bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and Safety of Metformin Use in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Randomized Controlled Study
Authors: Gharib Mahmoud , Elbaz Walaa , Darweesh Ebtissam , Sabri Nagwa Ali , Shawki May Ahmed 
Published: September 2021

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of metformin use in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients receiving conventional synthetic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (csDMARDs).Methods: A prospective, randomized, controlled, single blinded, study was carried on 66 RA patients with moderate and high disease activity state, receiving csDMARDs. Patients were simply randomized to receive either metformin 850 mg twice daily (Metformin group, n = 33), or placebo twice daily (Control group, n = 33) in addition to their stable anti-rheumatic regimen and followed up for 6 months. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP), disease activity of 28 joints based on CRP (DAS-28-CRP), and quality of life (QOL) were evaluated at baseline and then every 3 months. Moreover, serum adiponectin was assessed at baseline and after 6 months.Results: Sixty patients completed the study. Drop out was due to intolerance to metformin side effects (n = 3) and non-compliance (n = 3). Metformin significantly decreased CRP levels and DAS-28-CRP after 6 months compared to the control group (p-value &lt;0.001). A significant improvement in QOL of metformin group was observed as early as after 3 months (p-value = 0.006) with a continued improvement observed at 6 months (p-value &lt;0.001) compared to the control group. Despite the significantly higher serum adiponectin in the metformin group at baseline, it was significantly reduced after 6 months in the metformin group with median percent change of −63.49% compared to the significant increase in the control group with median percent change of 92.40%.Conclusion: Metformin significantly improved inflammation, disease severity, and QOL in RA patients with high safety profile.Clinical Trial Registration: Clinical-Trials.gov, identifier [NCT08363405].
Changes Over Time in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Among Children Who Survived the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake and Predictive Variables
Authors: Chen Ying , Lam Chow , Deng Hong , Ko Kam Ying 
Published: September 2021

Background: This study examines changes over time in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among children who survived the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake and the relevant predictive variables.Methods: A total of 203 children and adolescents were investigated 24 months after the earthquake, and 151 children and adolescents completed the 1-year follow-up study. Participants completed the Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-13), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Hierarchical linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the predictors of changes in PTSD severity.Results: Eighty percent of the children still had some PTSD symptoms 2 years after the Wenchuan earthquake, and 66.25% of the children had symptoms that lasted 3 years. In the model predicting PTSD symptom severity, the loss of family members and child burial explained a significant 21.9% of the variance, and depression explained a significant 16.7% of the variance. In the model predicting changes in PTSD severity, the change scores for resilience and depression explained a significant 18.7% of the variance, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) explained a significant 33.6% of the variance.Conclusions: PTSD symptoms in children and adolescents can persist for many years after trauma. In addition to using psychological interventions to improve PTSD symptoms, improvements in depression and resilience should also be considered.
Irritability Is Associated With Decreased Cortical Surface Area and Anxiety With Decreased Gyrification During Brain Development
Authors: Piguet Camille , Mihailov Angeline , Grigis Antoine , Laidi Charles , Duchesnay Edouard , Houenou Josselin 
Published: September 2021

Background: Brain development is of utmost importance for the emergence of psychiatric disorders, as the most severe of them arise before 25 years old. However, little is known regarding how early transdiagnostic symptoms, in a dimensional framework, are associated with cortical development. Anxiety and irritability are central vulnerability traits for subsequent mood and anxiety disorders. In this study, we investigate how these dimensions are related to structural changes in the brain to understand how they may increase the transition risk to full-blown disorders.Methods: We used the opportunity of an open access developmental cohort, the Healthy Brain Network, to investigate associations between cortical surface markers and irritability and anxiety scores as measured by parents and self-reports.Results: We found that in 658 young people (with a mean age of 11.6) the parental report of irritability is associated with decreased surface area in the bilateral rostral prefrontal cortex and the precuneus. Furthermore, parental reports of anxiety were associated with decreased local gyrification index in the anterior cingulate cortex and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex.Conclusions: These results are consistent with current models of emotion regulation network maturation, showing decreased surface area or gyrification index in regions associated with impaired affective control in mood and anxiety disorders. Our results highlight how dimensional traits may increase vulnerability for these disorders.
End-of-Life Decision-Making Capacity in Older People With Serious Mental Illness
Authors: Kotzé Carla , Roos Johannes Lodewikus , Ehlers René 
Published: September 2021

Background:The study's main aim was to assess the end-of-life decision-making capacity and health-related values of older people with serious mental illness.Methods:A cross-sectional, observational study, was done at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital, Gauteng Province, South Africa that included 100 adults older than 60 years of age and diagnosed with serious mental illness. The Mini-Cog and a semi-structured clinical assessment of end-of-life decision-making capacity was done before a standardized interview, Assessment of Capacity to Consent to Treatment, was administered. This standardized instrument uses a hypothetical vignette to assess decision-making capacity and explores healthcare-related values.Results:The Assessment of Capacity to Consent to Treatment scores correlated (p&lt; 0.001) with the outcomes of the semi-structured decision-making capacity evaluation. Significant correlations with impaired decision-making capacity included: lower scores on the Mini-Cog (p&lt; 0.001); a duration of serious mental illness of 30–39 years (p= 0025); having a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (p= 0.0007); and being admitted involuntarily (p&lt; 0.0001). A main finding was that 65% of participants had decision-making capacity for end-of-life decisions, were able to express their values and engage in advance care discussions.Discussion and Conclusion:Healthcare providers have a duty to initiate advance care discussions, optimize decision-making capacity, and protect autonomous decision-making. Many older patients with serious mental illness can engage in end-of-life discussions and can make autonomous decisions about preferred end-of-life care. Chronological age or diagnostic categories should never be used as reasons for discrimination, and older people with serious mental illness should receive end-of-life care in keeping with their preferences and values.
Lean to Fly: Leaning-Based Embodied Flying can Improve Performance and User Experience in 3D Navigation
Authors: Adhikari Ashu , Hashemian Abraham M. , Nguyen-Vo Thinh , Kruijff Ernst , Heyde Markus von der , Riecke Bernhard E. 
Published: September 2021

When users in virtual reality cannot physically walk and self-motions are instead only visually simulated, spatial updating is often impaired. In this paper, we report on a study that investigated if HeadJoystick, an embodied leaning-based flying interface, could improve performance in a 3D navigational search task that relies on maintaining situational awareness and spatial updating in VR. We compared it to Gamepad, a standard flying interface. For both interfaces, participants were seated on a swivel chair and controlled simulated rotations by physically rotating. They either leaned (forward/backward, right/left, up/down) or used the Gamepad thumbsticks for simulated translation. In a gamified 3D navigational search task, participants had to find eight balls within 5 min. Those balls were hidden amongst 16 randomly positioned boxes in a dark environment devoid of any landmarks. Compared to the Gamepad, participants collected more balls using the HeadJoystick. It also minimized the distance travelled, motion sickness, and mental task demand. Moreover, the HeadJoystick was rated better in terms of ease of use, controllability, learnability, overall usability, and self-motion perception. However, participants rated HeadJoystick could be more physically fatiguing after a long use. Overall, participants felt more engaged with HeadJoystick, enjoyed it more, and preferred it. Together, this provides evidence that leaning-based interfaces like HeadJoystick can provide an affordable and effective alternative for flying in VR and potentially telepresence drones.
Acceptance of Supportive Illustrations for Preparation of Patients for an Orthopedic Telemedical Consultation
Authors: Estel Katharina , Weber Gordian , Richter Luise , Hofmann Marko , Ruckdeschel Patrick , Märdian Sven , Willy Christian , Back David Alexander 
Published: September 2021

Introduction: Telemedical video consultations are a powerful support for patient–doctor interactions. For optimal digital settings, explanatory illustrations may be helpful for patients. This study analyzed patients' the attitude of patients to illustrations preparing for an orthopedic telemedical consultation (OTC).Methods: A leaflet with eight illustrations was designed and their acceptance and estimated necessity was evaluated among patients who had experienced an OTC (EXP-group) and others who had not (NOV-group) with a 12-item-questionnaire.Results: Sixty patients participated (n = 30 each group). All illustrations were evaluated positively. The EXP-group gave significantly higher ratings than the NOV-group for improved understanding by the given keywords of the illustrations (p = 0.046), preference for being informed by illustrations than by merely by a pure text (p = 0.023), better feeling of preparation for an OTC by the illustrations (p = 0.005), and the impression of a simplified process of the OTC by the illustrations (p = 0.012).Discussion: While the illustrations were well-accepted by the participants, significant differences were revealed between the valuation of single aspects by patients, depending on a previous experience with an OTC. Therefore, a leaflet with explanatory illustrations may be helpful in preparing patients for an OTC to support the digital patient–doctor contact.
Comparison of Different Surgical Methods for Necrotizing Pancreatitis: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Xiao Jianguo , Quan Xiaojiao , Liu Fang , Li Wen 
Published: September 2021

Purpose: To compare the effectiveness and safety of three methods of open necrosectomy, minimally invasive surgery and endoscopic step-up approach for necrotizing pancreatitis.Methods: We searched Pubmed, Embase, ScienceDirect, and CNKI full text database (CNKI) (to December 25, 2019). RCT, prospective cohort study (PCS), and retrospective cohort study (RCS) comparing the effectiveness and safety of any two of above-mentioned three methods were included.Results: There was no significant difference in major complications or death, and mortality between the minimally invasive surgery treatment group and the endoscopic step-up approach treatment group (RR = 1.66, 95%CI: 0.83–3.33, P = 0.15; RR = 1.05, 95%CI: 0.59–1.86, P = 0.87); the incidence rate of new-onset multiple organ failure, enterocutaneous fistula, pancreatic-cutaneous fistula, intra-abdominal bleeding, and endocrine pancreatic insufficiency in the endoscopic step-up approach treatment group was significantly lower than minimally invasive surgery group (RR = 2.65, 95%CI: 1.10–6.36, P = 0.03; RR = 6.63, 95%CI: 1.59–27.60, P = 0.009; RR = 7.73, 95%CI: 3.00–19.89, P &lt; 0.0001; RR = 1.91, 95%CI: 1.13–3.24, P = 0.02; RR = 1.83, 95%CI: 1.9–3.16, P = 0.02); hospital stay in the endoscopic step-up approach group was significantly shorter than minimally invasive surgical treatment group (MD = 11.26, 95%CI: 5.46–17.05, P = 0.0001). The incidence of pancreatic-cutaneous fistula in the endoscopic escalation step therapy group was significantly lower than that in the open necrosectomy group (RR = 0.11, 95%CI: 0.02–0.58, P = 0.009).Conclusion: Compared with minimally invasive surgery and open necrosectomy, although endoscopic step-up approach cannot reduce the main complications or death and mortality of patients, it can significantly reduce the incidence of some serious complications, such as pancreatic-cutaneous fistula, enterocutaneous fistula, intra-abdominal bleeding, endocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and can significantly shorten the patient's hospital stay.
Uso de probióticos y ácidos orgánicos como estimulantes del desarrollo de aves de engorde: artículo de revisión
Authors: Iñiguez Heredia Franklin Alfredo , Espinoza Bustamante Xavier Esteban , Galarza Molina Enmanuel Leonardo 
Published: September 2021

Se plantea un análisis del uso de probióticos y acidificantes como alternativa al uso de antibióticos. La producción avícola tiene gran importancia por la gran demanda de carne para abastecer las necesidades de proteína, el rubro de producción puede significar hasta un 78% en costos, se tiende a encontrar alternativas para maximizar el rendimiento encontrándose como opciones viables productos como prebióticos, probióticos, acidificantes y enzimas utilizados como aditivos sea en el agua de bebida o en el alimento; a los probióticos se los considera como parte de los aditivos, proyectando su uso a futuro muy prometedor tomando en cuenta la intensidad de los sistemas de producción y a las ventajas que estos prometen en el balance microbiológico estos fortalecen los procesos a nivel del tracto gastrointestinal al lograr reducir el pH permiten un medio adecuado para que se desarrollen principalmente Lactobacillus, al utilizar prebióticos estos ayudaran a los probióticos nutriéndolos y permitiendo su fortalecimiento, los ácidos orgánicos mejoran los procesos digestivos, reducen el pH del tracto digestivo incrementando la proliferación de lactobacilos y disminuyendo la flora patógena. De esta manera la integridad intestinal es definida como el funcionamiento óptimo del intestino, permitiendo un mejoramiento de los parámetros zootécnicos, los problemas intestinales se evidencian en el aparato digestivo, haciendo que la energía destinada para la producción, sea enviada a las funciones de defensa, el presente artículo de revisión establece una recopilación de estudios con la finalidad de establecer un criterio de alternativas viables para reemplazar a los antibióticos.
Eficiencia de humedales artificiales de totora y berros sobre efluentes de granja porcícola, Perú
Authors: Sánchez Araujo Víctor Guillermo , Palomino Pastrana Pedro Antonio , Malpartida Yapias Rafael Julián 
Published: September 2021

La investigación se realizó para evaluar la eficiencia de humedales artificiales de Shoenoplectus californicus (totora) y Nasturtion officinale (berros) sobre los contaminantes de efluentes de granja de porcinos en Huancavelica. Para determinar la eficiencia de cantidad de la materia orgánica removida por los humedales artificiales se determinó la demanda química de oxígeno (DQO) y oxígeno disuelto (OD), para esto se utilizó el digestor y el colorímetro portátil Hach DR900. Los resultados obtenidos de la eficiencia del humedal artificial de la totora al ingreso y salida fue de 559.45 mg/l y 118.15 mg/l de DQO, de 1.11 a 8.25 mg/l OD, de 843.19 a 534.98 mg/l de conductividad eléctrica, 13.49 a 13.49 ºC de temperatura, 6.74 a 7.36 de pH, y para el humedal artificial de berros fue de 559.45 mg/l y 118.00 mg/l de DQO, 1.11 a 3.07 mg/l OD, 843.19 a 642.48mg/l de conductividad eléctrica, 13.49 a 13.32 ºC de temperatura, 6.74 a 7.29 de pH respectivamente. En conclusión, la eficiencia de los humedales artificiales de Schoenoplectus californicus (totora) es de 78.88 % y Nasturtion officinale (berros) 78.91%, en la remoción de contaminantes del efluente de la granja de porcinos en Huancavelica.
Tratamiento de aguas residuales domesticas mediante reactor anaerobio para la reutilización del efluente en cultivos agrícolas
Authors: Córdova Mendoza Pedro , Barrios Mendoza Teresa Oriele , Córdova Barrios Isis Cristel , Navarrete Velarde Raúl Antonio 
Published: September 2021

El objetivo de la investigación fue evaluar el tratamiento de aguas residuales domesticas mediante reactor anaerobio y su influencia significativa en la reutilización del efluente en cultivos agrícolas. La investigación realizada fue de tipo experimental, nivel descriptivo- explicativo, investigación aplicada. Como resultados se obtuvo que la norma DS N°003-2002-PRODUCE, establece los límites máximos permisibles y valores referenciales para la actividad en la reutilización con un pH entre 6-8, temperatura <35°C, se dispuso de la toma de muestra de la laguna de oxidación de Cachiche, como lo indica las coordenadas UTM, la biomasa anaerobia fue obtenido de Yaurilla-Parcona, se analizó el afluente tabla 5 y tabla 6, en las fechas indicadas a horas 8:00 am., (06.02.2021), y a horas 10:00 am., (02.04.2021), Discusión se evidenciaron que los resultados de caracterización ARD-010-A y ARD- 020-B, influenciaron en la reutilización del efluente en cultivos agrícolas. Para finalizar se tiene que la reutilización del efluente en cultivos agrícolas depende del tratamiento con reactor anaerobio en el tratamiento de aguas residuales se obtuvieron para las 32 horas con pH de 7.7; solidos suspendidos 38 mg/l y para los coliformes termo tolerantes un valor 890 NMP/100ml; valores que se encuentran por debajo de los estándares de calidad ambiental ECA AGUA para su reusó en la Categoría 3: Riego de vegetales y bebida de animales del DECRETO SUPREMO N° 004-2017-MINAM.
Efecto histoprotector de Aloe vera L. “sábila” en ratas con daño gástrico provocado por indometacina
Authors: Gonzales Llontop Luis , Chotón Calvo Mariel , Chico Ruiz Julio 
Published: September 2021

Se evaluó el efecto histoprotector de Aloe vera L. “sábila” en ratas con daño gástrico provocado por indometacina. Sé utilizó 50 ratas, de 4 meses de edad y de 250 g de peso promedio. Los animales se distribuyeron en grupo de diez para cada uno de los tratamientos. El grupo 1 (testigo) recibió SSF (0, 9%), el grupo 2 (control) se administró indometacina (20 mg/kg), y los grupos problema (3, 4 y 5) recibieron una, dos y tres dosis de sábila (50 mg/kg), respectivamente. La primera dosis se administró a las 4 horas procedentes a la indometacina y las demás dosis con sucesiones de 4 horas. Transcurrida una hora fueron anestesiadas y sacrificadas. En los niveles de lesiones gástricas macroscópicas y microscópicas se hallaron significativamente diferencias entre el grupo control (p< 0.001) y los grupos problema. En los grupos tratados con A. vera L. (p>0.05) no se encontró diferencias significativas. En nuestras condiciones experimentales la aplicación de un extracto de sábila en ratas con daño gástrico presentó efecto histoprotector.
Efecto de la temperatura y precipitacion sobre la agricultura en la cuenca Coata-Puno, Perú
Authors: Caira Mamani Cirilo Mario , Lopez Loayza Candida , Carhuarupay Molleda Yakov Felipe 
Published: September 2021

El cambio climático viene alterando las condiciones del clima en la cuenca del río Coata, siendo las temperaturas extremas y las precipitaciones pluviales las variables más sensibles; por ende, se investiga el efecto de la temperatura y precipitación sobre la agricultura en la cuenca Coata, con el objetivo de evaluar el comportamiento de las variables climáticas durante el periodo 2015-2016 y su efecto en la actividad agrícola del altiplano. Para tal efecto se ha trabajado con las series históricas de temperaturas extremas y precipitaciones pluviales de
48 años de las estaciones meteorológicas seleccionadas en base a tres criterios: longitud de las series, estaciones con datos faltantes y por la consistencia. Esta serie fueron sistematizada, corregidas y completadas en base al análisis de homogeneidad; con las pruebas no paramétricas y paramétricas se ha determinado las tendencias con niveles de significancia de 0.01, 0.05 y 0.10, y análogamente la información de rendimientos de los cultivos. Los resultados muestran que las temperaturas máximas tienden a incrementar en 0.05ºC anualmente, las temperaturas medias muestran un incremento anual de 0.028ºC con evidencia leve y las mínimas no muestran cambios significativos; mientras que las precipitaciones pluviales tienden a disminuir, y estos generan impactos significativos en los cultivos. Por lo tanto, no hay datos de rendimiento de los cultivos, se concluye que el cambio climático viene afectando a los parámetros de temperaturas y precipitaciones, y esto influye negativamente en el rendimiento de los cultivos del pan llevar.
From Royal Ideology to Religious Polemics: The Evolution of the Śākyan Tutelary Temple in South Asia
Authors: Shiri Yael 
Published: September 2021

This article explores the evolution of a story, common to many Buddhist traditions, narrating the Bodhisattva’s presentation as an infant at the Śākyan tutelary temple. Contrary to previous readings of the story, I argue that from its earliest occurrences this story was meant to shape the image of the Bodhisattva and the Śākya clan as an eminent royal lineage. As the article suggests, this image was fashioned in light of the prominent royal dynasties of Middle Period South Asia (ca. 1st–5th c. CE), particularly the Kuṣāṇas and Sātavāhanas. However, as time elapsed and the story evolved, it accumulated additional meanings and motifs which shifted its focus from a tale of royal symbolism to a polemical story of Buddhism’s religious superiority. To illustrate the development of this narrative I analyse both literary sources, with special attention to the Mūlasarvāstivāda-vinaya, which likely contains the earliest extant literary version, and various visual sources found primarily in Āndhradeśa and the site of Kanaganahalli (Karnataka, in the Greater Āndhra region), where the story clearly carried special significance.
Les « rois anciens » du pays tamoul
Authors: Schmid Charlotte 
Published: September 2021

Based on the particular case of the historiography of the Cōḻa dynasty in South India, this article ambitions to demonstrate how attention paid to texts sometimes leads to neglecting the context of their production and other types of sources that would however allow to give these texts a more historical value. Founded on the study of the Muttaraiyar that is a little-known dynasty of southern India based in the Andhra and Tamil countries between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE, it questions the doxa of the beginnings of the Cōḻa dynasty that has been developed as an identity marker of the Tamil nation-state. The analysis leads us to highlight the rupture that was introduced in the cultural history of the Tamil south when the oldest corpus of Tamil literature, the Caṅkam corpus, started to be reducing to writing.