Efficacy and Safety of Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation (TEAS) for Postoperative Pain in Laparoscopy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objectives. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation (TEAS) for postoperative pain in laparoscopy. The review has been registered on the “INPLASY” website and the registration number is INPLASY202150101. Methods. Relevant randomized controlled trials are selected from seven electronic databases (PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chongqing VIP Information, WanFang Data, and Chinese Biomedical Database) from their inception up to November 30, 2020. Twenty-eight studies were included in this meta-analysis, and the statistical analyses and the exploration of heterogeneity sources were conducted by Stata 15.0 software. Besides, the bias assessment of the included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results. In total, 28 RCTs covering 2787 participants were included. The meta-analysis suggested that TEAS can effectively relieve pain in the short term after laparoscopy, reduce the postoperative consumption of rescue analgesics, improve the quality of life of patients, and shorten the length of hospitalization. And no serious adverse events are related to TEAS. Therefore, TEAS is relatively safe and efficacy for clinical application. The most used acupoints were Hegu (LI14), Neiguan (PC6), and Zusanli (ST36). Conclusions. TEAS can be recommended as a complementary and alternative therapy for the treatment of postoperative pain after laparoscopy. However, the included RCTs had some methodological limitations. Therefore, larger-size, more rigorous, and higher-quality RCTs are needed in the future to further explore the efficacy and safety of TEAS for postoperative pain after laparoscopy.

Exploring the Determinants of Food Choice in Chinese Mainlanders and Chinese Immigrants: A Systematic Review

Determinants of food choice in Chinese populations have not been systematically synthesised using a cultural lens. This study reviewed qualitative studies exploring food choice determinants of both Chinese mainlanders and Chinese immigrants living in Western countries. Ovid Medline, CINAHL Plus, Web of Science, ProQuest, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure database (CNKI) were searched from database inception to 1 April 2021. Studies were included if they involved qualitative research methods, were written in English or Chinese, investigated the factors influencing food choices, and targeted Chinese mainlanders or Chinese immigrants living in Western countries. Twenty-five studies (24 in English, 1 in Chinese) were included, involving 2048 participants. Four themes were identified; (1) the principles of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), (2) perceptions of a healthy diet in Chinese culture (e.g., regular eating, eating in moderation, and emphasis on food freshness), (3) the desire to maintain harmony in families/communities, and (4) physical/social environmental factors all significantly influenced Chinese people’s food choices. It is important to acknowledge these factors when developing culturally appropriate nutrition programs for promoting health in Chinese mainlanders and Chinese immigrants.

Association of Circulating Magnesium Levels in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease From 1991 to 2021: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains a medical and social challenge worldwide. Magnesium (Mg) is one of the most frequently evaluated essential minerals with diverse biological functions in human body. However, the association between circulating Mg levels and AD remains controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis of 21 studies published between 1991 and 2021 to determine whether the Mg levels in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are abnormal in AD. Literatures were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Data without language limitations. A pooled subject sample including 1,112 AD patients and 1,001 healthy controls (HCs) was available to assess Mg levels in serum and plasma; 284 AD patients and 117 HCs were included for Mg levels in CSF. It was found that serum and plasma levels of Mg were significantly reduced in AD patients compared with HCs (standardized mean difference [SMD] = −0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI] [−1.36, −0.43]; P = 0.000). There was statistically non-significant for Mg level in CSF between AD and HCs, whereas a decreased tendency were detected (SMD = −0.16; 95% CI [−0.50, 0.18]; P = 0.364). .In addition, when we analyzed the Mg levels of serum, plasma and CSF together, the circulating Mg levels in AD patients was significantly lower (SMD = −0.74, 95% CI [−1.13; −0.35]; P = 0.000). These results indicate that Mg deficiency may be a risk factor of AD and Mg supplementation may be a potentially valuable adjunctive treatment for AD.Systematic Review Registration:www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, registration number CRD42021254557.

Effect of electric stimulation on patients with facial paralysis: A systematic review and Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Review question / Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of electric stimulation on patients with facial paralysis through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Condition being studied: P: facial paralysis; I: electric stimulation; C: clinical routine treatment; O: total clinical effectiveness, House-Brackmann scale (HBN) and Portmann scale; S:RCT. Information sources: PubMed; the Cochrane Library; Embase; SinoMed; WanFang Data; Vip; China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases.

Efficacy and safety of herbal medicines external application with Tuina in congenital muscular torticollis : A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

Review question / Objective: By 3 to 4 months of age, infants can keep their necks upright and look into both eyes horizontally. But infants with CMT have a wry neck also known as a twisted neck. Complementary therapies have been commonly used to treat CMT, such as tuina, acupuncture, herbal medicine. Among them, external application of herbal medicine is non-surgical and non-invasive inventions so it can be used widely in East Asia. This review aims to evaluate any form of external application of herbal medicines in CMT, such as cream, oil, extract, form of patch, etc. Information sources: We will electronically search the following database 4 English databases(MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), 3 Chinese databases(China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journal Database(VIP), Wan Fang Database), 4 Korean medical databases(Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System(OASIS), Korean Studies Information Service System(KISS), National Digital Science Links(NDSL), Research Information Sharing Service(RISS)) from their founding date to June 2022, without any language restrictions.

Review of the Study on Rhetoric Translation in China (1997-2021)

Rhetoric and translation help to promote language and cultural exchanges. Therefore, the study of the two fields can be traced far back. Scholars focused on the translation of rhetorical devices long before. In order to learn the trend and problem of the current study of rhetoric translation in China, this paper adopts the method of bibliometrics to analyze the relevant academic articles, theses and dissertations published from1997 to 2021 on China National Knowledge Infrastructure (short for CNKI), a well-known academic website of China. The analysis goes through six dimensions, such as languages involved in the transfer, translation direction, text type, research perspective, rhetoric device and citation frequency.

Tai Chi and other mind–body interventions for cancer-related fatigue: an updated systematic review and network meta-analyses protocol

IntroductionFatigue is one of the most common symptoms in patients with cancer and is responsible for a reduced quality of life. There is a strong evidence base for mind–body interventions (MBIs) to manage cancer-related fatigue (CRF). However, the efficacy of Tai Chi and other MBIs in the treatment of CRF remains controversial.Methods and analysisWe will perform a systematic review and network meta-analyses (NMAs) that aim to assess the effects of Tai Chi and other MBIs in patients with CRF. The following databases will be searched from their inception to 1 August 2021: PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, OVID, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Chinese Biomedical Database and Wan Fang Digital Journals. We will include randomised controlled trials that compare MBIs with no treatment, placebo and usual care in the treatment of CRF. The primary outcome will be changes in the fatigue state as evaluated by validated scales. We will perform a Bayesian NMA to analyse all the evidence for each outcome. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve and the mean ranks will be used to rank the various treatments. We will assess the quality of evidence contributing to network estimates of outcomes using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system framework.Ethics and disseminationThis NMAs will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Since no individual patient data will be involved in the review, ethics approval and concerns about privacy are not needed.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42021244999.

Is acupuncture effective for knee osteoarthritis? A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

IntroductionKnee osteoarthritis (KOA) is one of the leading causes of disability. The effectiveness of acupuncture for treating KOA remains controversial. This protocol describes the method of a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for treating KOA.Methods and analysisFour English databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library databases and Web of Science) and four Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, and Wanfang) will be searched from the database inception to 1 September 2021. All randomised controlled trials related to acupuncture for KOA will be included. Extracted data will include publication details, basic information, demographic data, intervention details and patient outcomes. The primary outcome will be pain intensity. Risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for assessing risk of bias. Article selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment will be performed in duplicate by two independent reviewers. If the meta-analysis is precluded, we will conduct a descriptive synthesis using a best-evidence synthesis approach. The strength of recommendations and quality of evidence will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation working group methodology.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval is not required because individual patient data are not included. This protocol was registered in the international Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews on 25 February 2021. The systematic review and meta-analysis will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The findings will also be disseminated through conference presentations.Trial registration numberCRD42021232177.

Prognostic Impact of lncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 Expression in Malignant Solid Tumors: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Objectives: MCM3AP-AS1 is a newly discovered long non-coding RNA that functions as a biomarker in many different cancer types. However, the pooled role of lncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 in the prognosis of human cancers remains unclear. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore its potential prognosis for malignant tumors. Materials and methods: A literature survey was conducted by searching in the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang databases for studies published as of September 1, 2021. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated to evaluate the relationship between MCM3AP-AS1 expression and overall survival (OS). The endpoints also included various clinical parameters. Results: A total of 14 studies containing 921 cancer patients were finally included into this meta-analysis. The results comprehensively showed that increased MCM3AP-AS1 expression was significantly correlated with poor overall survival (HR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.56-2.14, P<0.00001). A subgroup meta-analysis for overall survival was conducted. Additionally, high level of lncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 was significantly associated with worse differentiation (OR = 1.76, 95 % CI: 1.12–2.75, P = 0.01), larger tumor size (OR = 2.70, 95 % CI: 1.13–6.46, P = 0.03), advanced clinical stage (OR = 2.52, 95 % CI: 1.32–4.81, P = 0.005) and lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.85, 95 % CI: 1.16–7.00, P = 0.02), respectively. Conclusions: LncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 might be a potential and unfavorable prognostic biomarker of cancer.

Music therapy for sleep quality in cancer patients with insomnia：A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Review question / Objective: The aim of this systematic review is to compare music therapy in terms of efficacy in cancer patients with insomnia disorders to better inform clinical practice. Condition being studied: The effectiveness of music therapy for cancer- associate insomnia is the main interest of this systematic review. Information sources: MEDLINE (PubMed, Ovid) The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase and Electronic retrieval of Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CHKD-CNKI), VIP database, Wanfang Database will be searched from inception time to date. In addition, the included literature will be reviewed and relevant literature will be supplemented.