Complete plastid genome of Iris orchioides and comparative analysis with 19 Iris plastomes.

Iris is a cosmopolitan genus comprising approximately 280 species distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Although Iris is the most diverse group in the Iridaceae, the number of taxa is debatable owing to various taxonomic issues. Plastid genomes have been widely used for phylogenetic research in plants; however, only limited number of plastid DNA markers are available for phylogenetic study of the Iris. To understand the genomic features of plastids within the genus, including its structural and genetic variation, we newly sequenced and analyzed the complete plastid genome of I. orchioides and compared it with those of 19 other Iris taxa. Potential plastid markers for phylogenetic research were identified by computing the sequence divergence and phylogenetic informativeness. We then tested the utility of the markers with the phylogenies inferred from the markers and whole-plastome data. The average size of the plastid genome was 152,926 bp, and the overall genomic content and organization were nearly identical among the 20 Iris taxa, except for minor variations in the inverted repeats. We identified 10 highly informative regions (matK, ndhF, rpoC2, ycf1, ycf2, rps15-ycf, rpoB-trnC, petA-psbJ, ndhG-ndhI and psbK-trnQ) and inferred a phylogeny from each region individually, as well as from their concatenated data. Remarkably, the phylogeny reconstructed from the concatenated data comprising three selected regions (rpoC2, ycf1 and ycf2) exhibited the highest congruence with the phylogeny derived from the entire plastome dataset. The result suggests that this subset of data could serve as a viable alternative to the complete plastome data, especially for molecular diagnoses among closely related Iris taxa, and at a lower cost.

Epcam regulates intrahepatic bile duct reconstruction in zebrafish, providing a potential model for primary cholangitis model.

Epithelial cell adhesion molecules (EpCAMs) have been identified as surface markers of proliferating ductal cells, which are referred to as liver progenitor cells (LPCs), during liver regeneration and correspond to malignancies. These cells can differentiate into hepatocytes and biliary epithelial cells (BECs) in vitro. EpCAM-positive LPCs are involved in liver regeneration following severe liver injury; however, the in vivo function of EpCAMs in the regenerating liver remains unclear. In the present study, we used a zebrafish model of LPC-driven liver regeneration to elucidate the function of EpCAMs in the regenerating liver in vivo. Proliferating ductal cells were observed after severe hepatocyte loss in the zebrafish model. Analyses of the liver size as well as hepatocyte and BEC markers revealed successful conversion of LPCs to hepatocytes and BECs in epcam mutants. Notably, epcam mutants exhibited severe defects in intrahepatic duct maturation and bile acid secretion in regenerating hepatocytes, suggesting that epcam plays a critical role in intrahepatic duct reconstruction during LPC-driven liver regeneration. Our findings provide insights into human diseases involving non-parenchymal cells, such as primary biliary cholangitis, by highlighting the regulatory effect of epcam on intrahepatic duct reconstruction.

Mapping of systematic reviews on traditional medicine across health conditions: a protocol for a systematic map.

INTRODUCTION: Traditional medicine (TM) is an important part of healthcare either as the main healthcare system or as a complement to conventional medicine. The effectiveness of TM has been assessed in clinical trials that have been synthesised into thousands of systematic reviews (SRs). This study is commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) and is aimed at providing a systematic map of SRs of TM interventions across health conditions, as well as identifying gaps in the research literature in order to prioritise future primary research. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is the protocol for a systematic map of SRs reported in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P). We will search 17 electronic databases to identify SRs of TM. The literature search covers the last 5 years, from January 2018 to December 2022. At least two independent reviewers will perform the database search, screening of eligible SRs, data extraction and quality assessments using the A MeaSurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR 2). The characteristics and extent of SRs will be analysed according to disease classification, and type of TM intervention, and visualised by means of (interactive) graphical maps. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required as this is a systematic map of published studies. The findings of the study will be disseminated through online-available maps, presentations and scientific publications. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023416355.

Acupuncture for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Few systematic reviews have examined the effects of acupuncture on trigeminal neuralgia. This review aims to provide up-to-date evidence on the efficacy of acupuncture for managing pain in patients with trigeminal neuralgia. METHODS: Eleven databases were searched from inception until November 2022 for relevant articles Two researchers independently conducted study selection, data extraction, and evaluation. The present review solely targeted randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool 2.0 was employed to assess the risk of bias. Data were compiled using RevMan 5.4.1 software, and the quality of the evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. RESULTS: Thirty studies involving 2295 patients were included in this review. Compared with carbamazepine, acupuncture led to improvements in pain scores (15 RCTs, mean difference (MD) - 1.40, 95% confidence interval (CI)-1.82 to -0.98 [95% prediction interval, -3.137,0.343], p < 0.00001, low certainty of evidence (CoE)), response rates (29 RCTs, risk ratio (RR) 1.20, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.25 [95% prediction interval, 1.067, 1.346], p < 0.00001, low CoE), frequency of pain attacks (2 RCTs, MD -2.53, 95% CI -4.11 to -0.96, P = 0.002, low CoE), and adverse effects (13 RCTs, risk difference (RD) -0.15, 95% CI -0.19 to -0.11 [95% prediction interval, -0.193, -0.108], P < 0.00001, very low CoE). CONCLUSION: Although the quality of evidence is low, compared with carbamazepine, acupuncture may improve trigeminal neuralgia-related pain. Further rigorously designed studies are warranted to confirm the effects of acupuncture on patients with trigeminal neuralgia.

Using Acupuncture for Adjunct Treatment for Cancer-Related Fatigue in Breast Cancer Patients Is Practicable. Reply to Hu et al. Is Acupuncture an Ideal Adjunctive Treatment for Cancer-Related Fatigue? Comment on "Choi et al. Acupuncture for Managing Cancer-Related Fatigue in Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cancers 2022, 14, 4419".

We are grateful for the relevant comments by Hu et al. [...].

Impact of a Psychiatric Consultation Program on COVID-19 Patients: An Experimental Study.

OBJECTIVE: Following the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, the importance of addressing acute stress induced by psychological burdens of diseases became apparent. This study attempted to evaluate the effectiveness of a new mode of psychiatric intervention designed to target similar psychological crises. METHODS: Participants included 32 out of 114 COVID inpatients at a hospital in Daegu, Korea, who were assessed between March 30 and April 7, 2020. Multiple scales for screening psychological difficulties such as depressed mood, anxiety, insomnia, acute stress, and suicidality were done. Psychological problem evaluations and interventions were conducted in the form of consultations to alleviate participants' psychological challenges via telepsychiatry. The interventions' effects, as well as clinical improvements before and after the intervention, were analyzed. RESULTS: As a result of screening, 21 patients were experiencing psychological difficulties beyond clinical thresholds after COVID-19 infection (screening positive group). The remaining 11 were screening negative groups. The two groups differed significantly in past psychiatric histories (p=0.034), with the former having a higher number of diagnoses. The effect of the intervention was analyzed, and clinical improvement before and after the intervention was observed. Our intervention was found to be effective in reducing the overall emotional difficulties. CONCLUSION: This study highlighted the usefulness of new interventions required in the context of healthcare following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Subcortical volume analysis in non-suicidal self-injury adolescents: A pilot study.

Given the high prevalence of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among teenagers worldwide, the underlying mechanisms promoting such behavior must be urgently investigated. This study aimed to investigate neurobiological changes in the regional brain in adolescents with NSSI by comparing the volumes of the subcortical structures of 23 female adolescents with NSSI and 23 healthy controls with no history of psychiatric diagnosis or treatment. The NSSI group comprised those who underwent inpatient treatment for non-suicidal self-harm behavior at the Department of Psychiatry at Daegu Catholic University Hospital from July 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018. The control group comprised healthy adolescents from the community. We compared differences in the volume of the bilateral thalamus, caudate, putamen, hippocampus, and amygdala. All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS Statistics Version 25. The NSSI group exhibited decreased subcortical volume in the left amygdala and marginally decreased subcortical volume in the left thalamus. Our results provide important clues about adolescent NSSI's underlying biology. Analysis of subcortical volumes between the NSSI and normal groups revealed subcortical volume differences in the left amygdala and thalamus, part of the core cerebral regions responsible for emotional processing and regulation, which may help explain the neurobiological mechanism of NSSI.

Warm needle acupuncture for osteoarthritis: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analysis.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease that is a major cause of pain and functional disability. Warm needle acupuncture (WA) therapy has been widely used to treat OA. This overview summarizes the evidence from systematic reviews (SRs) and assesses the methodological quality of previous SRs that evaluated the use of WA therapy for OA. Methods: We searched electronic databases to identify SRs that evaluated the efficacy of WA therapy for OA. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed the methodological quality of the reviews according to the A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR 2) tool. The reporting quality was assessed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis 2020 (PRISMA 2020) guidelines. The quality of evidence was assessed according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Results: Fifteen SRs were included in this study. WA therapy was more effective than control conditions for the treatment of OA. The results of the AMSTAR 2 tool showed that the methodological quality of all included studies was critically low. The items with the lowest scores were item 2 (reporting the protocol), item 7 (listing excluded studies and justifying the exclusions), and item 16 (including conflicts of interest). Regarding the PRISMA guidelines, 2 SRs exhibited greater than 85% compliance. The overall quality of evidence in the included SRs ranged from "very low" to "moderate." Conclusion: This overview shows that WA therapy was more effective than the control treatment for OA. However, the methodological quality of the reviews was low, indicating the need for improvements in the collection of evidence. Future studies are needed to collect high-quality evidence regarding the use of WA for OA. Systematic review registration: https://www.researchregistry.com/, Research Registry (reviewregistry1317).

The Usefulness of Quantitative Electroencephalography in Diagnosis and Severity Evaluation of Delirium: A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: Incontrovertible disease markers are absent in delirium. This study investigated the usefulness of quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) in diagnosing delirium. METHODS: This retrospective case-control study reviewed medical records and qEEG data of 69 age/sex-matched patients (delirium group, n=30; control group, n=39). The first minute of artifact-free EEG data with eyes closed was selected. Nineteen electrodes' sensitivity, specificity, and correlation with delirium rating scale-revised-98 were analyzed. RESULTS: On comparing the means of absolute power by frontal, central, and posterior regions, the delta and theta powers showed significant differences (p<0.001) in all regions, and the magnitude of the absolute power was higher in the delirium group than in the control group; only the posterior region showed a significant (p<0.001) difference in beta power. The spectral power of theta at the frontal region (area under the curve [AUC]=0.84) and theta at the central and posterior regions (AUC=0.83) showed 90% sensitivity and 79% specificity, respectively, in differentiating delirious patients and controls. The beta power of the central region showed a significant negative correlation with delirium severity (R=-0.457, p=0.011). CONCLUSION: Power spectrum analysis of qEEG showed high accuracy in screening delirium among patients. The study suggests qEEG as a potential aid in diagnosing delirium.

Which is more stable and specific: DSM-5 internet gaming disorder or ICD-11 gaming disorder? A longitudinal study.

AIM: The high comorbidity rates of internet gaming disorder (IGD) and gaming disorder (GD) with other psychiatric disorders are concerning. A follow-up study of gamers from clinical and nonclinical samples with and without diagnoses of IGD or GD was conducted to investigate the changes in diagnoses over a 1-year period, compare their diagnostic stability, and examine the patterns of co-occurrence between IGD and GD with other psychiatric disorders over the same period. METHODS: Baseline and 1-year follow-up data of 279 participants, including 120 problematic gaming patients and 159 gamers from the general population, were analyzed. Information on demographics, gaming habits, and self-reported psychological status was collected. Additionally, a structured interview was conducted using the Gaming Diagnostic Interview and the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. RESULTS: Although there was no significant difference between the changes in IGD/GD diagnosis during the 1-year period, 34.7% of the participants had a change in IGD diagnosis, while the number of GD cases increased to 60.4%. When evaluating the fixed effects of comorbidity on IGD and GD, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder had the highest odds ratio for both IGD (75.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 10.67-530.61) and GD (117.02 × 106 ; 95% CI, 2.23 × 106 -6132.64 × 106 ). CONCLUSION: These results reveal that a GD diagnosis might be more prone to change than an IGD diagnosis. GD was also found to be more affected by comorbid psychiatric disorders.

Characteristics of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Subtypes in Children Classified Using Quantitative Electroencephalography.

Purpose: This study used quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) to investigate the characteristics of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) subtypes in children. Patients and Methods: There were 69 subjects (42 with ADHD and 27 neurotypical (NT)) in this study. A semi-structured interview was conducted with each participant for psychiatric diagnostic evaluation. We measured the absolute and relative power in 19 channels and analyzed QEEG using the following frequency ranges: delta (1-4 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), alpha 1 (8-10 Hz), alpha 2 (10-12 Hz), beta 1 (12-15 Hz), beta 2 (15-20 Hz), beta 3 (20-30 Hz), and gamma (30-45 Hz). Group analyses and EEG noise preprocessing were conducted using iSyncBrain, a cloud-based, artificial intelligence EEG analysis platform. Analysis of covariance adjusted for IQ, age, and sex was used. Results: QEEG analysis revealed three ADHD subtypes, characterized by (A) elevated relative fast alpha and beta power, (B) elevated absolute slow frequency (delta and theta power), or (C) elevated absolute and relative beta power. A significant difference was found in the Korean ADHD Rating Scale (K-ARS) among the four groups (df=3, F=8.004, p<0.001); group C had the highest score (25.31±11.16), followed by group A (21.67±13.18). The score of group B (12.64±7.84) was similar to that of the NT group (11.07±6.12) and did not reach the cut-off point of the K-ARS. In the Wender-Utah Rating Scale (WURS), group B score (55.82±23.17) was significantly higher than the NT group score (42.81±13.26). Conclusion: These results indicate that children with ADHD do not constitute a neurophysiologically homogenous group. Children with QEEG subtype B (elevated slow frequency) may be difficult to distinguish from normal children using the K-ARS, which is the most common screening tool for ADHD. Moreover, parents of children with this subtype may be less sensitive to observing ADHD symptoms.

Acupuncture for Managing Cancer-Related Fatigue in Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women and is a serious threat to women's health. Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a distressing symptom in BC patients during and after chemotherapy or radiation therapy that severely affects quality of life (QoL). AT is widely used for fatigue management. However, the effect of AT on CRF is still uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of AT in the management of CRF in patients with BC. Eleven databases were searched through June 2022. Two researchers independently performed the database search, study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment. Study selection was performed based on predefined Participants, Intervention, Comparators, Outcomes, Study design (PICOS) criteria, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed when reporting the results. A meta-analysis was performed according to the Cochrane systematic review method using RevMan 5.3. A total of 12 studies including a total of 1084 participants were included. The results showed that AT had a beneficial effect compared with sham AT (n = 256, SMD = -0.26, 95% CI [-0.51, -0.01], p = 0.04, I2 = 0%) and a long-term effect on fatigue score (n = 209, MD = -0.32, 95% CI [-0.59, -0.04], p = 0.02, I2 = 0%). Meta-analysis showed that AT had a beneficial effect compared with usual care (UC) on fatigue scores (n = 238, SMD = -0.39, 95% CI [-0.66 to -0.12], p = 0.005, I2 = 0%). Of the 12 articles, 3 articles were judged as having a low risk of bias in all domains and hence were of high quality. No serious adverse effects were identified. AT is an effective and safe treatment for CRF, and AT is more effective than sham AT or UC or wait-list control (WLC). Nevertheless, the methodological quality of most of these studies was low, and the included studies/sample sizes were small, so the ability to derive decisive implications was limited. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Electroacupuncture for the treatment of frozen shoulder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Electroacupuncture (EA) has reportedly been successful in controlling pain, but there have been no systematic reviews examining the impact of EA on patients with frozen shoulder (FS). The purpose of this review is to provide evidence on the safety and efficacy of EA for pain management in patients with FS. Methods: We searched 11 databases from their inception: EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, PubMed, AMED, one Chinese medical database, and six Korean medical databases. Two researchers independently performed the study selection, data extraction, and assessment. Bias-related risk was evaluated using the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool. Results: This review included thirteen studies involving 936 patients. The EA group exhibited improvements in FS pain (MD -1.11, 95% CI -1.61 to -0.61, p < 0.0001, I 2 = 97%), function (SMD 2.02, 95% CI 0.36-3.69, p < 0.00001, I 2 = 97%), and response rates (RR 1.16, 95% CI 1.07-1.25; p = 0.0002; I 2 = 0%) over the manual acupuncture (MA) group. As an adjunct treatment, EA improved FS pain (SMD -1.12, 95% CI -1.52 to -0.71, P < 0.00001, I 2 = 0) compared to the control treatments. No adverse effects were reported. Conclusion: EA is reported to improve FS pain and function compared with control treatments. Additionally, EA can be used as an adjunct therapy for FS pain. EA could emerge as a potent intervention against FS. Systematic review registration: [http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021247090], identifier [CRD42021247090].

The Relationship Between Workplace Burnout and Male Depression Symptom Assessed by the Korean Version of the Gotland Male Depression Scale.

Screening for depression in males is important because their symptoms differ from those of females, ranging from indications of aggression to attempts at suicide. Men and women differ in their responses to job stress. There are no tools that have been verified, developed, or translated for screening male depression in Korea. Our team translated the Gotland Male Depression Scale (GMDS) into Korean. The Korean version of GMDS (K-GMDS) and Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) were administered to 277 office workers in one public institution. Gender differences in each scale score were measured along with the correlation between the K-GMDS and the MBI-GS. There was no significant difference in the K-GMDS score between males and females, whereas females scored significantly higher on the MBI-GS (p < .001). The correlation between the K-GMDS total score and the MBI total score (male: r = .702, p < .001, female: r = .375, p < .001) and MBI subscale scores were higher in males than females. Gender moderated the relationship between total K-GMDS and total MBI scores (p < .001). The Korean version of the GMDS is suitable for screening male depression symptoms in the workplace. The results of the K-GMDS demonstrated a strong correlation between depressive symptoms and work-related burnout among men. This study can be used as a basis for studying male depression symptoms in Korea, which has not been studied extensively. This will prove beneficial for work environments.

Warm needle acupuncture for osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Warm needle acupuncture (WA) is considered a potential intervention in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). PURPOSE: To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of WA in the treatment of OA. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis METHODS: Fourteen databases were searched from their inception until May 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of WA for treating OA were identified. Study selection and data extraction were performed by two independent reviewers. The Cochrane risk of bias tool and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation program were used to assess all included RCTs. RESULTS: A total of 66 RCTs met the inclusion criteria for this review. Most of the included studies had an unclear risk of bias, and the certainty of the evidence was very low. Twenty-four RCTs compared the effects of WA with those of oral drug therapies. Meta-analysis showed superior effects of WA for the total effective rate (risk ratio (RR): 1.22, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.17 to 1.27, I2 = 26%, p < 0.001, 24 studies, n = 2278), pain, and function. Eight RCTs compared the effects of WA+drug therapy, and meta-analysis showed favorable effects for the total effective rate (RR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.18 to 1.35, I2 =0%, p < 0.001, 8 studies, n = 646). Eight RCTs compared the effects of WA and intra-articular sodium hyaluronate (IASH) injection on OA and found equivalent effects of WA on the symptoms of OA. Twenty-eight RCTs compared the effects of WA+IASH injection with those of IASH injection, and meta-analysis showed superior effects of WA+IASH in terms of the total effective rate (RR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.11 to 1.19, I2 =27.3%, p < 0.001, 25 studies, n = 2208), pain, and function. None of the RCTs reported serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: WA may have some distinct advantages in the treatment of OA. However, well-designed RCTs with larger sample sizes are needed.

The complete chloroplast genome sequences of the Sicyos angulatus (Cucurbitaceae).

Sicyos angulatus (burcucumber) is an annual plant native to the north-eastern America. We investigated the genomic characteristics of the complete chloroplast (CP) genome in S. angulatus with a de novo strategy. The CP genome was 154,986 bp in length including 84 protein coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. It has large single-copy (LSC) (84,355 bp), small single-copy (SSC) (18,079 bp), and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) (26,276 bp), which consists of typical quadripartite structure. A phylogenetic analysis of 64 CP genomes from Cucurbitaceae revealed that the Sicyos angulatus was separated from other species and clustered together with Sicyos edulis, which is congruent with previous studies. Infrafamilial classification system inferred from our data was also congruent with previous study based on CP DNA data.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Interventions in the Rehabilitation of Cognitive and Motor Function in Patients With Stroke: An Overview and Evidence Map.

Evidence mapping of systematic reviews (SRs) systematically and comprehensively identifies, organizes, and summarizes the distribution of scientific evidence in a field. The aim of this evidence map is to provide a synopsis of the best clinical practices and interventions in stroke rehabilitative care and to identify areas with a paucity of evidence to guide future research. PubMed, EMBASE, CDSR, six Korean databases, and two Chinese databases were searched for SRs evaluating the effectiveness of any stroke rehabilitation intervention through October 2021. The quality of the SRs was assessed using AMSTAR 2. A bubble plot was used to graphically display clinical topics, the number of articles, the number of patients included, confidence, and effectiveness. In total, ninety-five SRs were identified; however, after methodological analysis, only 48 had sufficient quality to be included. In total, forty-eight SRs were included in the evidence mapping. The overall search identified SRs from 2015 to 2021. A total of four SRs focused on post-stroke cognitive impairment, whereas the other forty-four SRs focused on post-stroke motor function. In total, nineteen different traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) intervention modalities were included. Acupuncture was the most commonly used treatment. Overall, the quality of the included SRs was low or very low. Most SRs concluded that TCM interventions may have potential benefits in stroke rehabilitation. The results were more promising when acupuncture was used for shoulder-hand syndrome. However, the identified reviews cautioned that firm conclusions cannot be drawn. The evidence map provides a visual overview of the research volume and content involving TCM interventions in stroke rehabilitation. Evidence mapping can facilitate the process of knowledge translation from scientific findings to researchers and policymakers and possibly reduce waste in research.

Gait Adaptation Is Different between the Affected and Unaffected Legs in Children with Spastic Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy While Walking on a Changing Slope.

Walking on sloped surfaces requires additional effort; how individuals with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP) manage their gait on slopes remains unknown. Herein, we analyzed the difference in gait adaptation between the affected and unaffected legs according to changes in the incline by measuring spatiotemporal and kinematic data in children with spastic hemiplegic CP. Seventeen children underwent instrumented three-dimensional gait analysis on a dynamic pitch treadmill at an incline of +10° to -10° (intervals of 5°). While the step length of the affected legs increased during uphill gait and decreased during downhill gait, the unaffected legs showed no significance. During uphill gait, the hip, knee, and ankle joints of the affected and unaffected legs showed increased flexion, while the unaffected leg showed increased knee flexion throughout most of the stance phase compared with the affected leg. During downhill gait, hip and knee flexion increased in the affected leg, and knee flexion increased in the unaffected leg during the early swing phase. However, the ankle plantar flexion increased during the stance phase only in the unaffected leg. Although alterations in temporospatial variables and joint kinematics occurred in both legs as the slope angle changed, they showed different adaptation mechanisms.

Fenofibrate Exerts Anticancer Effects on Human Cervical Cancer HeLa Cells via Caspase-Dependent Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest.

OBJECTIVE: In the present study, we attempted to identify the effects of fenofibrate on human cervical cancer cells. METHODS: The cytotoxicity of fenofibrate in cervical cancer cells was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8. Immunoblotting assay was used to determine the protein expression of caspase-3, poly ADP-ribose polymerase cleavage, B-cell lymphoma 2 family protein expression, microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3), as well as cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases. Immunofluorescence imaging was used to determine the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and LC3. Flow cytometry was used to determine cell cycle and apoptosis. RESULTS: We first showed that fenofibrate treatment reduced cell viability in HeLa cervical cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner at 24 h and 48 h. Importantly, fenofibrate-induced cell death was mediated through cell cycle arrest in the G0-G1 phase and caspase-dependent apoptosis. Moreover, fenofibrate also induced autophagy activation in a dose-dependent manner and pharmacological inhibition of autophagy led to increase of sub-G1 phase and caspase-dependent cell death in HeLa cells. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, these data demonstrated that fenofibrate initially induced cell cycle arrest, followed by caspase-3-dependent cell death in cervical cancer HeLa cells. However, fenofibrate also induced autophagy activation, which is closely related to the survival of diverse cancer cells, thus reducing the anticancer effects of fenofibrate. Therefore, the combination of an autophagy inhibitor and fenofibrate might have the potential to become a new therapeutic strategy for cervical cancer.

Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Cancer-Related Fatigue: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis.

Although acupuncture (AT) is used in the treatment of CRF, the evidence from different systematic reviews (SRs) of AT has not yet been comprehensively evaluated. Moxibustion, which is a treatment method that is well established within Traditional East Asian Medicine, applies the heat of burning herbs towards or onto special points on the skin. Commonly, the herb Artemisia vulgaris, is used. It has been used for palliative cancer care, as well as for CRF. The aim of this overview was to evaluate the efficacy of AT and moxibustion in the management of CRF. Eleven databases were searched through for studies that were published from their dates of inception to February 2022. The study selection, the data extraction, and the assessment were performed independently by two researchers. The methodological and report quality were assessed by using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews-2 (AMSTAR-2) tool. The evidence quality was evaluated by using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Fifteen SRs on AT (n = 10) and moxibustion (n = 5) treatments for CRF were included, and they include 169 randomized controlled trials and 14,392 participants. All of the SRs that were evaluated by the AMASTAR-2 had more than one deficiency, and so all of the SRs were rated as either low or critically low. For the GRADE, 18 outcomes were rated as very-low-quality evidence, 13 as low-quality evidence, 3 as moderate-quality evidence, and 0 as high-quality evidence. Most of the SRs reached the potential benefits of AT for CRF. No serious adverse effects were identified. In conclusion, the evidence suggests that, despite the advantages of AT in terms of the improvement in and the safety of the treatment of CRF, the methodological quality of most of these studies is low, which limits our ability to draw definitive meanings. Further research of high quality is needed in order to confirm these findings.