Migraine is a common neurological disease with a significant global prevalence and socioeconomic burden. Acupuncture, a nonpharmacologic intervention, has been widely used for its treatment due to its effectiveness and safety. However, the controversy surrounding the use of sham acupuncture as a control in clinical trials has led to inconsistent conclusions about the effectiveness of acupuncture. This systematic review and network meta-analysis aimed to investigate whether the outcome of acupuncture for migraine is affected by sham intervention at the same acupuncture points as those in verum acupuncture or at non-indicated sham points.

In an analysis of soil samples from twelve parks in Dublin, Ireland, park entrances were more heavily contaminated with infective roundworm eggs than any other tested park location. Jason Keegan of Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.