Medicine
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Neurological complications of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection include cerebral infarction, meningoencephalitis, segmental sensory disturbance, facial nerve palsy, and myelitis. Chronic myelitis is rarely reported. Diagnosis of VZV infection can be confirmed by elevated anti-VZV immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody or detection of VZV DNA in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the former reported to be superior. The detection rate of VZV DNA is generally thought to decrease with time after the onset of the condition. The utility of VZV DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is thus thought to be limited to the acute phase of the disease. The presence of skin lesions also helps to render a diagnosis; however, cases of zoster sine herpete (ZSH), the occurrence of segmental symptoms without skin lesions, renders the diagnosis of VZV infection more difficult. Antiviral drugs, such as acyclovir, are the treatment of choice to resolve VZV infections. ⋯ VZV infection should be regarded as an important differential diagnosis of chronic myelitis. VZV DNA PCR should be performed even in the chronic phase of the condition to introduce the possibility of antiviral therapy as a treatment option.
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With the development of endoscopic technique and the improvement of available accessories, endoscopic therapy became to play an important role in the management of gastrointestinal submucosal tumors (SMTs). ⋯ Our successful experience showed that EFR is a feasible, safe and efficacious treatment for small (<2 cm) gastric GIST in liver transplant recipients, providing the advantages of little damage, short operative time, stable graft function, without compromising postoperative outcomes.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Retracted Publication
Randomized controlled evaluation of the effect of music therapy with cognitive-behavioral therapy on social anxiety symptoms.
This study examined the effects of music therapy with cognitive behavioral therapy on social anxiety in a sample of schooling adolescents in south-east Nigeria. ⋯ The study, therefore, suggests that the use of music therapy with cognitive-behavioral therapy is significant in reducing social anxiety among schooling adolescents.
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Meta Analysis
Efficacy and safety of siponimod for multiple sclerosis: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Multiple sclerosis is the most common demyelinating disease of the central nervous system with serious social and economic burden. Siponimod is a sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor agonist, and clinical trials in the past decade have shown good prospects for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. But there is a lack of comprehensive understanding of the dose-effect relationship and safety in different subtypes of multiple sclerosis at present. ⋯ The systematic review and meta-analysis is registered in the PROSPERO international prospective register of systematic review (PROSPERO#CRD42018112721).
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To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for locally advance prostate patients undergoing radical prostatectomy. ⋯ The application of taxanes-based chemotherapy has been widened to metastatic hormone sensitive prostate cancer in recent years. To be more vigorous, whether neoadjuvant administration of these cytotoxic agents can improve the outcome of RP in locally advance prostate cancer patients has been explored. This study aims to synthesis data regarding the adverse effect, response rate, recurrence, and survival from multiple trials, and to guide the healthcare practitioners using an evidence-based approach.