scholarly journals Effect of tone sandhi on singing in Chaozhou dialect

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi Zhang ◽  
Ian Cross
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
Corpus Analysis ◽  
Final Position ◽  
Tone Sandhi ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Southern Min ◽  
Citation Form

The Chaozhou dialect is a branch of Southern Min Chinese with eight tones and a wealth of tone sandhi. In this paper we explore whether there is a tone-sandhi effect on melodic construction and tone realisation in Chaozhou song, using a corpus analysis and observational study. Outcomes from the corpus analysis show a strikingly higher rate of tone-melody matching in Sandhi dataset than that in Citation dataset. In the observational study, we found significant differences between sandhi form and citation form concerning tones /53/ and /21/, but no significant difference for tones /35/ and /213/. Results suggest that falling tones in the final position of a phrase tended to exhibit a larger contoural range, and that tones in non-final positions may be more affected by the pitches of tones that precede or follow them.

scholarly journals The Relationship between Foot Status and Motor Status in Preschool Children: A Simple, Comparative Observational Study

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 936
Author(s):  
Milan Kojić ◽  
Branka Protić Gava ◽  
Milan Bajin ◽  
Marko Vasiljević ◽  
Jasmina Bašić ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preschool Children ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Nonparametric Tests ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Flat Feet ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
The Relationship

Background: The research objective of the study is to determine the differences in the manifestation of the motor status of normally fed preschool test subjects, classified into groups according to foot status. Methods: This is a simple, comparative observational study. Preschool children included in this study have been subjected to anthropometric measurements in order to determine BMI, tests for motor skills assessment (running at 20 m from a high start, standing broad jump, backwards polygon, rectangular seated forward bend, plate tapping, sit-ups for 60 s, and bent arm hang), and a determination of foot status. The total sample was comprised of 202 test subjects who attended a regular sports program, aged 3.9 to 6.5 years of decimal age (M = 141; Age = 5.3 ± 0.74; Height = 117.3 ± 7.1; Weight = 22 ± 3.7; F = 61; Age = 5.1 ± 0.73; Height = 114.9 ± 7.4; Weight = 21.2 ± 3.8), of which 153 (75.7%) were normally fed, 6 (3%) were undernourished, 30 were overweight (14.9%), and 13 were obese (6.4%). Results: In the total sample, 30 (14.9%) subjects had normal arch feet, 90 (44.6%) high arched feet, and 41 (20.3%) flat feet. We found 41 (20.3%) subjects who had different left and right foot statuses within this sample. The data were processed by means of nonparametric tests (the Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests) at a significance level p ≤ 0.05. Conclusion: The results show that there is a statistically significant difference between groups of subjects with different foot statuses in the manifestation of motor status in most tests, with a significance level of p ≤ 0.01, and in tests of sit-ups for 60 s and the bent arm hang, there is a statistically significant difference, the level of which is p ≤ 0.05. It is only in the inclination test of rectangular seated forward bend that no statistically significant difference was displayed.

scholarly journals Association between doctor-patient familiarity and patient-centred care during general practitioner's consultations: a direct observational study in Chinese primary care practice

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenwen Zhong ◽  
Mengping Zhou ◽  
Zhuojun Luo ◽  
Cuiying Liang ◽  
Lina Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Patient Centred Care ◽  
Time Length ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Information Treatment ◽  
Observation Code ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background Patient-centred care is a core attribute of primary care. Not much is known about the relationship between patient-centred care and doctor-patient familiarity. This study aimed to explore the association between general practitioner (GP) perceived doctor-patient familiarity and the provision of patient-centred care during GP consultations. Methods This is a direct observational study conducted in eight community health centres in China. Level of familiarity was rated by GPs using a dichotomized variable (Yes/No). The provision of patient-centred care during GP consultations was measured by coding audiotapes using a modified Davis Observation Code (DOC) interactional instrument. Eight individual codes in the modified DOC were selected for measuring the provision of patient-centred care, including ‘family information’, ‘treatment effects’, ‘nutrition guidance’, ‘exercise guidance’, ‘health knowledge’, ‘patient question’, ‘chatting’, and ‘counseling’. Multivariate analyses of covariance were adopted to evaluate the association between GP perceived doctor-patient familiarity and patient-centred care. Results A total of 445 audiotaped consultations were collected, with 243 in the familiar group and 202 in the unfamiliar group. No significant difference was detected in overall patient-centred care between the two groups. For components of patient-centred care, the number of intervals (1.36 vs 0.88, p = 0.026) and time length (7.26 vs. 4.40 s, p = 0.030) that GPs spent in ‘health knowledge’, as well as time length (13.0 vs. 8.34 s, p = 0.019) spent in ‘patient question’ were significantly higher in unfamiliar group. The percentage of ‘chatting’ (11.9% vs. 7.34%, p = 0.012) was significantly higher in the familiar group. Conclusions This study suggested that GP perceived doctor-patient familiarity may not be associated with GPs’ provision of patient-centred care during consultations in the context of China. Not unexpectedly, patients would show more health knowledge and ask more questions when GPs were not familiar with them. Further research is needed to confirm and expand on these findings.

scholarly journals Effective Early Treatment of AChR Antibody-Positive Myasthenia Gravis with Rituximab; the Experience from a Neuroimmunology Clinic in a Developing Country

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 117957352110160
Author(s):  
Thomas Mathew ◽  
Kurian Thomas ◽  
Saji K John ◽  
Shruthi Venkatesh ◽  
Raghunandan Nadig ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
Myasthenia Gravis ◽  
Treatment Option ◽  
Early Treatment ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Response To Treatment ◽  
Myasthenic Crisis ◽  
Achr Antibody ◽  
Significant Difference

Background: Rituximab is reserved for treating refractory myasthenia gravis (MG) patients. Here we report our experience with rituximab in AChR antibody positive generalized MG (gMG) and impending myasthenic crisis (IMC). Methods: This retrospective, observational study, conducted at a tertiary care, neuroimmunology clinic, analyzed the data of patients with AChR antibody positive gMG, treated with rituximab between 1st January 2016 and 30th October 2018. Results: Eleven patients with AChR antibody positive gMG received rituximab. Mean age of the cohort was 50.54 ± 18.71 years with 9 males. Seven out of 11 patients received rituximab in the early stage (<2 years from onset) and had good response to treatment. Four of the 5 patients with IMC improved with rituximab alone. In the 10 patients who regularly followed up, there was a significant difference between the QMG scores at baseline and at 1, 2, 6, 12, and 18 months ( P < .0001). Conclusion: Rituximab appears to be a potentially effective early treatment option for AChR antibody positive generalized MG and impending myasthenic crisis.

scholarly journals Target Hemoglobin May Be Achieved with Intravenous Iron Alone in Anemic Patients with Cardiorenal Syndrome: An Observational Study

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 246-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eyal Ben-Assa ◽  
Yacov Shacham ◽  
Moshe Shashar ◽  
Eran Leshem-Rubinow ◽  
Amir Gal-Oz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Count ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Treatment Strategy ◽  
Intravenous Iron ◽  
Cardiorenal Syndrome ◽  
Combination Group ◽  
Iron Treatment ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Iv Iron

Background: The treatment of anemia in patients with cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) is based mainly on intravenous (IV) iron therapy and/or erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs). There are concerns about the safety of ESAs due to a potentially higher risk for stroke and malignancy. Objective: We aimed to explore whether IV iron alone is sufficient to improve anemia in CRS patients and to define the predictors of treatment response. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of 81 CRS patient treated for anemia at our clinic. All patients received IV iron for 6 weeks. A subset of patients was additionally given subcutaneous ESAs. The end point was the improvement from baseline in hemoglobin (Hb) and ferritin levels at week 7. Results: We retrieved the files of 81 patients; 34 received IV iron alone and 47 were given IV iron and ESAs (the combination group). The Hb levels significantly increased in both groups (in the IV iron alone group: 10.6 ± 1.1 to 11.9 ±1.1 g/dl, p < 0.001; in the combination group: 10.2 ± 0.9 to 12.4 ± 1.3 g/dl, p < 0.001), but more pronouncedly in the combination group (2.17 vs. 1.24 g/dl; p = 0.001). The platelet count decreased significantly in the IV iron alone group but was unchanged in the combination group. Eighty percent of patients attained a Hb target of 11 g/dl, with no significant difference between the two groups (73.5 vs. 85.1%; p = 0.197). Low baseline Hb was the only predictor of a favorable outcome to treatment. Conclusion: Our observational study suggests that IV iron treatment without ESAs may substantially raise the Hb level to ≥11 g/dl in CRS patients. This treatment strategy may reduce the use of ESAs and hence its potential adverse effects.

scholarly journals A single-centre observational study of 124 surgically managed glioma patients: molecular subtyping and its correlation with clinico-radiological profile

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 3047
Author(s):  
Ashutosh Singh ◽  
Suyash Singh ◽  
Sarita Agrawal ◽  
Jyoti Verma ◽  
Shalini Singh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
Parietal Lobe ◽  
Prognostic Significance ◽  
Suppressor Gene ◽  
P53 Mutation ◽  
World Health ◽  
P53 Overexpression ◽  
Molecular Subtyping ◽  
Duration Of Symptoms ◽  
Significant Difference

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) 2016 classification incorporated molecular subtyping in glioma, highlighting the diagnostic and prognostic significance. The study aims to determine the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH-1) gene, α-thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome X-linked (ATRX) gene, and tumor suppressor gene-53 (p53) mutation in glioma and their correlation with various clinical and radiological parameters.Methods: In this prospective observational study, histopathological slides of glioma (2017-2018), were analyzed for IDH-1, ATRX and p53 mutations and their correlation with various clinical and radiological parameters.Results: IDH-1 mutation was found in 48 (38.7%), ATRX loss in 38 (30.6%) and p53 mutation in 40 (32.5%) patients. The expression of IDH-1 was significantly higher (43.7%) in adults; however, no significant difference was seen with gender. Also 51.2% of patients, who presented with seizures, showed IDH-1 expression; and 27.7% of patients, who had neurological deficit also showed IDH-1 expression. IDH-1 expression was high in glioma located at insula (73.3%) and parietal lobe (71.4%); while ATRX loss was seen in glioma located at insula (80%). Intraventricular glioma characteristically lacks all three markers: IDH-1 expression, p53 overexpression and ATRX loss. IDH-1 expression and p53 overexpression was seen mainly in diffuse fibrillary astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma.Conclusions: Molecular subtyping is of paramount importance in glioma management. IDH-1 mutation is commonly observed in adults and patients presenting with seizures. The duration of symptoms correlates with IDH-1 and ATRX mutations. Intraventricular tumors lack all three mutations.

scholarly journals Differences of Indirect MAR Test in the Unexplained Infertile and Fertile Couples

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Nur Hafiz Ramadhona ◽  
Aucky Ginting ◽  
Hamdani Lunardhi
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
Male Infertility ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Unexplained Infertility ◽  
Antisperm Antibody ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Immunological Examination ◽  
Infertile Couples

Infertility is the inability of a partner to get pregnant after regular sexual intercourse without contraception for 12 months. Based on the cause, male infertility is caused by genetic, hormonal, infectious, sexual, and unexplained infertility. However, many infertile couples are classified into unexplained infertility without an antisperm antibody (ASA) immunological examination. This study aimed to prove that couples classified as unexplained infertility can be caused by ASA wives. This was an observational study with a cross sectional study design. The sample consisted of 2 groups, in which the first group consisted of 36 fertile couples and the second group consisted of 35 unexplained infertility couples. All samples were carried out indirect MAR test to obtain the ASA value of the wife. If the wife's ASA value was >40%, the ASA results were positive. Conversely, if the ASA value was <40%, the ASA results were negative. From these 2 groups, there was a statistically significant difference (p<0.0001) that the wife's ASA value in the unexplained infertility group was significantly higher than that in the fertile group. This study concluded that the positive ASA results from the indirect MAR test were significantly found in the unexplained infertility sample.

Clinical and Paraclinical Characteristics of 57 Deceased COVID-19 Patients in Tehran, Iran: A Retrospective Observational Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niayesh Mohebbi ◽  
Sara Pakzad Karamad ◽  
Keyvan Gohari Moghadam ◽  
Mohamadreza Jafary ◽  
Poorya Rajabi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
Retrospective Observational Study ◽  
Polymerase Chain Reaction Test ◽  
Ct Scans ◽  
Ground Glass ◽  
Positive Real ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Chain Reaction Test

Background and Aims: In 2019, a novel coronavirus called SARS-COV-2 spread throughout the world, causing a pandemic a few months later. As the virus is not well-known and highly contagious, it is important to observe patients for all possible symptoms and comorbidities. This study aimed to demonstrate some demographic, clinical, and paraclinical features of the deceased patients with COVID-19 in Iran. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was designed to demonstrate the clinical and paraclinical features of deceased patients who had a positive real time-polymerase chain reaction test result for COVID-19. The study included all COVID-19 patients who visited Shariati Hospital, Tehran, Iran, from February 20th until May 20th, 2020. All data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 21 (Mann-Whitney or Fisher’s test). Results: The patients had a mean age of 63.86 ± 16.428, and most were males (59.65%). Diabetes and hypertension were the most frequent comorbidities. The most common symptoms among the patients were dyspnea (64.91%), weakness (61.40%), fever (60.71%), and having ground-glass opacities in the CT scans (85.96%). There was also a rise in lactate dehydrogenase, serum ferritin, D-dimer, and procalcitonin. Conclusions: Older COVID-19 patients are more likely to get more severe forms of the disease. Most of the deceased COVID-19 patients had ground-glass opacities in their CT scans. Dyspnea, fatigue, and fever were the most frequent symptoms. Hypertension and diabetes were the most important comorbidities. There was almost no significant difference between the two genders regarding clinical and paraclinical symptoms.

Ocular surface analysis: A comparison between the LipiView® II and IDRA®

2020 ◽  
pp. 112067212096903
Author(s):  
Jeong Min Lee ◽  
Young Joon Jeon ◽  
Kook Young Kim ◽  
Kyu-Yeon Hwang ◽  
Young-A Kwon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
Layer Thickness ◽  
Surface Analysis ◽  
Ocular Surface ◽  
Random Order ◽  
Meibomian Gland ◽  
Lipid Layer ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Single Visit ◽  
Significant Difference

Purpose: To compare the lipid layer thickness (LLT), meibomian gland (MG) dropouts, and blinking pattern determined by the analysis of images acquired from the LipiView® II (LVII) and the IDRA® Ocular surface analyzer. Methods: A cross-sectional single-visit observational study was conducted. The LLT (minimum, maximum, and average), percentages of MG dropouts, and partial blink rates (PBR) were taken from both eyes of 47 participants using LVII and IDRA. Both devices were used to image the inferior eyelid of each participant in a random order. Results: Forty-seven participants (mean age 56.77 ± 14.47 (21–79) years, 66% female) completed the study. There was no significant difference in LLT between the two devices. A significant difference in percentages of MG dropouts was obtained between the LVII (36.51 ± 17.53) and the IDRA (45.36 ± 21.87), p = 0.003). There was also a significant difference in PBR between the LVII (0.51 ± 0.37) and the IDRA (0.23 ± 0.27), p < 0.001). Conclusion: No significant difference in LLT was obtained between LVII and IDRA. IDRA had a significantly lesser percentage of MG dropout and a higher PBR compared to LVII. These results indicate that these devices should not be used interchangeably for the evaluation of MG dropouts and PBR.

Disentangling the Effects of Position and Utterance-Level Declination on the Production of Complex Tones in Yoloxóchitl Mixtec

2020 ◽  
pp. 002383092093913
Author(s):  
Christian DiCanio ◽  
Joshua Benn ◽  
Rey Castillo García
Keyword(s):  
Final Position ◽  
Tone Sandhi ◽  
Tone Production ◽  
Endangered Language ◽  
Postural Changes ◽  
Complex Tones ◽  
Final Stress ◽  
Current Article ◽  
Low Tone ◽  
Contour Tones

Phrase-final position is cross-linguistically the locus of both processes of phonetic reduction and processes of phonetic enhancement. In tone languages, phrasal position is a conditioning environment for processes of tone sandhi/allotony, though such patterns emerge from local processes of tonal enhancement or reduction. The current article examines the production of tone in Yoloxóchitl Mixtec, an endangered language of Mexico with nine lexical tones and fixed, stem-final stress, across phrasal and utterance positions via three experiments. In the first two experiments, the findings show that speakers lengthen syllables and expand the tonal F0 range in utterance-final position. The effect of this range expansion is high tone raising, low tone lowering, and falling contour lowering. Rising contour tones undergo substantial leveling when produced in a non-utterance-final context, similar to Taiwanese Mandarin. These findings suggest that postural changes in F0 range are controlled, intonational effects in tonal languages and not paralinguistic. In the third experiment, we examine utterance-level declination and raising within sentences consisting entirely of level tones. We show that utterance-level F0 changes are independent from local tonal hyperarticulation effects in phrase-final position. Together, the experiments largely support prosodically-conditioned phonetic undershoot as a control mechanism in tone production and demonstrate how tonal complexity may constrain universal tendencies in speech production.

scholarly journals Changes in perioperative hemoglobin and hematocrit in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty: a prospective observational study of optimal timing of measurement

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (11) ◽  
pp. 030006052096930
Author(s):  
Chenrong Ke ◽  
Naifeng Tian ◽  
Xiumeng Zhang ◽  
Mochuan Chen
Keyword(s):  
Total Knee Arthroplasty ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Knee Arthroplasty ◽  
Prospective Observational Study ◽  
Optimal Timing ◽  
Preoperative Period ◽  
Hidden Blood Loss ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Total Knee ◽  
Hb Concentration

Objective This study was performed to depict the patterns of change in the perioperative hemoglobin (Hb) concentration and hematocrit (Hct) and to identify the optimal timing of Hb and Hct measurement in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods This prospective observational study involved 302 consecutive patients who underwent TKA. The patients were kept in hospital for 1 full week postoperatively. Hb and Hct measurements were performed preoperatively and on days 1 to 7 postoperatively and then during clinic visits at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. Results The Hb concentration and Hct decreased during the first few days postoperatively and reached a nadir on postoperative day 4 and 3, respectively; they then recovered in the following days. Significant differences in the Hb concentration and Hct were detected between the preoperative period and day 1, between days 1 and 2, between days 2 and 3, between day 7 and 1 month, and between 1 and 3 months. A significant difference in the Hct was also detected between 3 and 6 months. Conclusion The optimal timing of Hb and Hct measurement is on postoperative day 3 or 4. This timing accurately reflects ongoing hidden blood loss to better guide blood transfusions.

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