bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Biochemical and immunological markers for the early diagnosis of neonatal septicaemia
Authors: Nesa Ayatun , Yesmin Farjana , Muttalib M A 
Published: November 2020

Background: Neonatal sepsis is a life-threatening condition with high mortality and morbidity throughout the world.
Objective: This study evaluated the diagnostic role of serum procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among neonates admitted to the special baby care unit (SCABU) of BIRDEM General Hospital, Dhaka, from November 2018 to April 2019. According to selection criteria, 90 clinically suspected cases of neonatal sepsis were selected and categorised into confirmed, probable, and no sepsis groups based on CRP, white cell count, platelet count, and blood culture results. Serum PCT, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-a) were estimated in all cases by standard laboratory methods.
Results: Serum PCT, IL-6, CRP, and TNF-awere significantly higher in confirmed and probable sepsis groups in comparison to no sepsis group. Among the studied biomarkers, serum PCT was found most sensitive (95% sensitivity), and serum IL-6 was found most specific biomarkers (65.7% specificity) than CRP and TNF-a for the diagnosis of neonatal septicaemia. Though the accuracy of both PCT and IL-6 was found equal (70%), but the positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of serum PCT were higher than IL-6.
Conclusion: Both serum PCT and IL-6 are more sensitive and specific markers than CRP and TNF-a in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. Moreover, serum PCT is more useful than IL-6.
Bangladesh Med Res Counc Bull 2020; 46(2): 83-89
Effects of manual continuous home cervical traction in cervical spondylosis
Authors: Shakoor MA , Emran Md Ali , Zaman Abul Khair Ahmed , Md Moyeenuzzaman - 
Published: November 2020

Background: Cervical spondylosis is the results of disc degeneration with associated osteophytosis. Cervical traction is widely used to treat neck disorders. Rehabilitation treatment like cervical traction along with other measures at home may play an important role to reduce symptoms of the patients with cervical spondylosis.
Objective: A randomised clinical trial was conducted among 125 patients having cervical spondylosis to find out the effects of manual continuous home cervical traction.
Methods: The patients were selected on the basis specific selection criteria. They were subdivided into two groups. In Group-A (manual continuous home cervical traction group), 61 patients were treated with exercise, cervical collar, neck support, manual continuous home cervical traction, NSAID, warm moist compression and instruction in posture. In Group-B (conventional treatment receiving group), 64 patients were treated with exercise, cervical collar, neck support, warm moist compression, NSAID and instruction in posture.
Results: Among the subjects there were 68 (54.4 %) male and 57 (45.6 %) female. The mean age of the subjects was 45.94 ± 11.65 years. There was marked improvement of symptoms of the patients of Group-A in response to treatment for 6 weeks (p < 0.007). It indicates that manual home cervical traction was found effective to reduce the sign and symptoms of cervical spondylosis. There was improvement after treatment in Group-B also (p < 0.01). It indicates that conventional treatment was also found effective. In comparison, there was no significant difference between two groups (p < 0.36, 95% CI= ‐0.56 to 1.51) found after first week. But there was significant improvement in Group-A than Group-B after six weeks of treatment (p < 0.003, 95% CI= -2.40 to -0.51).
Conclusion: It may be concluded that manual continuous home cervical traction is beneficial for the patients with cervical spondylosis.
Bangladesh Med Res Counc Bull 2020; 46(2): 128-133
Suffix Study ια
Authors: Chia Philip Suciadi , Juanda Juanda 
Published: November 2020

The use of the suffix ια is interesting to study. According to Buck and Petersen combined words in -ια, Ion. -ιη, and those in -ιӑ in the same list because of practical convenience and their interrelations in Greek. On the other side there are uses that actually have their own peculiarities. There are many substantives without connections with adjectives in -ιος because prehistoric substantivations may be surmised. Καρδίας (in genitive) is an example of old concrete substantives in -ια is related to Hittie gen. kardias. Words in -ιă or -įāreflect a type which in the other IE languages appears as an ī/yā stem such as in Sankrit (nom. devī, acc. devīm, gen. devyās, dat.devyāi, etc.).
A Multiparametric Approach to Study the Preparation Phase of the 2019 M7.1 Ridgecrest (California, United States) Earthquake
Authors: De Santis Angelo , Cianchini Gianfranco , Marchetti Dedalo , Piscini Alessandro , Sabbagh Dario , Perrone Loredana , Campuzano Saioa Arquero , Inan Sedat 
Published: November 2020

The 2019 M7.1 Ridgecrest earthquake was the strongest one in the last 20 years in California (United States). In a multiparametric fashion, we collected data from the lithosphere (seismicity), atmosphere (temperature, water vapor, aerosol, and methane), and ionosphere (ionospheric parameters from ionosonde, electron density, and magnetic field data from satellites). We analyzed the data in order to identify possible anomalies that cannot be explained by the typical physics of each domain of study and can be likely attributed to the lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling (LAIC), due to the preparation phase of the Ridgecrest earthquake. The results are encouraging showing a chain of processes that connect the different geolayers before the earthquake, with the cumulative number of foreshocks and of all other (atmospheric and ionospheric) anomalies both accelerating in the same way as the mainshock is approaching.
Frictional Behaviour, Wear and Comminution of Synthetic Porous Geomaterials
Authors: Hughes Amy , Kendrick Jackie E. , Lamur Anthony , Wadsworth Fabian B. , Wallace Paul A. , Di Toro Giulio , Lavallée Yan 
Published: November 2020

During shearing in geological environments, frictional processes, including the wear of sliding rock surfaces, control the nature of the slip events. Multiple studies focusing on natural samples have investigated the frictional behaviour of a large suite of geological materials. However, due to the varied and heterogeneous nature of geomaterials, the individual controls of material properties on friction and wear remain unconstrained. Here, we use variably porous synthetic glass samples (8, 19 and 30% porosity) to explore the frictional behaviour and development of wear in geomaterials at low normal stresses (≤1 MPa). We propose that porosity provides an inherent roughness to material which wear and abrasion cannot smooth, allowing material at the pore margins to interact with the slip surface. This results in an increase in measured friction coefficient from &lt;0.4 for 8% porosity, to &lt;0.55 for 19% porosity and 0.6–0.8 for 30% porosity for the slip rates evaluated. For a given porosity, wear rate reduces with slip rate due to less asperity interaction time. At higher slip rates, samples also exhibit slip weakening behaviour, either due to evolution of the slipping zone or by the activation of temperature-dependent microphysical processes. However, heating rate and peak temperature may be reduced by rapid wear rates as frictional heating and wear compete. The higher wear rates and reduced heating rates of porous rocks during slip may delay the onset of thermally triggered dynamic weakening mechanisms such as flash heating, frictional melting and thermal pressurisation. Hence porosity, and the resultant friction coefficient, work, heating rate and wear rate, of materials can influence the dynamics of slip during such events as shallow crustal faulting or mass movements.
The Interdecadal Change of Relationship Between Summer Water Vapor Content Over Tibetan Plateau and Spring Sea Surface Temperature in Indian Ocean
Authors: Ren Qian , Zhong Shanshan , Chen Dan , Li Xiang , Zhang Tangtang 
Published: November 2020

The interannual relationship between the spring sea surface temperature over the western tropical Indian Ocean (WTIO SST) and summer water vapor content over Tibetan Plateau (TPWVC) enhances significantly after 1992/1993. The regressed atmospheric circulation against WTIO SST index (WTIO SSTI) for two periods is explored to explain the interdecadal variation. During ID1 (1979–1991), the center of the anomalous anticyclone is generally located eastward and the weak easterly anomalies on its southern flank transport moisture from the western Pacific to Southeast China with no effects on TPWVC. In ID2 (1994–2017), the Northwest Pacific anticyclone, the anomalous easterlies, and the subtropical high at 500 hPa all move westward and enhance significantly; thus, it forms a westward moisture transport pathway delivering the water vapor from the western Pacific into Tibetan Plateau. A possible mechanism is raised. On the one hand, the SST anomalies (SSTA) related to WTIO SSTI extend eastward from spring to summer in ID2. With the increased mean SST in the Indo-western Pacific Ocean under the global warming and the stronger mean summer SST in the eastern Indian Ocean, the positive SSTA induce the enhanced Kelvin waves and Northwest Pacific anticyclone with strong easterly anomalies during ID2. But in ID1, the SSTA related to WTIO SST confined in the western-central Indian Ocean from spring to summer excite the decreased Kelvin waves with less significant easterly anomalies due to the weaker mean SST. On the other hand, the eastward shift of tropical summer SSTA generates the increased convection and rising motion over the Southeast Indian Ocean in ID2. They enhance the easterly anomalies on the southern flank of the Northwest Pacific anticyclone and induce anticyclonic shear through the meridional circulation. As a result, the easterly anomalies shift westward to transport more moisture into Tibetan Plateau. However, in ID1, the easterly anomalies of the anticyclone cannot be strengthened with no westward shift. Therefore, the above reasons lead to the interdecadal enhancement of relationship between the spring WTIO SST and summer TPWVC.
Stress-Related Pre-Seismic Water Radon Concentration Variations in the Panjin Observation Well, China (1994–2020)
Authors: Zhou Zhihua , Tian Lei , Zhao Jing , Wang Haiyan , Liu Jianguang 
Published: November 2020

Continuous observation data from a period of 26 years show that water radon concentrations in the Panjin observation well document pre-seismic anomalies prior to earthquakes of 4.8 ≤ M ≤ 7 within a radius of 300 km. Among these earthquakes, two distinct groups with different water radon concentration anomalies and anomaly mechanisms are apparent. The abnormal characteristics of water radon concentrations clearly reflect the processes of stress change, while Cl− concentration, Ca2+ concentration, Mg2+ concentration, and escaping gas flow only document part of these processes. According to Global Positioning System main strain rate fields and area strain rate fields, the change in anomalous behavior coincides with the 2011 Great Tohoku M 9.1 earthquake. This event caused the stress state of the study area, located in eastern China, to change from a relative compressive stress state to a tensile state, and may be the main reason for the change in the precursory characteristics of water radon concentrations (from increasing to decreasing prior to earthquakes). Regardless, water radon concentration in the well remains a good pre-seismic indicator for earthquakes of M ≥ 4.8. In the near future (∼50–100 years), water radon anomalies in the Panjin observation well prior to earthquakes of M ≥ 4.8 will most likely manifest as a V-shaped concentration change. Helium and neon isotopic compositions of gas samples from the Panjin observation well show that the present relatively high levels of water radon concentrations are normal and not an earthquake precursor.
The Role of RIPK1/3 in Adult Onset Still’s Disease Patients With Liver Damage: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Liu Xuesong , Guo Ruru , Meng Xinyu , Fang Jianchen , Lu Liangjing 
Published: November 2020

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the distributions of lymphocytes in adult onset Still’s disease (AOSD) with liver dysfunction, and further prospectively explore whether receptor interacting serine/threonine kinases (RIPKs) in lymphocytes play a role in the pathogenesis of AOSD especially liver involvement.MethodsSeventy-two AOSD patients and 19 cases of healthy controls (HCs) were retrospectively reviewed, the AOSD group was then divided into liver damage (LD) group and non-liver damage (NLD) group, and the distributions of lymphocytes in peripheral blood were analyzed. Another independent 24 AOSD patients and 20 HCs were recruited for prospective study of RIPKs; the RIPKs in peripheral blood lymphocytes were detected by flow cytometry. Liver biopsy specimens were obtained from two AOSD patients and underwent immunochemistry analysis with RIPK1 and RIPK3 antibody.ResultsIn the retrospective study, AOSD showed significantly abnormal lymphocytes distributions, and disease activity was positively correlated with percentage of CD3+ T cells. LD patients were younger in age and showed higher disease activity score than NLD patients; they had higher frequencies of CD3+ T cells, especially higher CD8+ T cells (all p&lt;0.05). In the prospective study, RIPKs in lymphocytes were significantly higher in AOSD patients than that of HCs, and LD patients also showed higher RIPKs expression than NLD patients. In addition, RIPKs were positively correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and disease activity in AOSD patients and LD and NLD subgroups (all p&lt;0.05). Further, RIPKs expression was confirmed in two AOSD patients’ liver. ROC curve analysis indicated that RIPKs in lymphocytes (%) could be potential biomarkers in the diagnosis of AOSD and liver damage.ConclusionsAbnormal lymphocytes distributions and RIPKs expression were detected in AOSD. Aberrant expression of RIPKs in lymphocytes might be involved in the pathogenesis of AOSD. RIPKs could be candidate markers for AOSD and liver damage.
Repetitive Religious Chanting Invokes Positive Emotional Schema to Counterbalance Fear: A Multi-Modal Functional and Structural MRI Study
Authors: Gao Junling , Skouras Stavros , Leung Hang Kin , Wu Bonnie Wai Yan , Wu Huijun , Chang Chunqi , Sik Hin Hung 
Published: November 2020

IntroductionDuring hard times, religious chanting/praying is widely practiced to cope with negative or stressful emotions. While the underlying neural mechanism has not been investigated to a sufficient extent. A previous event-related potential study showed that religious chanting could significantly diminish the late-positive potential induced by negative stimuli. However, the regulatory role of subcortical brain regions, especially the amygdala, in this process remains unclear. This multi-modal MRI study aimed to further clarify the neural mechanism underlying the effectiveness of religious chanting for emotion regulation.MethodologyTwenty-one participants were recruited for a multi-modal MRI study. Their age range was 40–52 years, 11 were female and all participants had at least 1 year of experience in religious chanting. The participants were asked to view neutral/fearful pictures while practicing religious chanting (i.e., chanting the name of Buddha Amitābha), non-religious chanting (i.e., chanting the name of Santa Claus), or no chanting. A 3.0 T Philips MRI scanner was used to collect the data and SPM12 was used to analyze the imaging data. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to explore the potential hemispheric asymmetries in practitioners.ResultsCompared to non-religious chanting and no chanting, higher brain activity was observed in several brain regions when participants performed religious chanting while viewing fearful images. These brain regions included the fusiform gyrus, left parietal lobule, and prefrontal cortex, as well as subcortical regions such as the amygdala, thalamus, and midbrain. Importantly, significantly more activity was observed in the left than in the right amygdala during religious chanting. VBM showed hemispheric asymmetries, mainly in the thalamus, putamen, hippocampus, amygdala, and cerebellum; areas related to skill learning and biased memory formation.ConclusionThis preliminary study showed that repetitive religious chanting may induce strong brain activity, especially in response to stimuli with negative valence. Practicing religious chanting may structurally lateralize a network of brain areas involved in biased memory formation. These functional and structural results suggest that religious chanting helps to form a positive schema to counterbalance negative emotions. Future randomized control studies are necessary to confirm the neural mechanism related to religious chanting in coping with stress and negative emotions.
Risk of Recurrence of Chronic Subdural Hematomas After Surgery: A Multicenter Observational Cohort Study
Authors: Cofano Fabio , Pesce Alessandro , Vercelli Giovanni , Mammi Marco , Massara Armando , Minardi Massimiliano , Palmieri Mauro , D'Andrea Giancarlo , Fronda Chiara , Lanotte Michele Maria , Tartara Fulvio , Zenga Francesco , Frati Alessandro , Garbossa Diego 
Published: November 2020

Background: Chronic Subdural Hematoma (CSDH) is a common condition in the elderly population. Recurrence rates after surgical evacuation range from 5 to 30%. Factors predicting recurrence remain debated and unclear.Objective: To identify factors associated with increased risk of recurrence.Methods: Cases of CSDHs that underwent surgical treatment between 2005 and 2018 in the Neurosurgery Units of two major Italian hospitals were reviewed. Data extracted from a prospectively maintained database included demographics, laterality, antithrombotic therapy, history of trauma, corticosteroid therapy, preoperative and postoperative symptoms, type of surgical intervention, use of surgical drain, and clinical outcomes.Results: A total of 1313 patients was analyzed. The overall recurrence rate was 10.1%. The risk of recurrence was not significantly different between patients with unilateral or bilateral CSDH (10.4 vs. 8.8%, p = 0.39). The risk of recurrence was higher in patients that underwent surgical procedure without postoperative drainage (16.1 vs. 5.4%, p &lt; 0.01). No relationship was found between recurrence rates and therapy with antithrombotic drugs (p = 0.97). The risk of recurrence was increasingly higher considering craniostomy, craniectomy, and craniotomy (9.3, 11.3, and 18.9%, respectively, p = 0.013). Lower recurrence rates following Dexamethasone therapy were recorded (p = 0.013).Conclusion: No association was found between the risk of recurrence of CSDH after surgical evacuation and age, use of antithrombotic medication, or laterality. Burr-hole craniostomy was found to be associated with lower recurrence rates, when compared to other surgical procedures. Placement of surgical drain and Dexamethasone therapy were significantly associated with reduced risk of recurrence of CSDHs.
Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic Confinement in Patients With Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Barguilla Ainara , Fernández-Lebrero Aida , Estragués-Gázquez Isabel , García-Escobar Greta , Navalpotro-Gómez Irene , Manero Rosa María , Puente-Periz Víctor , Roquer Jaume , Puig-Pijoan Albert 
Published: November 2020

Introduction: State of emergency caused by COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown hit Spain on 14th March 2020 and lasted until 21st June 2020. Social isolation measures were applied. Medical attention was focused on COVID-19. Primary and social care were mainly performed by telephone. This exceptional situation may affect especially vulnerable patients such as people living with dementia. Our aim was to describe the influence of restrictive measures on patients living with mild cognitive decline and dementia evaluating SARS-CoV2 infection, changes in routines, cognitive decline stage, neuropsychiatric symptoms, delirium, falls, caregiver stress, and access to sanitary care.Materials and Methods: We gathered MCI and dementia patients with clinical follow-up before and after confinement from DegMar registry (Hospital del Mar). A telephone ad-hoc questionnaire was administered. Global status was assessed using CDR scale. Changes in neuropsychiatric symptoms were assessed by Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and retrospective interview for pre-confinement base characteristics.Results: We contacted a total of 60 patients, age 75.4 years ± 5,192. 53.3% were women. Alzheimer's Disease (41.7%) and Mild Cognitive Impairment (25%) were the most prevalent diagnosis. Remaining cases included different dementia disorders. A total of 10% of patients had been diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2. During confinement 70% of patients abandoned previous daily activities, 60% had cognitive worsening reported by relatives/caretakers, 15% presented delirium episodes, and 13% suffered increased incidence of falls. Caregivers reported an increased burden in 41% cases and burnout in 11% cases. 16% reported difficulties accessing medical care, 33% received medical phone assistance, 20% needed emergency care and 21% had changes in psychopharmacological therapies. Neuropsychiatric profile globally worsened (p &lt; 0.000), also in particular items like agitation (p = 0.003), depression (p &lt; 0.000), anxiety (p &lt; 0.000) and changes in appetite (p = 0.004).Conclusion: SARS-CoV2-related lockdown resulted in an important effect over social and cognitive spheres and worsening of neuropsychiatric traits in patients living with mild cognitive decline and dementia. Although the uncertainty regarding the evolution of the pandemic makes strategy difficult, we need to reach patients and caregivers and develop adequate strategies to reinforce and adapt social and health care.
A Prognostic Nomogram Model Based on mRNA Expression of DNA Methylation-Driven Genes for Gastric Cancer
Authors: Chen Zuhua , Liu Bo , Yi Minxiao , Qiu Hong , Yuan Xianglin 
Published: November 2020

PurposeThe exploration and interpretation of DNA methylation-driven genes might contribute to molecular classification, prognostic prediction and therapeutic choice. In this study, we built a prognostic risk model via integrating analysis of the transcriptome and methylation profile for patients with gastric cancer (GC).MethodsThe mRNA expression profiles, DNA methylation profiles and corresponding clinicopathological information of 415 GC patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Differential expression and correlation analysis were performed to identify DNA methylation-driven genes. The candidate genes were selected by univariate Cox regression analyses followed by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. A prognostic risk nomogram model was then built together with clinicopathological parameters.Results5 DNA methylation-driven genes (CXCL3, F5, GNAI1, GAMT and GHR) were identified by integrated analyses and selected to construct the prognostic risk model with clinicopathological parameters. High expression and low DNA hypermethylation of F5, GNAI1, GAMT and GHR, as well as low expression and high DNA hypomethylation of CXCL3 were significantly associated with poor prognosis rates, respectively. The high-risk group showed a significantly shorter prognosis than the low-risk group in the TCGA dataset (HR = 0.212, 95% CI = 0.139–0.322, P = 2e-15). The final nomogram model showed high predictive efficiency and consistency in the training and validation group.ConclusionWe construct and validate a prognostic nomogram model for GC based on five DNA methylation-driven genes with high performance and stability. This nomogram model might be a powerful tool for prognosis evaluation in the clinic and also provided novel insights into the epigenetics in GC.