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Summary Background Over the past 20 years, schistosomiasis control has been scaled up. Preventive chemotherapy with praziquantel is the main intervention. We aimed to assess the effect of preventive chemotherapy on schistosomiasis prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa, comparing 2000–10 with 2011–14 and 2015–19. Methods In this spatiotemporal modelling study, we analysed survey data from school-aged children (aged 5–14 years) in 44 countries across sub-Saharan Africa. The data were extracted from the Global Neglected Tropical Diseases database and augmented by 2018 and 2019 survey data obtained from disease control programmes. Bayesian geostatistical models were fitted to Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni survey data. The models included data on climatic predictors obtained from satellites and other open-source environmental databases and socioeconomic predictors obtained from various household surveys. Temporal changes in Schistosoma species prevalence were estimated by a categorical variable with values corresponding to the three time periods (2000–10, 2011–14, and 2015–19) during which preventive chemotherapy interventions were scaled up. Findings We identified 781 references with relevant geolocated schistosomiasis survey data for 2000–19. There were 19 166 unique survey locations for S haematobium and 23 861 for S mansoni, of which 77% (14 757 locations for S haematobium and 18 372 locations for S mansoni) corresponded to 2011–19. Schistosomiasis prevalence among school-aged children in sub-Saharan Africa decreased from 23·0% (95% Bayesian credible interval 22·1–24·1) in 2000–10 to 9·6% (9·1–10·2) in 2015–19, an overall reduction of 58·3%. The reduction of S haematobium was 67·9% (64·6–71·1) and that of S mansoni 53·6% (45·2–58·3) when comparing 2000–10 with 2015–19. Interpretation Our model-based estimates suggest that schistosomiasis prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa has decreased considerably, most likely explained by the scale-up of preventive chemotherapy. There is a need to consolidate gains in the control of schistosomiasis by means of preventive chemotherapy, coupled with other interventions to interrupt disease transmission. Funding European Research Council and WHO.

Deficiency of the interleukin-36 receptor antagonist (DITRA) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations of the IL36RN gene. DITRA is characterized by acute generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP), fever, systemic inflammation, and leukocytosis. We report the case of a 5-year-old girl with severe scalp and nail involvement with a rapid response to secukinumab.

BACKGROUND Pyogenic arthritis, pyoderma gangrenosum, and acne (PAPA) syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant genetic disease characterized by severe autoimmune inflammation, caused by mutations in the PSTPIP1 gene. Due to PAPA heterogeneous clinical manifestation, misdiagnosis or delayed diagnoses are difficult to avoid. With the use of whole-exome sequencing, we identified a missense mutation in the PSTPIP1 gene in a Chinese family. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of PAPA reported in China. CASE SUMMARY A 9-year-old boy suffered from recurrent aseptic pyogenic arthritis triggered by minor trauma or few obvious predisposing causes for more than 3 years. Pyogenic arthritis occurred every 3-5 mo, affecting his knees, elbows, and ankle joints. Treatments, such as glucocorticoids, antibiotics, even surgeries could alleviate joints pain and swelling to some extent but could not inhibit the recurrence of arthritis. Similar symptoms were present in his younger brother but not in his parents. According to the whole-exome sequencing, a missense mutation in exon 11 of the PSTPIP1 gene (c.748G>C; p.E250Q) was detected in the boy, his younger brother and his father. Taking into account the similar phenotypic features with PAPA syndrome reported previously, we confirmed a diagnosis of PAPA syndrome for the family. CONCLUSION In this case, a missense mutation (c.748G>C; p.E250Q) in PSTPIP1 gene was identified in a Chinese family with PAPA syndrome. Previous studies emphasize the fact that PAPA syndrome is hard to diagnose just through the clinical manifestations owing to its heterogeneous expression. Genetic testing is an effectual auxiliary diagnostic method, especially in the early stages of pyogenic arthritis. Only if we have a deep understanding and rich experience of this rare disease can we make a prompt diagnosis, develop the best clinical treatment plan, and give good fertility guidance.

Aims To study the role and characteristics of activated microglia in poststroke depression (PSD) . Methods Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: the poststroke (PS) group, PSD group, and Sham group. Neurobehavioral testing was performed 24 h postoperation. The body weights of the rats were regularly recorded, and behavioral testing was regularly performed at 1, 2 and 3 weeks postmodeling. Immunofluorescent staining was used to detect the microglial marker OX42. Real-time PCR was used to analyze the relative gene expression of microglial activation markers (TNF-a, IL-10, IL-1, TGF-β, CD86, iNOS, CD206, IL-1β, and Arg1) . Results The relative gene expression of proinflammatory markers (IL-1, TNF-a, iNOS, and IL1β) and anti-inflammatory markers (CD206 and Arg1) significantly increased in the hippocampal region compared with that in the right cerebral and left cerebral hemispheres in the PSD group. The relative gene expression of proinflammatory markers (TNF-a, IL-1, iNOS, and CD86) in the hippocampal region was significantly increased in the PSD group compared with that in the Sham and PS groups. The anti-inflammatory markers (TGF-β and CD206) in the hippocampal region were significantly increased in the PSD group compared with that in the Sham group, and the M2 marker Arg1 was significantly increased in the PSD group compared with that in the PS group. Correlation analysis showed that IL-1 was strongly negatively correlated with PSD . Conclusions Most microglia in the hippocampal region of PSD had a proinflammatory status and an anti-inflammatory status. IL-1 showed a strong negative correlation with PSD.

Background Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare benign proliferative disease whose etiology is not clear and may be related to infection or unexplained immune dysfunction. The authors present a case of RDD with lung involvement in a 10-year-old patient. Case summary A 10-year-old girl found that her left cervical lymph nodes were enlarged for more than 7 mo, and the largest range was about 6.5 cm × 5.9 cm × 8.1 cm. Cervical magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple masses in the left neck, with low signal intensity on T1-weighted images and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. A malignant tumor, with a high possibility of lymph node metastasis, was initially considered. At the same time, lung computed tomography showed multiple nodules of different sizes scattered on both sides of the lung, with uniform internal density. Thus, a possible metastatic tumor was considered. Finally, RDD was diagnosed by pathology and immunohistochemistry. According to the antibiogram, clindamycin was administered for 2 wk, and prednisone acetate was administered for 7 wk. Nine months later, the ulcer in the left neck was better than before, but the imaging showed that the lesion was not controlled. Conclusion The diagnosis of RDD cannot be made by a single tool and its treatment is a long-term exploratory process. Follow-up is necessary.

A CB[6]-based supramolecular assembly: [Zn(QDS)2]·(CB[6])2 (1) (CB[6] = cucurbit[6]uril, HQDS = 8-hydroxy-5-quinolinesulfonic acid hydrate) has been synthesized under solvothermal conditions. Luminescence measurement reveals that 1 can serve as a fast and recyclable luminescence sensor for 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) and 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) organic explosives, as well as oxytetracycline (OTC) and tetracycline (TC) antibiotic detection in water solution through luminescence quenching with a low limit of detection (LOD) at parts per billion (ppb) levels. Simultaneously, 1 also can be used in real samples with satisfactory results. These results indicate that 1 can be applied as a multifunctional luminescent sensor in various potential applications.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex reproductive endocrine disease characterized by polycystic ovary. The aim of the study was to assess microRNA-21 regulates granulosa cell apoptosis and proliferation in polycystic ovary syndrome through target toll-like receptor 8. Granulosa cells were collected from 30 PCOS patients and 30 normal patients with tubal or male factor infertility (control) during in vitro fertilization-Embryo Transfer (IVF-ET) and were flash frozen with liquid nitrogen for storage for subsequent use. PCOS diagnosis was based on the revised standards of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and the Rotterdam criteria PCOS granulosa cells and control granulosa cells were cultured in DMEM/F12 medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum and 1% antibiotic. After this RT-PCR, Western blot assessment and Detection of apoptosis by flow cytometry were conducted. The results of qPCR showed that the mRNA and protein expression of TLR8 in PCOS granulosa cells were significantly increased compared with the normal group. The results of Western blot also showed that the expression of TLR8, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-12 gene protein in the transfected cells was significantly higher than that in the control cells. Here, we show that miR-21 and TLR8 significantly increased in PCOS granulosa cell as compared with normal granulosa cells, and miR-21 enhances the TLR8 mRNA translation and then promotes the IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-12 secretion. Our study demonstrates that miR-21/ TLR8 involved in the PCOS inflammation, it provides profound insights into pathogenesis of PCOS.

Objective To summarize the research progress of music therapy in hospice care and to provide reference for further research. Methods A wide range of literatures on music therapy and hospice care at home and abroad were searched and read, and the literature was integrated, judged, analyzed, and summarized. Results The related research on music therapy in hospice care mainly focused on western developed countries such as Europe and the United States. China is still in the stage of theoretical exploration, lacking qualitative research based on case investigation and empirical research based on data statistics. Conclusions Music therapy supports the management of symptoms in hospice care, which can meet the diverse needs of patients and their family members including physical, psychological, social, and spiritual.

Background Tibet, a region where average elevation is above 3500 m and socio-economic development is relatively lower, was not included in National Oral Health Survey over decades. The cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the status of dental caries and associated factors in Tibetan adults. Methods Participants aged 35–44, 55–64 and 65–74 years were selected. Decayed, missing, and filled tooth (DMFT), decayed and filled root (DF-Root) and root canal index (RCI) were used to evaluate dental caries. Questionnaire survey on demographic information, socioeconomic status, dietary habits, and oral health knowledge and behavior was conducted. Mann-Whitney U test, logistic regression were used for the statistical analyses. Results A total of 446 participants were enrolled in the survey. Of these: 222 (49.8%) were females, 224 (50.2%) were males; 149 (33.4%), 151 (33.9%), 146 (32.7%) were aged 35–44, 55–64 and 65–74 years respectively. The mean DMFT (SD) was 7.62 (4.84), 12.46 (8.16), and 21.38 (8.93). The filling rate was very low in all age groups (1.77%, 0.98%, 0.45%). The mean DF-Root (SD) was 0.50 (1.04), 1.04 (2.02), 1.32 (2.14), respectively. Root caries index was 42.27, 44.78 and 57.60%. Older age (65–74 age group) was positively associated with crown caries (odds ratio = 31.20, 95% confidence interval: 10.70–90.96). College degree and above and brushing teeth at least once a day were negatively associated with crown caries (odds ratio = 0.28, 95% confidence interval: 0.09–0.89; odds ratio = 0.39, 95% confidence interval: 0.21–0.72, respectively). Rural area, high income level and brushing teeth at least once a day were negatively and tooth with attachment loss was positively associated with root caries. Conclusions The status of dental caries in the adults in Tibet is severe and the treatment rate is very low. The study suggests a correlation between crown caries and the variables age, level of education and frequency of tooth brushing; correlation between root caries and residence, income level, frequency of tooth brushing and exposed root surfaces. These findings could be as reference to develop community based interventions to reduce the prevalence of caries in Tibet.

Diabetic neuropathic pain is one of the most common complications of diabetes. Mechanisms underlying the central modulation are still unclear. Here, we investigated the role of the neuron-restricted silencing factor (NRSF/REST) in diabetic-related neuropathic pain. Mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia were assessed to evaluate painful behaviors. Our results found that in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of db/db mice, NRSF/REST levels increased significantly. Reduction of NRSF/REST improved the painful sensation. Meanwhile, in vitro study found that high glucose and high palmitic acid treatment induced elevation of NRSF/REST and its cofactors (mSin3A, CoREST and HDAC1), whereas downregulation of GluR2 and NMDAR2B. Knockdown of NRSF/REST could attenuate the LDH release and partially reversed the expression changes of HDAC1 and NMDAR2B. Our results suggested that the elevation of NRSF/REST in the ACC area of db/db mice is one of the key mediators of diabetic neuropathic pain.

Background With the recent certification by World Health Organization that the People’s Republic of China is malaria-free, it is timely to consider how elimination of malaria was completed in People’s Republic of China over the last 7 decades. Of the four widespread species of human malaria, Plasmodium vivax was the last to be eliminated by the national program of China. Understanding the incubation periods and relapses patterns of P. vivax through historical data from China is relevant for planning disease elimination in other malaria-endemic countries, with residual P. vivax malaria. Methods We collated data from both published and unpublished malaria parasite inoculation experiments conducted between 1979 and 1988 with parasites from different regions of the People’s Republic of China. The studies had at least two years of follow-up. We categorized P. vivax incubation patterns via cluster analysis and investigated relapse studies by adapting a published within-host relapse model for P. vivax temperate phenotypes. Each model was fitted using the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm initialized by hierarchical model-based agglomerative clustering. Results P. vivax parasites from the seven studies of five southern and central provinces in the People’s Republic of China covering geographies ranging from the south temperate to north tropical zones. The parasites belonged to two distinct phenotypes: short- (10–19 days) or long-incubation (228–371 days). The larger the sporozoite inoculation, the more likely short incubation periods were observed, and with more subsequent relapses (Spearman’s rank correlation between the number of inoculated sporozoites and the number of relapses of 0.51, p-value = 0.0043). The median of the posterior distribution for the duration of the first relapse interval after primary infection was 168.5 days (2.5% quantile: 89.7; 97.5% quantile: 227.69 days). The predicted survival proportions from the within-host model fit well to the original relapse data. The within-host model also captures the hypnozoite activation rates and relapse frequencies, which consequently influences the transmission possibility of P. vivax. Conclusions Through a within-host model, we demonstrate the importance of clearance of hypnozoites. A strategy of two rounds of radical hypnozoite clearance via mass drug administration (MDA) deployed during transmission (summer and autumn) and non-transmission (late spring) seasons had a pronounced effect on outbreaks during the malaria epidemics in China. This understanding can inform malaria control strategies in other endemic countries with similar settings.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, which is regulated by genes of inducible factors and transcription factor family of signaling pathways, transforms epithelial cells into mesenchymal cells and is involved in tumor invasion and progression and increases tumor tolerance to clinical interventions. This study constructed a multigene marker for lung predicting the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients by bioinformatic analysis based on EMT-related genes. Gene sets associated with EMT were downloaded from the EMT-gene database, and RNA-seq of LUAD and clinical information of patients were downloaded from the TCGA database. Differentially expressed genes were screened by difference analysis. Survival analysis was performed to identify genes associated with LUAD prognosis, and overlapping genes were taken for all the three. Prognosis-related genes were further determined by combining LASSO regression analysis for establishing a prediction signature, and the risk score equation for the prognostic model was established using multifactorial COX regression analysis to construct a survival prognostic model. The model accuracy was evaluated using subject working characteristic curves. According to the median value of risk score, samples were divided into a high-risk group and low-risk group to observe the correlation with the clinicopathological characteristics of patients. Combined with the results of one-way COX regression analysis, HGF, PTX3, and S100P were considered as independent predictors of LUAD prognosis. In lung cancer tissues, HGF and PTX3 expression was downregulated and S100P expression was upregulated. Kaplan-Meier, COX regression analysis showed that HGF, PTX3, and S100P were prognostic independent predictors of LUAD, and high expressions of all the three were all significantly associated with immune cell infiltration. The present study provided potential prognostic predictive biological markers for LUAD patients, and confirmed EMT as a key mechanism in LUAD progression.

Adenomyosis (AM) is a disease in which endometrial tissue invades the myometrium and has a 10–60% prevalence in reproductive-aged women. TSC2 regulates autophagy via mTOR1 signalling in colorectal cancer and endometrial carcinoma. Dysregulation of autophagy is implicated in adenomyosis pathogenesis. However, whether TSC2 participates in adenomyosis via autophagy remains obscure. Here, we found that the expression of TSC2 in adenomyosis was significantly decreased than that in normal endometrium during the secretory phase. Moreover, TSC2 and autophagy marker expression was significantly lower in ectopic lesions than in eutopic samples. TSC2 downregulation inhibited autophagy through mTOR1 signalling pathway activation in endometrial cells, leading to excessive proliferation, migration, and EMT; TSC2 overexpression induced the opposite effects. Rapamycin treatment suppressed cell proliferation, migration and EMT in the absence of TSC2. In parallel, an autophagy-specific inhibitor (SAR-405) restored migration and EMT under rapamycin treatment in TSC2-knockdown Ishikawa cells. Finally, SAR-405 treatment promoted EMT and migration of overexpressing cells. Collectively, our results suggest that TSC2 controls endometrial epithelial cell migration and EMT by regulating mTOR1-autophagy axis activation and that hypo-expression of TSC2 in the endometrium might promote adenomyosis.

Prolactinomas are the most frequently observed pituitary adenomas (PAs), and 5%–18% tumors were resistant to the dopamine agonists (DAs). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) dysfunction play a key role in tumorigenesis. Agilent miRNA and an expression chip were used for six prolactinomas and three normal pituitary specimens. Differentially expressed genes were confirmed by RT-qPCR. The level of DDR1 and SAT1 was determined with tissue micro-array (TMA) and western blot. A MMQ cell line was used for functional experiments. We have identified 5-miRNA and 12 target gene signatures of prolactinomas through gene ontology analysis. miRNA-199a-5p was selected for experiments that integrated the results from prolactinomas specimens and a rat prolactinoma model induced by 17-b-estradiol. Tumors with low miRNA-199a-5p had a significantly invasive behavior and a higher tumor volume (p

Paeoniflorin (PF) has been reported to be effective against several skin disorders, such as allergic contact dermatitis and psoriasis; however, it remains unclear whether PF can protect against urticarial lesions. Herein, the effects of PF on rats with urticarial lesions and the possible underlying mechanism were investigated. The effects of PF administration on a rat model of ovalbumin-induced urticarial-like lesions were evaluated via pathological analysis using hematoxylin-eosin staining. Toluidine blue staining was performed to detect mast cells and ELISA was performed to determine serum histamine levels. PF-induced regulatory effects on autophagic activity and the potential underlying mechanism of this were also investigated using transmission electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. It was demonstrated that PF suppressed allergic and inflammatory responses to improve urticarial lesions, as evidenced by the attenuation of pathological abnormalities, mast cell infiltration and histamine secretion. Mechanistically, PF treatment was found to markedly limit the production and release of inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-23, while the levels of IL-17 remained unchanged. PF intervention led to an increased number of autophagosomes, along with higher levels of light chain 3B (LC3B) and Beclin-1, and lower levels of P62, indicating that PF could augment autophagic activity in urticarial lesions. PF treatment increased the expression of liver kinase B1 (LKB1) and AMP-activated protein kinase-α (AMPK-α), contributing to the PF-enhanced autophagic activity. In conclusion, PF could effectively improve urticarial lesions by inhibiting inflammatory cytokine IL-23 and increasing the autophagic activity via the LKB1/AMPK-α pathway.

Determining the relationship between net primary productivity (NPP) and grassland phenology is important for an in-depth understanding of the impact of climate change on ecosystems. In this study, the NPP of grassland in Xinjiang, China, was simulated using the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford approach (CASA) model with Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) grassland phenological (MCD12Q2) data to study trends in phenological metrics, grassland NPP, and the relations between these factors from 2001–2014. The results revealed advancement of the start of the growing season (SOS) for grassland in most regions (55.2%) in Xinjiang. The percentage of grassland area in which the end of the growing season (EOS) was delayed (50.9%) was generally the same as that in which the EOS was advanced (49.1%). The percentage of grassland area with an increase in the length of the growing season (LOS) for the grassland area (54.6%) was greater than that with a decrease in the LOS (45.4%). The percentage of grassland area with an increase in NPP (61.6%) was greater than that with a decrease in NPP (38.4%). Warmer regions featured an earlier SOS and a later EOS and thus a longer LOS. Regions with higher precipitation exhibited a later SOS and an earlier EOS and thus a shorter LOS. In most regions, the SOS was earlier, and spring NPP was higher. A linear statistical analysis showed that at various humidity (K) levels, grassland NPP in all regions initially increased but then decreased with increasing LOS. At higher levels of K, when NPP gradually increased, the LOS gradually decreased.

BackgroundBreast cancer is the most common malignant tumor in women. Due to the mechanism of breast cancer has not yet been completely clear, we aim to identify the key pathway and genes in breast cancer based on bioinformatics method. MethodsThe samples were obtained from NCBI-GEO website. Then, GEO2R tools and Venn diagram software were used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene enrichment analysis was performed by ClusterProfiler package (version 3.16.1) of R. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was plotted by Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) website and candidate genes were selected from PPI network by Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE) plug-in. Afterwards, we assess the overall survival and expression level of the core genes by Kaplan-Meier plotter and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA2). Finally, we selected the core genes through the analysis of different grades cancer and analyzed the gene-drug interaction by Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD).ResultsDEGs contained 23 up-regulated and 32 down-regulated genes. GO described biological process, cellular component, and molecular function. KEGG analysis showed up-regulated DEGs were mainly involved in breast cancer-related pathway like P53 signaling pathway, platinum drug resistance and bladder cancer. 15 candidate genes were screened through PPI network, 14 of which had adverse prognosis and high expression in breast cancer. At last, we selected 5 core genes from different grades analysis and found the interaction of these genes and anthracyclines and cyclophosphamide.ConclusionsIn the current study, 5 core genes of breast cancer were identified based on bioinformatics method, which could useful to provide essential information for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of breast cancer.

BackgroundSubstantial research is underway to develop next-generation interventions that address current malaria control challenges. As there is limited testing in their early development, it is difficult to predefine intervention properties such as efficacy that achieve target health goals, and therefore challenging to prioritize selection of novel candidate interventions. Here, we present a quantitative approach to guide intervention development using mathematical models of malaria dynamics coupled with machine learning. Our analysis identifies requirements of efficacy, coverage, and duration of effect for five novel malaria interventions to achieve targeted reductions in malaria prevalence. This study highlights the role of mathematical models to support intervention development.MethodsA mathematical model of malaria transmission dynamics is used to simulate deployment and predict potential impact of new malaria interventions by considering operational, health-system, population, and disease characteristics. Our method relies on consultation with product development stakeholders to define the putative space of novel intervention specifications. We couple the disease model with machine learning to search this multi-dimensional space and efficiently identify optimal intervention properties that achieve specified health goals. We demonstrate the power of our approach by application to five malaria interventions in development.ResultsAiming for malaria prevalence reduction, we identify and quantify key determinants of intervention impact along with their minimal properties required to achieve the desired health goals. While coverage is generally identified as the largest driver of impact, higher efficacy, longer protection duration or multiple deployments per year are needed to increase prevalence reduction. We show that the efficacy and duration needs depend on the biological action of the interventions. Interventions on multiple parasite or vector targets, as well as combinations the new interventions with drug treatment, lead to significant burden reductions and lower efficacy or duration requirements.ConclusionsOur approach uses disease dynamic models and machine learning to support decision-making and resource investment, facilitating development of new malaria interventions. By evaluating the intervention capabilities in relation to the targeted health goal, our analysis allows prioritization of interventions and of their specifications from an early stage in development, and subsequent investments to be channeled cost-effectively towards impact maximization. Although we focus on five malaria interventions, the analysis is generalizable to other new malaria interventions.

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-aim-10.1177_09645284211027892 for Regulation of serum microRNA expression by acupuncture in patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome by Jing Guo, Gao Lu, Lu Chen, Hao Geng, Xiaoliang Wu, Hao Chen, Yang Li, Mengqian Yuan, Jianhua Sun and Lixia Pei in Acupuncture in Medicine

The transition from the control phase to elimination of malaria in China through the national malaria elimination programme has focussed attention on the need for improvement of the surveillance- response systems. It is now understood that routine passive surveillance is inadequate in the parasite elimination phase that requires supplementation by active surveillance in foci where cluster cases have occurred. This study aims to explore the spatial clusters and temporal trends of malaria cases by the multivariate auto-regressive state-space model (MARSS) along the border to Myanmar in southern China. Data for indigenous cases spanning the period from 2007 to 2010 were extracted from the China’s Infectious Diseases Information Reporting Management System (IDIRMS). The best MARSS model indicated that malaria transmission in the study area during 36 months could be grouped into three clusters. The estimation of malaria transmission patterns showed a downward trend across all clusters. The proposed methodology used in this study offers a simple and rapid, yet effective way to categorize patterns of foci which provide assistance for active monitoring of malaria in the elimination phase.

Background and objectives The application of pure natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) to intra-abdominal visceral resections remains limited due to the complexity of the dissection. This study aimed to assess the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic right colectomy using a purely transvaginal approach. Methods The data of 12 continuous patients with colon neoplasia who underwent transvaginal right colectomy from November 2018 to July 2020 were prospectively collected, and their perioperative events were recorded. Results The patients' median age was 70.4 years. Four were diagnosed with colon adenoma and eight with adenocarcinoma. The median operative time was 185 min, with a median blood loss of 25 ml. The median time to gas passing was 32.5 h after surgery. The median postoperative hospital stay was 6 days. One operation was converted to hybrid NOTES due to difficulty with the anastomosis, and one was converted to laparoscopic surgery because of vascular injury. Three cases were grades I, II, and III according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Conclusion Pure NOTES right colectomy using the transvaginal approach is feasible and safe with good short-term outcomes. We recommend this novel technique for highly-selected patients with no more than a D2 dissection performed by experienced colorectal surgeons.

Objectives: The ongoing outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection (COVID-19) has been declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. It is a highly contagious disease that poses a grave threat to human health. Dental practice involves close contact with the airway and dental procedures entail generation of intense aerosol sprays; the virus particles can survive within small droplets in the air for several hours. Thus, dental practice is associated with a high risk of cross infection. This article describes the patient management process and its performance at the outpatient department of a specialized dental hospital during the COVID-19 epidemic in Xi’an, China. The objective is to provide a reference for management protocols for dental clinics and dental specialty centers across the world. Methods: A specialized management protocol for staff, patients, and material management for dental clinic during the epidemic was implemented since February 3 2020. The numbers of outpatient visits, distribution of oral diseases, demographic characteristics of patients, and COVID-19 infection among patients and staff from February 3 to March 15 are described. Results: The management protocols at the dental clinic were tailored according to the level of national emergency response for COVID-19. The number of physical consultations at the hospital was effectively controlled with use of online consulting service. Dental emergency patients were managed safely. Conclusion: The management protocol and infection prevention and control strategies adopted at our institution are effective in treating dental emergencies while controlling the spread of COVID-19 virus in oral clinics.

A cubic-spring restoring function with high-deformation stiffening is introduced to passively improve the harnessed marine hydrokinetic power by using flow-induced oscillations/vibrations (FIO/V) of a cylinder. In these FIO/V experiments, a smooth, rigid, single-cylinder on elastic end-supports is tested at Reynolds numbers ranging from 24,000 &lt, Re &lt, 120,000. The parameters of the tested current energy converter (CEC) are cubic stiffness and linear damping. Using the second generation of digital virtual spring-damping (Vck) controller developed by the Marine Renewable Energy Laboratory (MRELab), the cubic modeling of the oscillator stiffness is tested. Experimental results show the influence of the parameter variation on the amplitude, frequency, energy conversion, energy efficiency, and power of the converter. All experiments are conducted in the low turbulence-free surface water (LTFSW) channel of the MRELab of the University of Michigan. The main conclusions are: (1) The nonlinearity in the cubic oscillator is an effective way to extend the vortex-induced vibration (VIV) upper branch, which results in higher harnessing power and efficiency compared to the linear stiffness cylinder converter. (2) Compared to the linear converter, the overall power increase is substantial. The nonlinear power optimum, occurring at the end of the VIV upper branch, is 63% higher than its linear counterpart. (3) The cubic stiffness converter with low harnessing damping achieves consistently good performance in all the VIV regions because of the hardening restoring force, especially at higher flow velocity.

Introduction Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the most common microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus and is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. DKD seriously affects the quality of life of patients and brings heavy economic burden to the country. At present, the pathogenesis of DKD is not entirely clear, and clinical treatment is mainly to control blood glucose and lower blood pressure and urine protein. However, the clinical effect is not satisfactory. Case Presentation A female patient, aged 72 years, first visited our hospital endocrinology clinic, and was diagnosed with DKD. She suffered from fatigue, cold sensation in the lower extremities, convulsion of the lower limbs and frequent urination at night. She had a dark purple tongue with white and yellow fur and sublingual varices. Accessory examinations showed that her fasting blood glucose was 5.7 mmol/L, serum creatinine 159 μmol/L, blood urea nitrogen 13.6 μmol/L, blood uric acid 493 pmol/L, and blood pressure 138/65 mm Hg. The patient received Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment of the modified Shenzhuo formula [Huangqi (Radix Astragali Mongolici), Dahuang (Radix Et Rhizoma Rhei Palmati), Shuizhi (Hirudo) and Danshen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae)] for 7 years and achieved good results. Conclusion This case provides a specific treatment plan and an effective reference for clinical application of Traditional Chinese Medicine for treating DKD. This may be an alternative treatment for DKD.

Background Malaria was once a serious public health problem in China, with Plasmodium vivax the major species responsible for more than 90% of local transmission. Following significant integrated malaria control and elimination programmes, malaria burden declined, and since 2017 China has not recorded any indigenous case. To understand the historical malaria transmission patterns and epidemic characteristics in China and insights useful to guide P. vivax malaria control and elimination elsewhere, a retrospective study was carried out. Methods Historical data from a pilot study conducted in Guantang, Luyi in central China from 1971–1995, were digitized. The data included monthly numbers of reported cases, febrile cases, parasite carriage rates, the neonatal infection rate, and entomological data regarding Anopheles sinensis. Results Following 25 years of continuous integrated malaria control activities, malaria incidence in Guantang decreased from 4,333 cases per 10,000 in 1970 before integrated implementation to 0.23 cases per 10,000 in 1991, and no cases in 1992–1995. Some fluctuations in incidence were observed between 1977 and 1981. During the period parasite rates, antibody levels and the neonatal infection rate also decreased. The pattern of seasonality confirmed that P. vivax in Henan Province was primarily of the long incubation type (temperate) during non-transmission period. The findings retrospectively provide a scientific basis for the implementation of mass campaigns of liver stage hypnozoite clearance. Entomological studies indicated that An. sinensis was the only vector, and it preferred bovine to human hosts, predominantly biting and resting outdoors. Mosquito densities declined between 1971 and 1984. Conclusion The integrated malaria control approach in Guantang effectively controlled malaria and achieved elimination. Analysis of the effectiveness of the programme can provide guidance to other regions or countries with similar ecological settings aiming to move from malaria control to elimination. There is a potential challenge in the maintenance of non-transmission status owing to imported cases and the long dormancy of liver stage hypnozoites.

Giulio A De Leo and colleagues consider the effect of changing climates and human activity on schistosomiasis transmission and potential solutions to contain its spread

The role of miRNAs with tumor suppressive activity in liver cancer has been well studied. However, little is known about potential oncomiRs in HCC. In our study, we conducted a systematic evaluation of candidate oncomiRs and found that upregulation of miR-18a and miR-25 in HCC was associated with poor patient survival and promoted proliferation in HCC cell lines. These two miRNAs belong to the polycistronic paralogous miR-17-92 and miR-25-106b clusters respectively. Although the members of both clusters are often upregulated in HCC, the contribution of individual miRNAs in these clusters to HCC tumorigenesis is not fully understood. We validated SOCS5 as a bona fide target of both miRNAs, and established, for the first time, the tumor suppressive role of SOCS5 in liver cancer. We further investigated the mechanism by which SOCS5 contributes to tumorigenesis, demonstrated that this SOCS5/miR-18a/miR-25 axis regulates the tumor suppressor TSC1 and downstream mTOR signaling, and highlighted the potential therapeutic use of miR-18a and miR-25 inhibition in restoring SOCS5 levels in HCC.

Caenorhabditis elegans, a kind of model organism, was used to investigate biodegradation pathway of IPP and M1 in nematodes, in vivo toxicity from IPP and M1 and the possible underlying molecular mechanism. The results showed that both IPP and M1 could decrease lifespan, locomotion behavior, reproductive ability and AChE activity. During IPP biodegradation process, three intermediates (M1-M3) were monitored and identified. Based on the identified metabolites and their biodegradation courses, a possible biodegradation pathway was proposed. IPP was probably transformed to different three metabolites in nematodes through oxidation and elimination of methyl and propyl etc. Under the same concentration, IPP had more severe toxicity than M1 on nematodes. IPP and M1 might reduce lifespan and decrease reproductive ability through influencing insulin/IGF signaling pathway and TOR signaling pathway. They could decrease expression levels of daf-16, sgk-1, aak-2, daf-15 and rict-1 genes, which involved in IGF and TOR signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanism underlying the action of Weipixiao (WPX) in a rat's model with ameliorating gastric precancerous lesions (GPL). METHODS HPLC analysis was performed to identify the chemical constituents of WPX preparation. Sprague- Dawley rats were randomly assigned into control group, model group, vitacoenzyme group, high-dose WPX group (H-WPX), medium-dose WPX group (M-WPX) and low-dose WPX group (L-WPX). After modeling, the treated rats were administrated WPX or vitacoenzyme intragastrically for consecutive 10 weeks. Gene and protein expressions of GSK3β, C-myc, Cylin E were evaluated by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry, respectively. RESULTS WPX could efficiently attenuate the pathological alterations of “non-progressive GPL” in rats. As expected, mRNA and protein levels of C-myc and Cylin E were up-regulated in model rats, while GSK3β expression down-regulated (P CONCLUSION Our findings suggested that WPX-mediated attenuation of GPL pathological alterations might be due to its regulatory effect on the expressions of GSK3β and C-myc, and on the dysregulation of Wnt/GSK3β pathway.

Non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) are the most common pituitary tumors and mainly invade the sphenoid, cavernous sinus or dura mate. Aberrant regulation of the Wnt signaling pathway plays an important role in tumorigenesis. This study was designed to investigate the relationships between secreted frizzled-related proteins (sFRPs), WIF1 genes and the invasion of NFPAs by tissue microassays (TMAs) of samples from 163 patients. Significantly weaker staining of WIF1 and sFRP4 were detected in the invasive group compared with the non-invasive group by TMAs (p = 0.002, p < 0.001). Univariate analysis showed a significant correlation between tumor invasion and low expression of WIF1 and sFRP4 (p = 0.002, p < 0.001). A similar trend was observed when analyzing the mRNA and protein levels through RT-PCR and western blot experiments. Methylation of the WIF1 promoter was significantly increased in invasive NFPAs compared with the noninvasive group (p = 0.004). The average progression free survival time in the high WIF1 group was longer than that in the low WIF1 group (p = 0.025). Furthermore, RT-PCR measured the levels of 11 miRNAs targeting WIF1 according to the Targetscan database and PubMed. The levels of miRNA-137, miRNA-374a-5p and miRNA-374b-5p in the invasive group were 0.037-fold, 0.577-fold and 0.44-fold that of the noninvasive group (p = 0.003, p = 0.049 and p = 0.047). Overexpression of miRNA-137 could inhibit the proliferation and invasion of GH3 cells through cell viability and Transwell experiments (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the WIF1 level was upregulated after overexpression of miRNA-137 compared with miRNA-137-NC (control miRNA) in GH3 cells. Our data suggest that WIF1 may be potential biomarker for the aggressiveness of NFPAs. miRNA-137 plays an important role in the Wnt signaling pathway by affecting promoter methylation of WIF1.

Background Resection of primary esophageal cancer following previous pneumonectomy is a challenging procedure and was scarcely reported. Case presentation Here we report a case in which reduced thoracic space was used in left transthoracic esophagectomy to counter the difficulties caused by previous left pneumonectomy. Conclusion Retrograde dissection and infra-diaphragmatic esophagogastric anastomosis are examples of using postpneumonectomy changes to facilitate subsequent transthoracic esophagectomy for cancers of the lower esophagus.

Populus × euramericana “Neva” is the main poplar species in China, where drought stress is becoming extremely urgent. We carried out this research to study the effects of drought stress on the photosynthesis of Populus × euramericana “Neva”. Drought stress was induced by 58–62% (light), 48–52% (moderate), and 38–42% (severe) relative soil moisture content (RSMC). The effects of drought stress on photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, and other related physiological parameters were investigated during treatment. Net photosynthetic rate (PN), and stomatal conductance decreased significantly and intercellular CO2 concentration initially increased and then declined, whereas the stomatal limitation factors showed opposite trends in the light under moderate drought stress. Photosystem II (PSII) maximum photochemical efficiency, actual photochemical efficiency, and photochemical quenching decreased gradually under drought stress, whereas nonphotochemical quenching initially increased and then declined. Superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase activities initially increased and then decreased as RSMC was reduced, whereas malondialdehyde (MDA) content and relative electric conductivity (REC) increased gradually. These results suggest that stomatal factors accounted for the decline in PN under light and moderate drought stress, whereas leaf PN decreased mainly due to non-stomatal factors under severe drought stress. PSII was damaged; thus, photosynthetic electron transfer was restricted, indicating that heat dissipation is important for the light protection mechanism of plants. Antioxidant enzymes increased at the beginning of treatment, and the increased MDA and REC led to cell membrane damage. These results suggest that poplar seedlings stabilized their photosynthetic apparatus by reducing the light trapping ability under light and moderate drought stress conditions. This helped dissipate heat and enhance antioxidant enzyme activity. Stomatal factors accounted for the decline in PN, whereas damage to PSII and antioxidant enzymes under severe drought stress suggested that the decline in PN was caused by non-stomatal restrictive factors.

In this paper, we synthesized a CdHgTe type water-soluble quantum dots, combined in the next time with the drug delivery system "dextran - magnetic layered double hydroxide - fluorouracil" (DMF), built a new nanostructures platform QD@DMF for blending the fluorescent probe function of quantum dot together with the magnetic targeting curative effect of the DMF system. The Fluorescence spectrophotometer, Ultraviolet spectrophotometer, TEM and XRD were used to characterize the luminescent properties, particle morphology and phase characteristics of the QD@DMF samples. The experiments on cell imaging were carried out by laser con-focal scan microscopy technique. Results showed that the CdHgTe QDs could be successfully grafted onto the surface of the DMF system through electrostatic coupling, forming a special structure based on magnetic layered double hydroxide with a near-infrared emission wavelength in 575~780 nm. Compared with QDs, the QD@DMF composite could significantly improve the cell imaging effect, the label intensity increased with the magnetic field intensity and obeyed the linear relationship Dmean = 1.760+0.013B. The fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles maintained not only the super-paramagnetic of DMF but also the photoluminescence properties of the QDs, implicating that the QD@DMF composite may be an effective multifunction tool for optical bio-imaging and magnetic targeted therapy.

It is of the advantages of high bearing capacity and economy for the gradient concrete beam with glass fiber reinforced plastic(GFRP) bars, so it will be applied widely in practical engineering. In order to acquire the short-term stiffness of simply-supported beams with gradient concrete and GFRP bars, 14 simply-supported beams were designed. Based on material constitutive model, finite element models of the beams are established by ABAQUS software. The stiffness variation law of the specimens is acquired. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results, which proves the correctness of finite element modeling. Based on numerical simulation the stiffness calculation formula of the beams is provided, which can provide reference for the application of the beams in the actual engineering.

Aims Vascular dementia (VaD) is a heterogeneous brain disorder for which there are no effective approved pharmacological treatments available. We aimed to evaluate the effect of calmodulin inhibitor, DY-9836, and its loaded nanodrug carrier system on cognitive impairment and gain a better understanding of the protective mechanisms in mice with bilateral carotid artery stenosis (BCAS). Results DY-9836 (0.5 or 1 mg/kg) or DY-9836 (0.25 mg/kg)-encapsulated polysialic acid-octadecylamine (PSA-ODA) micelles (PSA-ODA/DY) were given to BCAS mice for 4 weeks. Administration of DY-9836 or PSA-ODA/DY reduced escape latency in space exploration and working memory test compared with vehicle group. Vehicle-treated mice showed reduced phospho-CaMKII (Thr286/287) levels in the hippocampus, whereas partially restored by DY-9836 (1 mg/kg) or PSA-ODA/DY (0.25 mg/kg) treatment. In accordance with the pharmacological profile of DY-9836 observed during behavioral studies, experimental molecular and biochemical markers induced by BCAS, such as protein tyrosine nitration, Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), caspase-1, and interleukin-1β, were reduced by DY-9836 and PSA-ODA/DY treatment. Conclusions These data disclose novel findings about the therapeutic potential of DY-9836, and its encapsulated nanodrug delivery system significantly enhanced the cognitive function via inhibitory effect on nitrosative stress and NLRP3 signaling in VaD mice.

// Ren-You Pan 1, * , Ping Liu 1 , Hai-Tang Zhou 1 , Wei-Xin Sun 1 , Jun Song 1, * , Jiang Shu 1 , Guo-Jing Cui 1 , Zhi-Jian Yang 2 and En-Zhi Jia 2 1 Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Yancheng TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Yancheng 224000, Jiangsu Province, China 2 Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China * These authors contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: En-Zhi Jia, email: enzhijia@njmu.edu.cn Keywords: microRNA, coronary heart disease, circRNA, ceRNA Received: May 04, 2017 Accepted: July 25, 2017 Published: August 04, 2017 ABSTRACT We investigated the differential expression of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in plasma samples from three coronary artery disease (CAD) patients to identify putative therapeutic targets. We identified 24 differentially expressed circRNAs (18 up-regulated and 6 down-regulated) and 7 differentially expressed mRNAs (6 up-regulated and 1 down-regulated) in CAD patients based on competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) microarray analysis. MiR-221( p = 0.001), miR-155( p = 0.049), and miR-130a ( p = 0.001) were downregulated in CAD patients based on qRT-PCR analysis of another independent population of 932 study subjects (648 CAD subjects and 284 controls). We constructed a hsa-miR-130a-3p-mediated circRNA-mRNA ceRNA network using the miRanda database. This included 9 circRNAs (hsa_circ_0089378, hsa_circ_0083357, hsa_circ_0082824, hsa_circ_0068942, hsa_circ_0057576, hsa_circ_0054537, hsa_circ_0051172, hsa_circ_0032970, and hsa_circ_0006323) and 1 mRNA (transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 3 [TRPM3]). We have shown that 9 circRNAs promote TRPM3 expression by inhibiting hsa-miR-130a-3p in CAD patients.

Background In order to achieve the goal of malaria elimination, the Chinese government launched the National Malaria Elimination Programme in 2010. However, as a result of increasing cross-border population movements, the risk of imported malaria cases still exists at the border areas of China, resulting in a potential threat of local transmission. The focus of this paper is to assess the Plasmodium vivax incidences in Tengchong, Yunnan Province, at the border areas of China and Myanmar. Methods Time series of P. vivax incidences in Tengchong from 2006 to 2010 are collected from the web-based China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention, which are further separated into time series of imported and local cases. First, the seasonal and trend decomposition are performed on time series of imported cases using Loess method. Then, the impact of climatic factors on the local transmission of P. vivax is assessed using both linear regression models (LRM) and generalized additive models (GAM). Specifically, the notion of vectorial capacity (VCAP) is used to estimate the transmission potential of P. vivax at different locations, which is calculated based on temperature and rainfall collected from China Meteorological Administration. Results Comparing with Ruili County, the seasonal pattern of imported cases in Tengchong is different: Tengchong has only one peak, while Ruili has two peaks during each year. This may be due to the different cross-border behaviors of peoples in two locations. The vectorial capacity together with the imported cases and the average humidity, can well explain the local incidences of P. vivax through both LRM and GAM methods. Moreover, the maximum daily temperature is verified to be more suitable to calculate VCAP than the minimal and average temperature in Tengchong County. Conclusion To achieve malaria elimination in China, the assessment results in this paper will provide further guidance in active surveillance and control of malaria at the border areas of China and Myanmar. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40249-017-0322-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A mono-mannose modified perylene bisimide bridged permethyl-β-CDs 8 was synthesized, which showed interestingly solvent-controlled chirality because of self-inclusion effect of permethyl-β-CD. Furthermore, compound 8 as photodynamic therapy agent exhibited potent photodynamic therapy activities with the IC50 values of 3.96, 16.79, 6.62 and 5.14 μM against MCF-7, Hela, A549 and Hep G2 cells, respectively, better than the control compound TPPS. Then the mechanism of the cell death induced by 8 was investigated by flow cytometric analysis, obvious apoptosis process was observed. Moreover, 8 as photostability molecule showed fluorescent imaging with the MCF-7 cells. 8 as a novel PDT molecule showed high pohotocytotoxicity and live cell imaging applications.

As an indicator of emotion intensity, arousal plays an important role in emotion recognition. However, the accuracy rate-based EEG signals have been far away from human’s satisfactory due to the lack of effective methods. In this paper, we propose a novel framework for recognizing arousal levels by using EEG signals. Instead of using time domain feature and frequency domain feature of EEG, we select the EEG feature directly from a large number of EEG signals by using the feature selection method after data standardization. Based on our method, feature with most distinguished ability has been found. The experimental results on the open data set DEAP show that the arousal accuracy has been significantly improved by using our method.

Doxorubicin (Dox) is an anthracycline antibiotic that has been used to treat different cancers. Dox-induced cardiotoxicity is common in clinical practice, while its mechanism is unknown. It has been proved that lncRNA FOXC2-AS1 may promote doxorubicin resistance and WNT1-inducible signaling pathway protein-1 (WISP1) blocks doxorubicin-induced cardiomyocyte death. Our study aimed to investigate the involvement of lncRNA FOXC2-AS1 and WISP1 in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity and to explore their interactions. In our study we observed that FOXC2-AS1 and WISP1 mRNA were downregulated in heart tissues of mice with Dox-induced cardiotoxicity. FOXC2-AS1 and WISP1 mRNA expression were positively correlated in mice with Dox-induced cardiotoxicity but not in healthy mice. Overexpression of FOXC2-AS1 promoted to viability of mice cardiomyocytes under Dox treatment and also increased the expression level of WISP1. In contrast, WISP1 overexpression showed no significant effect on FOXC2-AS1. We therefore conclude that lncRNA FOXC2-AS1 may upregulate WISP1 to protect cardiomyocytes from doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

Multiple emulsions provide a facile route for particle preparation due to their ability to be used as liquid templates. Herein, biocompatible oil-in-water-in-oil (O1/W/O2) double emulsions were fabricated using a two-step procedure and applied as templates for preparation of calcium alginate hydrogels with encapsulated β-carotene. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) of β-carotene showed a positive correlation to the outer-to-inner droplet size ratio of the O1/W/O2 emulsion. The maximum EE, ∼50 wt%, could be achieved in the freshly prepared O1/W/O2 emulsion when using aqueous alginate of 2 wt% as the intermediate phase and β-carotene-loaded R-(+)-limonene of 0.1 wt% as the inner oil phase. Gelation of the alginate phase was induced by addition of a small amount of aqueous CaCl2 into the β-carotene-loaded O1/W/O2 emulsion. The resulting hydrogels in water were characterized by laser diffraction and several microscopy measurements. The hydrogels showed good spherical shape and their average size was a little larger than that of the emulsion droplet templates. This work contributed to the understanding of encapsulation in O1/W/O2 emulsion system and provided a novel methodology for encapsulation of carotenoids and other lipophilic bioactives.

Background: Neurodermatitis is a common inflammatory and allergic disease, characterized by itching and lichenification plaque. Some studies have reported cupping therapy (CT) for the treatment of neurodermatitis. However, the effectiveness and safety are still uncertain. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CT for the treatment of patients with neurodermatitis. Methods: We will retrieve the following electronic databases systematically: Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Wanfang database from their inception to December 2020. Other literature resources will be manually searched. Published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-randomized controlled trials (q-RCTs) on the topic will be retrieved by 2 investigators independently. We will apply a fixed-effect model or random effect model basis on the heterogeneity test and employ with RevMan 5.3 software for data synthesis. The total clinical effective rate will be selected as the primary outcome, skin disease quality of life index score, recurrence rate, and adverse events as secondary outcomes. Results: This study will comprehensively summarize the high-quality trials to determine the efficacy and safety of CT for the treatment of patients with neurodermatitis. Conclusion: Our systematic review will present evidence for the efficacy and safety of CT to neurodermatitis patients. OSF Registration number: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/6DCM3.

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic recurrent dermatological disease that patents always suffer from different commorbidities. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been commonly used in the treatment of psoriasis for a long history. Previous systematic reviews (SRs)/meta-analyses (MAs) have showed that CHM may benefit the patients with psoriasis. This overview aims to summarize the evidence from published SRs/MAs for clinical application and to provide some directions for future researches. Methods: Nine electronic databases (Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, AMED, CINAHL, CBM, CNKI, VIP Database, Wanfang Databases) will be searched from their inceptions to September 2020 without language restrictions. At least two reviewers will independently conducted the study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. The methodological quality, risk of bias, reporting quality and evidence quality will be respectively evaluated by the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2), the Risk of Bias in Systematic reviews (ROBIS), the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Results: The results of this overview will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. Conclusions: We expect to compile current evidence from published SRs/MAs of CHM for patients with psoriasis in an accessible and useful document. Ethics and dissemination: This study is a protocol for overview of SRs/MAs that did not involve individual data. Thus, the ethical approval is not required. Abbreviations: CHM: Chinese herbal medicine, SRs: systematic reviews, MAs: meta-analyses, AMSTAR 2: Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2, ROBIS: Risk of Bias in Systematic reviews, PRISMA: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, GRADE: Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation. Key words: Chinese herbal medicine, psoriasis, overview, AMSTAR 2, ROBIS, PRISMA, GRADE