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Abstract Background Several systematic reviews (SRs) have assessed the effectiveness of moxibustion for a range of conditions, often with contradictory conclusions. Our aim was to provide a critical evaluation and summary of these data. Methods Electronic searches were conducted to locate all SRs of moxibustion for any condition. Data were extracted by two authors according to predefined criteria. Results Ten SRs met our inclusion criteria, which related to the following conditions: cancer, ulcerative colitis, stroke rehabilitation, constipation, hypertension, pain conditions and breech presentation. Their conclusions were contradictory in several instances. Relatively clear evidence emerged to suggest that moxibustion is effective for breech presentation. Conclusions Based on evidence from the currently available SRs, the effectiveness of moxibustion has been demonstrated for several conditions; however, due to the poor quality of the primary studies, there remains considerable uncertainty.

Following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the rise of long COVID, characterized by persistent respiratory and cognitive dysfunctions, has become a significant health concern. This leads to an increased role of complementary and alternative medicine in addressing this condition. However, our comprehension of the effectiveness and safety of herbal medicines for long COVID remains limited. Here, we present a single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) dataset of peripheral whole blood cells derived from participants in a clinical study involving three commercially available herbal medicines, targeting fatigue and brain fog in long COVID. The dataset comprises 181,205 quality control (QC)-passed cells, along with clinical metadata, enabling a comparative analysis of immune cell populations before and after treatment. To ensure the technical validity of our dataset, we implemented rigorous quality checks throughout stages of the study, including sample preparation, sequencing, and bioinformatic data analysis levels. This transcriptomic data may serve as a resource to deepen our insights into the role of herbal medicines in management of long COVID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Cryptosporidium is a parasite that causes digestive diseases in cows, and a virus called Cryptosporidium parvum virus-1 (CSpV1) is associated with it. We investigated the presence and features of CSpV1 in diarrhea samples of Hanwoo calves (Korean indigenous cattle). Out of 140 samples, 70 were positive for Cryptosporidium and 70 were negative. CSpV1 was found in 20% of the samples, more commonly in those already positive for the parasite. This is the first study on CSpV1 in Korea, offering insights into the relationship between the parasite and virus in cows. Cryptosporidium is an obligate coccidian parasite that causes enteric diseases in bovine species. A double-stranded RNA virus associated with C. parvum oocysts, Cryptosporidium parvum virus-1 (CSpV1), has been characterized. However, the relationship between the abovementioned coccidian parasite and the virus has not been studied in the context of the known clinical outcomes. This study aimed to characterize the prevalence and molecular traits of CSpV1 in diarrheal feces of Hanwoo (Korean indigenous cattle) calves. Of the 140 fecal samples previously tested for C. parvum, which were obtained from Hanwoo calves aged 60 days, 70 tested positive and 70 tested negative. These samples were included in this study. By using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis targeting the RdRp gene of CSpV1, we detected CSpV1 in 28 samples (20.0%), with infection rates of 31.4% (22/70) in C. parvum-positive and 8.6% (6/70) in C. parvum-negative samples. CSpV1 samples detected in the same farm were clustered together. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the prevalence and molecular characteristics of CSpV1 in Hanwoo calves in the Republic of Korea, providing important insights into the relationship between C. parvum and CSpV1 in bovine hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]