Electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings provide a valuable, noninvasive method for measuring human brain activity. This protocol modi es our general protocol for EEG recording (Farrens et al., 2019) for use during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was created with the help of numerous experts, and it speci es a clear set of steps for interacting with research participants, using personal protective equipment (PPE), and disinfecting equipment, all with the goal of reducing the COVID-19 risks for both laboratory personnel and participants. It focuses on the use of EEG in relatively simple research studies of adults who can easily understand and follow instructions, yet can be readily adapted for studies using other types of EEG experiments or other participant populations.

Objective The purpose of this article was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis regarding the diagnostic test accuracy of chest CT for detecting coronavirus disease 2019 . Methods PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and CNKI were searched up to March 12, 2020. We included studies providing information regarding diagnostic test accuracy of chest CT for COVID-19 detection. The methodological quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool. Sensitivity and specificity were pooled. Results Sixteen studies (n = 3186 patients) were included. The risks of bias in all studies were moderate in general. Pooled sensitivity was 92% (95% CI = 86-96%), and two studies reported specificity (25% [95% CI = 22-30%] and 33% [95% CI = 23-44%], respectively). There was substantial heterogeneity according to Cochran's Q test (p < 0.01) and Higgins I 2 heterogeneity index (96% for sensitivity). After dividing the studies into two groups based on the study site, we found that the sensitivity of chest CT was great in Wuhan (the most affected city by the epidemic) and the sensitivity values were very close to each other (97%, 96%, and 99%, respectively). In the regions other than Wuhan, the sensitivity varied from 61 to 98%. Conclusion Chest CT offers the great sensitivity for detecting COVID-19, especially in a region with severe epidemic situation. However, the specificity is low. In the context of emergency disease control, chest CT provides a fast, convenient, and effective method to early recognize suspicious cases and might contribute to confine epidemic. Key Points• Chest CT has a high sensitivity for detecting COVID-19, especially in a region with severe epidemic, which is helpful to early recognize suspicious cases and might contribute to confine epidemic.

BackgroundProgrammed cell death 1 (PD-1) blockade induces tumor regression in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC); however, little is known about the efficacy of PD-1 blockade as neoadjuvant therapy in resectable ESCC. We aim to assess the safety and feasibility of using the combination of neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade with chemotherapy in patients with ESCC.MethodsPatients with previously untreated, resectable (stage II or III) ESCC were enrolled. Each patient received two 21-day cycles of neoadjuvant treatment with camrelizumab, nab-paclitaxel, and carboplatin before undergoing surgical resection approximately 6–9 weeks after the first cycle.ResultsBetween January 2020 and September 2020, 37 patients were screened, of whom 23 were enrolled. The neoadjuvant therapeutic regimen had an acceptable side effect profile, and no delays in surgery were observed. Severe (grade 3–4) treatment-related adverse events included neutropenia (9 of 23, 39.1%) and leukopenia (2 of 23, 8.7%). The objective response and disease control rates were 90.5% and 100%, respectively. Twenty patients received surgery, and R0 resection was achieved in all cases. Five (25%) patients had a pathological complete response (PCR) and 10 (50%) patients had a major pathological response. The proportion of patients with a high tumor mutation burden and a high expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in primary tumor was significantly higher in the PCR group than in the non-PCR group (p=0.044). The number of infiltrating PD-L1+ CD163+ cells was significantly lower in the PCR group than in the non-PCR group after treatment (p=0.017).ConclusionsNeoadjuvant camrelizumab plus carboplatin and nab-paclitaxel had manageable treatment-related adverse effects and induced an objective response in 90.5% of patients, demonstrating its antitumor efficacy in resectable ESCC.Trial registration numberChiCTR2000028900.

Although there were some studies on clinicopathologic characteristics, operative morbidity, and mortality in elderly patients with gastric cancer, no reports have specifically focused on survival and quality of life after resection. A total of 433 patients aged >/= 65 years (1987-1994) who underwent gastric resection for gastric adenocarcinoma were studied. Two groups were considered: patients aged 65 to 74 years and those > 74 years. Most of the patients (78.1%) had advanced diseases, and nearly half (41. 3%) had associated chronic disease(s). Resections with curative intention were performed in 362 patients (83.6%). The overall operative morbidity rate was 21.7% and mortality rate 5.1%. Although operative procedures were similar in both groups, patients aged >74 years had a higher mortality rate than those aged 65 to 74 years (10. 1% vs. 3.5%; p = 0.034). Age and extent of gastric resection were two independent factors negatively affecting mortality. The cumulative survival rates for patients who underwent curative resection were 86.2%, 72.4%, 67.2%, 62.9%, and 60.0% at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years, respectively. Nearly all patients (96%) after surgery had normal work and daily activities. Some patients appeared to lack energy (16%) or experienced a period of anxiety or depression. There was no statistical difference in survival and quality of life assessed by the Spitzer index after curative resection between the two groups. Therefore resection with curative intention can be performed for the elderly with acceptable morbidity and mortality rates, possible long-term survival, and good quality of life, but a limited operation should be considered in the very elderly patients.