Background:Pharmacotherapy provides an option for adults with overweight and obesity to reduce their bodyweight if lifestyle modifications fail. We summarised the latest evidence for the benefits and harms of weight-lowering drugs. Methods:This systematic review and network meta-analysis included searches of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library (CENTRAL) from inception to March 23, 2021, for randomised controlled trials of weight-lowering drugs in adults with overweight and obesity. We performed frequentist random-effect network meta-analyses to summarise the evidence and applied the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation frameworks to rate the certainty of evidence, calculate the absolute effects, categorise interventions, and present the findings. The study was registered with PROSPERO, CRD 42021245678. Findings:14 605 citations were identified by our search, of which 132 eligible trials enrolled 48 209 participants. All drugs lowered bodyweight compared with lifestyle modification alone; all subsequent numbers refer to comparisons with lifestyle modification. High to moderate certainty evidence established phentermine-topiramate as the most effective in lowering weight (odds ratio [OR] of ≥5% weight reduction 8·02, 95% CI 5·24 to 12·27; mean difference [MD] of percentage bodyweight change -7·98, 95% CI -9·27 to -6·69) followed by GLP-1 receptor agonists (OR 6·33, 95% CI 5·00 to 8·00; MD -5·79, 95% CI -6·34 to -5·25). Naltrexone-bupropion (OR 2·69, 95% CI 2·10 to 3·44), phentermine-topiramate (2·40, 1·68 to 3·44), GLP-1 receptor agonists (2·22, 1·74 to 2·84), and orlistat (1·71, 1·42 to 2·05) were associated with increased adverse events leading to drug discontinuation. In a post-hoc analysis, semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, showed substantially larger benefits than other drugs with a similar risk of adverse events as other drugs for both likelihood of weight loss of 5% or more (OR 9·82, 95% CI 7·09 to 13·61) and percentage bodyweight change (MD -11·40, 95% CI -12·51 to -10·29). Interpretation:In adults with overweight and obesity, phentermine-topiramate and GLP-1 receptor agonists proved the best drugs in reducing weight; of the GLP-1 agonists, semaglutide might be the most effective.

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of remineralizing agents in the prevention and reversal of white spot lesions (WSLs), which occur during fixed orthodontic treatment, through a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Materials and methods: We reviewed controlled randomized clinical trial (RCT) data querying nine databases combined with a manual search (last search date: March 10, 2020). Of 2273 identified studies, 36 RCTs were finally included. After study selection and data extraction, pair-wise and network meta-analyses were performed to analyze the effectiveness of remineralizing agents in the prevention and reversal of WSLs in the short term (≤ 3 months) and long term (> 3 months). The risk of bias was assessed based on the Cochrane guidelines. Statistical heterogeneity, inconsistencies, and cumulative ranking were also evaluated. Results: In terms of WSL prevention, sodium fluoride (NaF) varnish had the highest cumulative ranking for the short-term decalcification index (99.3%); acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) foam ranked first for long-term incidence (96.9%), followed by difluorosilane (Dfs) varnish and high-concentration fluoride toothpaste (HFT) (79.4% and 77.4%, respectively). In the reversal of WSLs, no significant difference was found among different agents or their combinations for the two available outcomes (short-term integrated fluorescence loss and short-term percentage of fluorescence loss). Conclusions: In the prevention of WSLs, APF foam showed the best remineralizing effectiveness in the long term (after debonding), followed by Dfs varnish and HFT. It is unclear whether remineralizing agents can effectively reverse WSLs based on the existing evidence. Clinical relevance: APF foam may be recommended as a remineralizing agent for preventing orthodontically induced WSLs. Prospero registration number: CRD42019116852.

Objectives To explore the health research capacity (HRC) and factors associated with professional and technical personnel (PTP) in a first-class tertiary hospital in northwest China. Methods We collected the repeated measurement data from a first-class tertiary hospital in northwest China between 2013 and 2017. HRC of PTP was assessed by a comprehensive evaluation system and measured by research capacity score (RCS). The participants were divided into research group (RCS >0) and comparison group (RCS = 0); participants of the comparison group were selected by two-stage stratified random sampling. Multilevel model for repeated measures was used to investigate the potential factors associated with HRC. Results A total of 924 PTP were included (308 in the research group and 616 in the comparison group). This study found consistent growth in RCS and associated 95% CIs for the hospital during 2013 and 2017. The linear multilevel model showed PTP with a doctorate degree had higher RCS than those with a master's degree (beta, 1.74;P<0.001), bachelor's degree (beta, 2.02;P <0.001) and others without a degree (beta, 2.32;P<0.001). Furthermore, the PTP with intermediate (beta, 0.13;P = 0.015), vice-high (beta, 0.27;P= 0.001) and senior (beta, 0.63;P<0.001) professional titles had higher RCS than those with junior positions. Compared with PTP in the administration, those in paediatrics had higher RCS (beta, 0.28;P= 0.047) though similar to PTP in other departments. PTP with an administrative position had a higher RCS than those in non-administrative positions (beta, 0.26;P<0.001). The RCS increased with the research fund (beta, 0.15;P<0.001). However, no associations were found between RCS and sex, age, ethnic, graduate school or technical type. Conclusions HRC with associated variation of PTP for the hospital in northwest China increasingly improved and degree, professional title, administrative position, and research fund were related to HRC of PTP. Multi-central prospective studies are needed to clarify the potential relationship of related factors and HRC of PTP.

Background. Staples closure technology has been widely used in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and achieved good results. In recent years, a new type of material called skin closure tape (SCT) has been applied to TKA which also showed good treatment results. However, since it is still not clear yet which one is better, this paper collects literatures for statistical analysis so as to provide evidence for the use of SCT in TKA. Methods. The comparative study on effects between SCT and staples is reviewed after the primary release of TKA in PubMed, the Cochrane library, and the EMBASE database up to March 2019. The two researchers independently screened the literature and evaluated the quality of the literature using bias risk tools. Results. A total of four studies (3330 knees) have been included in our meta-analysis. For the main point, the results show that the SCT can reduce readmission rates compared to staples (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.49–0.95, P = 0.03), with no significant difference in complications (RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.27–2.64, P = 0.77). Secondly, the results suggest that although there is no significant difference in removal time between the two groups, the SCT can reduce pains, save time and costs, and have a better cosmetic effect. Conclusions. Our study indicates SCT as a closure method with fewer complications and faster speed compared with staples. Nevertheless, the cost and pain need to be further confirmed because of the small sample size included in this study.

Background White spot lesions (WSLs) are common adverse effects in fixed orthodontic treatment. Remineralising agents are widely used to prevent WSLs formation and are the first-line treatment for existing WSLs. Previous systematic reviews have evaluated the effectiveness of remineralisation agents in the management of WSLs. However, their conclusions were contradictory. The objective of this study will be to compare the effectiveness and safety of current remineralising agents used in the management of WSLs in patients treated with fixed orthodontic appliances in any orthodontic setting. Methods Literature searches will be conducted in several electronic databases (from inception onwards): MEDLINE (via Ovid), Scopus, Embase, the Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), among others. Grey literature will be identified through searching clinical trials registries. Randomised controlled trials that compared the effectiveness of different remineralisation agents in the prevention and treatment of WSLs will be included. Two researchers will independently screen all citations, full-text articles, and abstract data. The study risk bias will be appraised using an appropriate tool. The primary outcomes will be WSLs incidence and severity of WSLs. Secondary outcomes will be subjective measures of WSLs and adverse effects. The mean difference (MD) and relative risk (RR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) will be chosen as effect measures for continuous and binary outcomes, respectively. If feasible, fixed and random-effects pairwise meta-analyses and frequentist network meta-analyses will be conducted where appropriate. Discussion This network meta-analysis will compare the effectiveness of remineralising agents in the prevention and treatment of orthodontically induced WSLs. By integrating the evidence from direct and indirect comparisons and ranking all evaluated interventions, our findings have the potential to help clinicians make more accurate treatment decisions. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42019116852, registered on March 15, 2019

Background Acupuncture is widely used worldwide, and systematic reviews on acupuncture are increasingly being published. Although acupuncture systematic reviews share several essential elements with other systematic reviews, some essential information for the application of acupuncture is not covered by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Considering this, we aimed to develop an extension of the PRISMA statement for acupuncture systematic reviews. Methods We used the PRISMA statement as a starting point, and conducted this study referring to the development strategy recommended by the EQUATOR network. The initial items were collected through a wide survey among evidence users and a review of relevant studies. We conducted a three-round Delphi survey and one-day face-to-face meeting to select items and formulate the checklist. After the consensus meeting, we drafted the manuscript (including the checklist) and sent it to our advisory experts for comments, following which the checklist was refined and circulated to a group of acupuncture systematic review authors for pilot test. We also selected a sample of acupuncture systematic reviews published in 2017 to test the checklist. Results A checklist of five new sub-items (including sub items) and six modified items was formulated, involving content related to title, rationale, eligibility criteria, literature search, data extraction, and study characteristics. We clarified the rationales of the items and provided examples for each item for additional guidance. Conclusion The PRISMA for Acupuncture checklist is developed for improving the reporting of systematic reviews of acupuncture interventions.