bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Factors for Communication Improvement in Young Children After Cochlear Implant Surgery
Authors: Yang Fang-Jane , Yeh Li-Li , Wu Che-Ming 
Published: December 2020

Objective:
Our objective was to examine the prognostic factors for post-cochlear implant (CI) communication improvement and determine whether the otologist's and speech-language pathologist's (SLP's) recommendations exhibited the same predictive performance regarding children's post-CI verbal expression acquisition.

Study Design:
Retrospective, diagnostic study.

Setting:
Hospital.

Patients:
The study reviewed 339 medical charts of preschool children who underwent CI surgery before the age of 6 years during 1999 to 2016. After these medical charts were assessed, the cohort comprised of 79 preschool children with pre- and post-CI surgery speech-language assessment reports and medical records.

Intervention:
A senior SLP and an otologist conducted blind testing of CI candidacy according to the 79 children's pre-CI reports.

Main Outcome Measures:
Spoken mean length of utterance (MLU).

Results:
Children with superior skills in comprehending facial and gesture expressions or using gestures or sounds for expression were significantly more likely to receive the SLP's recommendation for CI surgery. The SLP's CI candidacy recommendation, based on background information, communication skill assessments, and magnetic resonance imaging (provided by an otologist), had significant predictive effects. Children recommended by the SLP exhibited a 20 times higher probability of benefiting from CI surgery; such a benefit would be a longer MLU after 2 years.

Conclusion:
CI candidacy testing for young children with prelingual hearing impairment based on a SLP's recommendations provided significant predictive effects.

Level of Evidence:
4 (Evidence from well-designed case–control or cohort studies).
The effectiveness of acupuncture and moxibustion for treating tenosynovitis
Authors: Huang Shouqiang , Fan Qian , Xiong Jun , Liao Kai , Hua Fanghui , Xiang Jie , Li Changsheng , Jin Hangyu 
Published: December 2020

Abstract

Background:
De Quervain's tenosynovitis is an overuse disease that involves a thickening of the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis tendons. Evidence shows that acupuncture and moxibustion (AM) could remarkably relieve the pain of De Quervain's tenosynovitis patients. The aim of this protocol is to determine the efficacy and safety of AM for treating De Quervain's tenosynovitis.

Methods:
Several online databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Chinese Biomedical Literatures Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WangFang Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database will be searched from their establishment to July 1, 2020. We will include all randomized controlled trials using AM as the method for treating De Quervain's tenosynovitis, regardless of blinding or publication types. The selection of studies, data extraction and the assessment of the studies quality will be conducted by 2 reviewers separately. When there is sufficient available data for meta-analysis, we will use the RevMan V.5.3 statistical software for data synthesis. The total effective rate, range of motion of wrist ulnar deviation will be the primary outcomes, and the secondary outcomes contain Visual Analog Scale, Coney Wrist Score and side effects. We will express the result by using Risk ratio for dichotomous data and mean differences with a 95% confidence interval for continuous data.

Results:
The results of this study be presented in corresponding journal or conferences.

Conclusions:
This study is designed to provide sufficient evidence to assess the exact effectiveness of AM on De Quervain's tenosynovitis.

PROSPERO registration number:
CRD42020158764.
Complete monoplegia due to limb-kinetic apraxia in a patient with traumatic brain injury
Authors: Jang Sung Ho , Seo You Sung 
Published: December 2020

Abstract

Rationale:
Limb-kinetic apraxia (LKA) is a disorder of movement execution that is a result of injury to the corticofugal tracts (CFTs) from the secondary motor area. We report on a patient with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and complete monoplegia due to LKA, which was mainly ascribed to injury of the CFT from the secondary motor area using diffusion tensor tractography.

Patient concerns:
A 35-year-old male was struck by a car from the side during riding an autocycle and received direct head trauma as a result of falling to ground. He lost consciousness for approximately 1 month and experienced continuous post-traumatic amnesia after the accident. The patient's Glasgow Coma Scale score was 3 and he showed quadriparesis including complete monoplegia of his left arm since the onset of TBI.

Diagnoses:
The patient diagnosed complete monoplegia due to LKA after traumatic brain injury.

Interventions:
He underwent conservative management for TBI followed by rehabilitation at approximately 2 months after onset. Outcomes: At 32-month after onset, weakness on left arm (Manual Muscle Test [MMT]:0) and partial weakness of left leg (MMT:3).

Outcomes:
Results of electromyography and nerve conduction studies of left extremities were normal. Motor evoked potential values obtained from the abductor pollicis brevis muscle (APB) were: right APB latency 22.3msec, amplitude 1.6mV; left APB latency 22.8msec, amplitude 1.5mV. After 2 weeks of administration of dopaminergic drugs for improvement of LKA, left arm weakness had recovered to level that permitted movement against gravity (MMT:3). Diffusion tensor tractography at 32-month after onset showed right corticospinal tract discontinuation at the pontine level and partial tearing of the left corticospinal tract at the subcortical white matter. In addition, the left CFT from the supplementary motor area showed partial tearing at the subcortical white matter.

Lessons:
The LKA due to injury of the left supplementary motor area-CFT was demonstrated in a patient with complete monoplegia following TBI. Accurate diagnosis of LKA is important for successful rehabilitation because LKA is known to respond to dopaminergic drug treatment.
Efficacy and safety of thread embedding acupuncture combined with acupuncture for chronic low back pain
Authors: Sung Won-Suk , Hong Yejin , Jeon Sae-Rom , Yoon Jimin , Chung Eun Kyoung , Jo Hyeong Geun , Kim Tae-Hun , Shin Seungwon , Lee Hyun-Jong , Kim Eun-Jung , Seo Byung-Kwan , Choi Jieun , Nam Dongwoo 
Published: December 2020

Abstract

Background:
Low back pain is a very common disease. Many patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) have been treated by complementary and alternative medicine such as acupuncture (AT) treatment. A type of AT, thread embedding acupuncture (TEA), consists of a thread that can continually stimulate at the AT points and has mechanical and chemical effects. Although TEA was widely used in clinical practice, there was little evidence of its efficacy and safety for CLBP.

Methods:
This clinical trial was randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded, two-armed, parallel, and conducted in multiple centers. Four Korean medical institutions recruited 38 outpatients with CLBP. The participants were randomly allocated to a treatment group (TEA combined with AT) or a control group (only AT) in a 1:1 ratio. All participants received conventional AT twice a week for 8 weeks (16 sessions) at 15 AT points (GV3 and bilateral BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, BL60, and EX-B5) and the treatment group participants additionally received TEA once a week for 8 weeks (8 sessions) on 10 AT points in the multifidus, spinal erector, and lumbar quadrate muscles. The primary outcome measure of this study was the change of visual analog scale (VAS) from baseline (0 week) to the end of intervention (8 weeks). Secondary outcome measures included clinically relevant improvement (minimal clinically important difference) and 3% to 50% decrease on VAS, disability level (Korean version of Roland and Morris disability questionnaire), quality of life (Korean version of European quality of life 5dimension), global assessment (patient global impression of change), economic analysis, credibility test, and safety assessment.

Results:
The treatment group showed a significant reduction in VAS scores when compared with the control group (–33.7 ± 25.1 vs –15.6 ± 17.0, P = .013). As for the secondary outcome measures, the treatment group showed significant difference in 50% decrease on VAS and patient global impression of change. There was no serious adverse event associated with TEA and AT.

Conclusion:
This clinical trial documents the efficacy and safety of TEA combined with AT for the management of CLBP.
Mining of gene modules and identification of key genes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma based on gene co-expression network analysis
Authors: Zhao Qian , Zhang Yan , Zhang Xue , Sun Yeqing , Lin Zhengkui 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
To explore the gene modules and key genes of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), a bioinformatics algorithm based on the gene co-expression network analysis was proposed in this study.
Firstly, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and a gene co-expression network (i-GCN) was constructed with Pearson correlation analysis. Then, the gene modules were identified with 5 different community detection algorithms, and the correlation analysis between gene modules and clinical indicators was performed. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis was used to annotate the biological pathways of the gene modules. Then, the key genes were identified with 2 methods, gene significance (GS) and PageRank algorithm. Moreover, we used the Disgenet database to search the related diseases of the key genes. Lastly, the online software onclnc was used to perform the survival analysis on the key genes and draw survival curves.
There were 2600 up-regulated and 1547 down-regulated genes identified in HNSCC. An i-GCN was constructed with Pearson correlation analysis. Then, the i-GCN was divided into 9 gene modules. The result of association analysis showed that, sex was mainly related to mitosis and meiosis processes, event was mainly related to responding to interferons, viruses and T cell differentiation processes, T stage was mainly related to muscle development and contraction, regulation of protein transport activity processes, N stage was mainly related to mitosis and meiosis processes, while M stage was mainly related to responding to interferons and immune response processes. Lastly, 34 key genes were identified, such as CDKN2A, HOXA1, CDC7, PPL, EVPL, PXN, PDGFRB, CALD1, and NUSAP1. Among them, HOXA1, PXN, and NUSAP1 were negatively correlated with the survival prognosis.
HOXA1, PXN, and NUSAP1 might play important roles in the progression of HNSCC and severed as potential biomarkers for future diagnosis.
Echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular end diastolic pressure in patients with diastolic heart failure
Authors: Zhang Fen , Liang Yi , Chen Xinxin , Xu Liangjie , Zhou Cuicui , Fan Tingpan , Yan Jinchaun 
Published: December 2020

AbstractTo evaluate the left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) in patients with diastolic heart failure by echocardiography and explore the clinical value of echocardiography.From July 2017 to January 2018, 120 patients were prospectively selected from the affiliated hospital of Jiangsu university diagnosed as diastolic heart failure (York Heart Association class ≥II, LVEF ≥50%). The patients were divided into group with LVEDP ≤15 mm hg (1 mm hg = 0.133 kpa) (43 cases) and the group with LVEDP >15 mm hg (77 cases) according to the real-time measurement of LVEDP. Receiver operator characteristic curves of each parameter of echocardiography in diagnosis of LVEDP were compared between the 2 groups.Common ultrasonic parameters such as left ventricular inflow tract blood flow propagation velocity, mitral valve diastole e peak velocity/mitral valve diastole a peak velocity, e peak deceleration time, a peak duration, and early diastole interventricular septum bicuspid annulus velocity e’ (e'sep) were used to evaluate LVEDP elevation with low accuracy (AUC is only between 0.5 and 0.7). Other ultrasonic parameters such as left atrial volume index (LAVI), tricuspid regurgitation maximum flow rate (TRmax), early diastole left ventricular sidewall bicuspid annulus velocity e’ (e’lat), average e’, E/e'sep, E/e’lat, average E/e’ were used to evaluate LVEDP elevation with a certain improvement in accuracy (AUC between 0.7 and 0.9). Propagation velocity, mitral valve diastole e peak velocity/mitral valve diastole a peak velocity, e peak deceleration time, a peak duration, e'sep, average e’, E/e'sep have very low correlation with LVEDP (r = −0.283 to 0.281); LAVI, TRmax, e’lat, E/e’lat, average E/e’ and LVEDP are not highly correlated (r = 0.330–0.478). Through real-time left ventricular manometry, multiple regression analysis showed that TRmax, average e’, e’lat, LAVI were independently correlated with the actual measured LVEDP.Echocardiography can recognize the increase of LVEDP in patients with heart failure preserved by LVEF, and estimate the value of LVEDP roughly, which can reflect LVEDP to a certain extent, with high feasibility and accuracy.
Corona Virus Disease 2019 patients with different disease severity or age range
Authors: Ren Lingyun , Yao Dan , Cui Zuowei , Chen Shanshan , Yan Hong 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
This study aimed to describe clinical characteristics and prognosis of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, and to compare these features among COVID-19 patients with different disease severity or age range.
Totally, 129 COVID-19 patients were retrospectively enrolled, and the information about demographics, comorbidities, medical histories, clinical symptoms, and laboratory findings at the time of hospital admission were collected. Meanwhile, their clinical outcomes were recorded. According to the fourth version of the guidelines on the Diagnosis and Treatment of COVID-19 by the National Health Commission of China, patients were divided into subgroups according to disease severity (moderate and severe/critical) or age (<40 years, 40–64 years and ≥65 years).
In total patients, the most common clinical symptoms were fever and cough (all incidences over 50%). Other common clinical symptoms included tiredness/anorexia, shortness of breath, dyspnea, aching pain, expectoration, diarrhea, shivering, and nausea/vomiting. The mortality rate was 5.4%, and the median value of hospital stay was 16.0 (11.0–23.0) days. Subgroup analyses disclosed that severe/critical patients exhibited increased neutrophil count, neutrophils, C-reactive protein, calcitonin, alpha-hydroxybutyric dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, creatinine, and D-dimer levels, and more deaths compared with that in moderate patients. Regarding age, it correlated with more common fever, higher levels of red blood cell, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, neutrophils, red cell volume distribution width standard deviation-coefficient of variation, calcitonin, alpha-hydroxybutyric dehydrogenase, Creatine Kinase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, and D-dimer, raised death rate and prolonged hospital stay.
Our findings provide valuable evidence regarding clinical characteristics and prognosis of COVID-19 patients to help with the understanding of the disease and prognosis improvement.
Chinese herbal medicine on treating obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Ding Ning , Yue Rensong , Wang Lizhen , Yang Hongjing 
Published: December 2020

Abstract

Introduction:
Known as an endocrine disorder, Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has posed an influence on 6% to 20% reproductive females worldwide. The commonly used pharmaceutical agents currently are Oral Contraceptives (OCs) and insulin-sensitizing agents. However, OCs is not appropriate for females pursuing pregnancy. Furthermore, some of insulin-sensitizing agents are found to be related to a high incidence of gastrointestinal adverse effects. In this regard, the effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine in handling reproductive and metabolic defects simultaneously has been proved by extensive evidence. In this research, the effectiveness and safety of Chinese herbal medicine for obese females with PCOS were examined.

Methods and analysis:
In the systematic review, we searched databases of AMED, Science Online, EMbase, WorldSciNet, the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Nature, MEDLINE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Wanfang Databse and China Biology Medicine Disc and the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, to find out the papers published in Chinese or English by September 25, 2020 in this field. In addition, potential reference lists, relevant conference proceedings, qualified studies, related system reviews and other resources were also considered. Two researchers were responsible for independently selecting the research papers, collecting data, and evaluating research quality. Moreover, the data were synthesized with the combination of a fixed-effects or random-effects model with the heterogeneity test. According to the objective and self-reported assessment, the primary outcomes will be Nausea and vomiting were primary outcomes. RevMan 5 software was used to analyze the collected data, the evidence level of which was evaluated by GRADE. The selection between the fixed-effects and random-effects models was determined by the heterogeneity level. In addition to the 95% Confidence Interval (CI), odds ratio (OR), or risk ratio (RR) was applied to the 2 categories. Moreover, 95% CI and standardized mean difference (SMD) or the weighted mean difference (WMD) were taken as the continuous variables. When existing meaningful heterogeneity could not be explained by any assessment such as subgroup analysis, we would not conduct a meta-analysis. During the subgroup analysis, each subgroup in specific cases should be comprehensively considered.

Ethics and dissemination:
The evaluation of rights or personal information of patients was not involved in the systematic review. Hence, we need not gain approval from ethical institutions. This paper will be present at related conferences for communication and published in journals.

Registration:
Open Science Framework (OSF) Preregistration: osf.io/yp86h.
The safety and efficacy of endoscopic endonasal approach in the treatment of recurrent craniopharyngioma
Authors: Li Pengtao , Axier Aximujiang , Li Shaoshan , Zhou Kai , Yun Jingwei , Wang Huayi , Zhang Tingrong 
Published: December 2020

Abstract

Background:
Craniopharyngioma is the most challenging brain tumor with a high recurrence rate. Some scholars have shown that endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) can achieve a higher total tumor resection rate and significantly reduce the incidence of complications and mortality. However, there is still no consensus on the surgical approach for recurrent craniopharyngioma. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of EEA in the treatment of recurrent craniopharyngioma.

Methods:
We will search 7 electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, AMED, Scopus) to collect related randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The resection rate, recurrence rate and progression-free survival rate will be regarded as the primary outcome, and the incidence of complications will be regarded as the secondary outcome. Endnote Software X9.0 will be used to filter articles, Review Manager Software 5.2 and STATA software 16.0 will be used for analysis and synthesis.

Results:
We will integrate existing studies to assess the safety and efficacy of EEA in the treatment of recurrent craniopharyngioma.

Conclusion:
Our study will provide EEA as an effective and safe treatment for recurrent craniopharyngioma.

Registration number:
International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO): CRD42020199860
The efficacy and safety of Yuxingcao eye drops in the treatment of COVID-19 conjunctivitis
Authors: Wu Jiajun , Pu Liqu , Zhou Hui , Qu Wenjia , Zhao Dandan , Liu Chunmeng , Dong Xuewen , Zhang Fuwen 
Published: December 2020

Abstract

Background:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). There is no specific cure for this disease, and the clinical management mainly depends on supportive treatment. This disease may affect SARS-CoV-2 conjunctivitis. Yuxingcao eye drops is used in treating COVID-19 conjunctivitis in China.

Methods:
A comprehensive literature search will be conducted. Two methodological trained researchers will read the title, abstract, and full texts and independently select the qualified literature according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. After assessment of the risk of bias and data extraction, we will conduct meta-analyses for outcomes related to COVID-19 conjunctivitis. The heterogeneity of data will be investigated by Cochrane X2 and I
2 tests. Then publication bias assessment will be conducted by funnel plot analysis and Egger test.

Results:
The results of our research will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Conclusion:
Our study aims to systematically present the clinical evidence of Yuxingcao eye drops in treating COVID-19 conjunctivitis, which will be of significant meaning for further research and clinical practice.

PROSPERO registration number:
PROSPERO CRD42020209059.
Identification of candidate biomarkers correlated with the pathogenesis and prognosis of breast cancer via integrated bioinformatics analysis
Authors: Liu Shuyu , Liu Xinkui , Wu Jiarui , Zhou Wei , Ni Mengwei , Meng Ziqi , Jia Shanshan , Zhang Jingyuan , Guo Siyu , Lu Shan , Li Yingfei 
Published: December 2020

Abstract

Background:
This study was carried out to identify potential key genes associated with the pathogenesis and prognosis of breast cancer (BC).

Methods:
Seven GEO datasets (GSE24124, GSE32641, GSE36295, GSE42568, GSE53752, GSE70947, GSE109169) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between BC and normal breast tissue samples were screened by an integrated analysis of multiple gene expression profile datasets. Hub genes related to the pathogenesis and prognosis of BC were verified by employing protein–protein interaction (PPI) network.

Results:
Ten hub genes with high degree were identified, including CDK1, CDC20, CCNA2, CCNB1, CCNB2, BUB1, BUB1B, CDCA8, KIF11, and TOP2A. Lastly, the Kaplan–Meier plotter (KM plotter) online database demonstrated that higher expression levels of these genes were related to lower overall survival. Experimental validation showed that all 10 hub genes had the same expression trend as predicted.

Conclusion:
The findings of this research would provide some directive significance for further investigating the diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers to facilitate the molecular targeting therapy of BC, which could be used as a new biomarker for diagnosis and to guide the combination medicine of BC.