle-choroid fissure approach for large and medium-sized pineal tumors near the posterior part of the third ventricle had good efficacy.

Effects of electroacupuncture at "Siguan" points on the expression of colonic 5-hydroxytryptamine and fecal short-chain fatty acids in rats with post-stroke depression / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effects of electroacupuncture at "Siguan" points on behavior, colonic 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in rats with post-stroke depression (PSD), and explore the effect mechanism of electroacupuncture at Siguan points on PSD.@*METHODS@#Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into a sham-operation group, a stroke group, a PSD group, a drug group and an electroacupuncture group, with 10 rats in each one. The stroke model was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) method in the stroke group; except for the sham-operation group, the rats in the other groups were intervened with MCAO combined with solitary and chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) to establish PSD model. In the electroacupuncture group, electroacupuncture was delivered at "Hegu" (LI 4) and "Taichong" (LR 3), with disperse-dense wave, 2 Hz/10 Hz in frequency, for 30 min in each intervention, once daily, for consecutive 21 days. Simultaneously, distilled water (0.01 L•kg-1•d-1) was administrated intragastrically. Fluoxetine solution (2.33 mg•kg-1•d-1) was given by gavage , once a day and for 21 days in the drug group. The same procedure of fixation and gavage with distilled water were adopted in the sham-operation group, the stroke group and the PSD group. Separately, before stroke modeling, after PSD modeling and after 21-day intervention, the consumption of sugar water and the scores of horizontal movement and vertical movement in open-field test were observed. After 21-day intervention, the content of colonic 5-HT was detected by immunohistochemical method, and that of fecal SCFAs was determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry.@*RESULTS@#After PSD modeling, compared with the stroke group, the sugar water consumption, the horizontal movement scores and vertical movement scores of the open-field test were all reduced in the PSD group, the drug group and the electroacupuncture group (P<0.05). After 21-day intervention, the sugar water consumption and the scores of horizontal movement and vertical movement of the open-field test were increased in the drug group and the electroacupuncture group (P<0.05) when compared with the PSD group; and the horizontal movement score in the electroacupuncture group was lower than that of the drug group (P<0.05). Compared with the sham-operation group, the contents of total fecal SCFAs and acetic acid were lower in the stroke group (P<0.05), and the contents of colonic 5-HT and total fecal SCFAs, acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid were reduced in the PSD group (P<0.05). In comparison with the PSD group, the contents of colonic 5-HT and total fecal SCFAs, acetic acid and propionic acid were increased in the drug group and the electroacupuncture group (P<0.05); and the content of colonic 5-HT in the electroacupuncture group was lower than that of the drug group (P<0.05). The level of colonic 5-HT was positively correlated with the contents of total fecal SCFAs and propionic acid (r=0.424, P=0.005; r=0.427, P=0.004).@*CONCLUSION@#Electroacupuncture at "Siguan" points can relieve the depression-like behavior of PSD rats, and its underlying mechanism may be related to the regulation of fecal SCFAs, which affects the release of colonic 5-HT.

Predictive factors for sequelae of bronchitis obliterans in refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia / 中华儿科杂志

Objective: To investigate the predictive factors for bronchitis obliterans in refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP). Methods: A restrospective case summary was conducted 230 patients with RMPP admitted to the Department of No.2 Respiratory Medicine of Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2013 to June 2017 were recruited. Clinical data, laboratory results, imaging results and follow-up data were collected. Based on bronchoscopy and imaging findings 1 year after discharge, all patients were divided into two groups: one group had sequelae of bronchitis obliterans (sequelae group) and the other group had not bronchitis obliterans (control group), independent sample t-test and nonparametric test were used to compare the differences in clinical features between the two groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to explore the predictive value of Bronchitis Obliterans in RMPP. Results: Among 230 RMPP children, there were 115 males and 115 females, 95 cases had sequelae group, the age of disease onset was (7.1±2.8) years;135 cases had control group, the age of disease onset was (6.8±2.7) years. The duration of fever, C-reative protein (CRP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, the proportion of ≥2/3 lobe consolidation, pleural effusion and the proportion of airway mucus plug and mucosal necrosis were longer or higher in the sequelae group than those in the control group ((17±9) vs. (12±3) d, (193±59) vs. (98±42) mg/L,730 (660, 814) vs. 486 (452, 522) U/L, 89 cases (93.7%) vs. 73 cases (54.1%), 73 cases (76.8%) vs.59 cases (43.7%), 81 cases (85.3%) vs. 20 cases (14.8%), 67 cases (70.5%) vs. 9 cases (6.7%), t=5.76, 13.35, Z=-6.41, χ2=14.64, 25.04, 22.85, 102.78, all P<0.001). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the duration of fever ≥10 days (OR=1.200, 95%CI 1.014-1.419), CRP levels increased (OR=1.033, 95%CI 1.022-1.044) and LDH levels increased (OR=1.001, 95%CI 1.000-1.003) were the risk factors for sequelae of bronchitis obliterans in RMPP. ROC curve analysis showed that CRP 137 mg/L had a sensitivity of 82.1% and a specificity of 80.1%; LDH 471 U/L had a sensitivity of 62.7% and a specificity of 60.3% for predicting the development of bronchitis obliterans. Conclusions: The long duration of fever (≥10 d), CRP increase (≥137 mg/L) may be used to predict the occurrence of sequelae of bronchitis obliterans in RMPP. It is helpful for early recognition of risk children.

Investigation on awareness of and attitudes towards radiation safety and protective measures among clinical nurses in liver interventional department / 中国辐射卫生

Objective To investigate the awareness of and attitudes towards radiation safety and protective measures among clinical nurses in liver interventional department, so as to provide insights into the formulation of radiation-protective measures among clinical healthcare workers. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed. Clinical nurses in liver interventional departments of class A tertiary hospitals in Jiangsu Province were sampled, and the awareness of and attitudes towards radiation safety and protective measures were investigated using self-designed questionnaires. Results A total of 112 questionnaires were allocated, and 97 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective recovery rate of 86.61%. The awareness of questions including “interventional therapy may cause radiation exposure” and “wearing lead apron may reduce radiation exposure” was both 100.00% among respondents, and the awareness of questions including “radiation exposure may cause congenital malformations in babies”, “radiation exposure may cause cancers such as skin cancer and leukemia”, “radiation exposure may cause death”, “wearing lead goggles may reduce radiation exposure”, and “wearing thyroid shields may reduce radiation exposure” was all higher than 95.00%, while the awareness of questions “radiation exposure may cause cataract of the eye lens” and “radiation exposure may cause bone marrow depression” was relatively low. Respondents presented high-level attitudes towards lead aprons, and low-level attitudes towards goggles and thyroid shields. Conclusion The awareness of radiation safety knowledge is high among clinical nurses in liver interventional departments; however, an overall low-level attitude is seen towards radiation-protective measures. Health education pertaining to radiation safety and protective measures is required to be improved, so as to increase the compliance to radiation-protective measures.

Investigation and analysis of radiation doses to CT examinees in 11 medical institutions in Shijiazhuang, China / 中国辐射卫生

Objective To investigate radiation doses to examinees undergoing computed tomography (CT) scanning of different body parts (the head, chest, and abdomen) in medical institutions of Shijiazhuang, China, and to provide a reference for optimizing radiation protection for examinees in medical institutions. Methods March 2021 to March 2022, eleven medical institutions of radiation monitoring in Shijiazhuang were surveyed for the basic information, scanning parameters, and dosimetric data of a total of 930 adults and children who received CT examinations. The dosimetric data of the subjects were analyzed and compared with the domestic and international diagnostic reference levels and the results of other cities in China. Results In the above hospitals, the CTDIvol(P50) of CT subjects in children's group were 17.42-50.45 mGy, 2.13-14.01 mGy and 3.58-28.20 mGy, respectively. DLP(P50) ranges from 228.87 to 966.97 mGy·cm, 33.20 to 296.03 mGy·cm, and 74.90 to 926.53 mGy·cm, respectively. In the adult group, the CTDIvol(P50) in the head, chest and abdomen of CT subjects were 37.28-54.05 mGy, 6.43-14.99 mGy and 8.28-18.75 mGy, respectively. DLP(P50) ranges from 372.81 to 630.56 mGy·cm, from 219.77 to 467.93 mGy·cm, and from 313.86 to 689.87 mGy·cm, respectively. The distribution of radiation doses in different-grade hospitals varied greatly. The abdomen dose of the children's hospital was higher than other hospitals. Especially the primary hospitals were significantly higher than the recommended diagnostic reference level (DRL). Conclusion In some secondary and primary hospitals, the setting of CT scanning parameters was simplified, not specific to the subjects’ age and body types. They should strictly comply with the principal of optimizing radiation protection to strengthen radiation dose optimization and supervision, reducing the radiation dose of examinees in future examinations .

Discussion on the evaluation of radiation protection of “four-in-one” dental X-ray equipment / 中国辐射卫生

Objective To evaluate the radiation protection of “four-in-one” dental X-ray equipment and to investigate the safety interlock of the equipment by measuring the scattered radiation at the position of the patient during operation. Methods A cone-beam CT dental phantom was used to simulate the patient’s head. The intra-oral and extra-oral components of the “four-in-one” X-ray equipment were installed in a 5 m2 room. The scattered radiation at patient position was measured using a γ/X-ray survey meter, and the effects of intra-oral and extra-oral components were compared. Results For a 5 m2 room, when CBCT was exposed under typical conditions, the dose at the patient's position was 10.70 uSv/h when there was an intra-oral component and 10.60 uSv/h when there was no intraoral component. The intra-oral part did not affect the radiation dose at the patient's position. When the intra-oral component was exposed, the dose rate at the patient's position was 4.05-6.85 uSv/h, and the extra-oral part did not affect the scattered dose of the patient examined with intra-oral components. Conclusion The evaluation of radiation protection of new equipment must comprehensively consider radiation safety and equipment operation safety. The results of this study provide suggestions for clinical radiation protection supervision and evaluation of “four-in-one” dental X-ray equipment.