SISALv2: A comprehensive speleothem isotope database with multiple age-depth models

Characterizing the temporal uncertainty in palaeoclimate records is crucial for analysing past climate change, correlating climate events between records, assessing climate periodicities, identifying potential triggers and evaluating climate model simulations. The first global compilation of speleothem isotope records by the SISAL (Speleothem Isotope Synthesis and Analysis) working group showed that age model uncertainties are not systematically reported in the published literature, and these are only available for a limited number of records (ca. 15 %, n = 107=691). To improve the usefulness of the SISAL database, we have (i) improved the database's spatiooral coverage and (ii) created new chronologies using seven different approaches for age depth modelling. We have applied these alternative chronologies to the records from the first version of the SISAL database (SISALv1) and to new records compiled since the release of SISALv1. This paper documents the necessary changes in the structure of the SISAL database to accommodate the inclusion of the new age models and their uncertainties as well as the expansion of the database to include new records and the qualitycontrol measures applied. This paper also documents the age depth model approaches used to calculate the new chronologies. The updated version of the SISAL database (SISALv2) contains isotopic data from 691 speleothem records from 294 cave sites and new age depth models, including age depth temporal uncertainties for 512 speleothems. SISALv2 is available at https://doi.org/10.17864/1947.256 (Comas-Bru et al., 2020a). © 2020 Author(s)

Retrospective Evaluation of Determinants of Road Traffic Injuries at a Naval Station

Introduction: Several factors like globalization, industrialization, migration, access to modern ways of living, increasing income levels, easy availability of vehicles, point of use entertainment/communication gadgets, media influence and others have brought human beings in close contact with a variety of challenges to safe driving, resulting in an increased occurrence of Road Traffic injuries across the globe. Methods and Material: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at naval station amongst victims of road traffic accidents who reported to emergency department of naval hospital over period of six months. Interviews on structured questionnaire to explore various determinants of road traffic injuries (RTI). Data Analysis on 156 victims was carried out for proportion of study variables of interest, Chi square test to determine significant differences between demographic variables and RTA exposure. Results: Of 156 RTA victims, more than 50% were between 21 - 40 years; 69.9% were male; 93% accidents were contributed by driving speed more than 40km/hr; 47% occurred at road junctions followed by civil roads; 27% were due to collision. 23% accidents took place on Saturdays; 36% were in morning 06 - 12 hours. 1/3 accidents were caused by two wheeler vehicles. Negligence of driver (40.4%) poor road condition (24.4%) were major causes of the accident as reported by victims. 44.2% of the victims had minor injury; 58.7% drivers who met accidents were holding valid driving license; 38% were wearing protective gears and 56% narrated that road lights/ traffic signals were available at vantage points. Exposure to accidents was found to be having statistically significant difference when related to age, gender, type of accident, common causes of accident and use of protective gears. Conclusions: The stricter application of traffic laws and safety measures are required to bring down the road traffic accident rate and related mortality

Idiopathic Spinal Epidural Abscess: A Case Report

Epidural abscess is a potentially life-threatening disease which can lead to medical-surgical emergency. Idiopathic spinal epidural abscess (SEA) with atypical manifestations is extremely rare. We describe such a case which led to severe neurological compromise and was not associated with any known risk factors

Occurrence of oral mucosal lesions in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: A hospital based study

Introduction: Diabetes Mellitus is a syndrome characterized by chronic hyperglycemia which leads to many complications including those in the oral cavity. Oral mucosal lesions are one of them. The study was conducted to investigate the various oral mucosal alterations in Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and to compare them with control subjects. Material and methods: An observational case–control study was carried out at Dental outpatient department of MGM Medical College & Hospital, Jamshedpur. It involved 74 diabetic mellitus type 2 patients and 74 non- diabetic control subjects. Complete case history was recorded with thorough clinical examination using specially designed case history format. Extraoral and intraoral examinations were performed using a mouth mirror, probe, tweezers and gauze. Result: With respect to specific oral mucosal lesions, Coated tongue and Xerostomia were the most prevalent among the Diabetes mellitus type 2 patients. A highly significant differences found for Coated tongue (p = 0.000) and Xerostomia (p = 0.001) among the cases and controls. Fissured tongue, lingual varicosity, melanin pigmentation and frictional keratosis found to be more in Diabetes mellitus type 2 patients than control subjects but the differences were not significant

Isotopic signatures of moisture recycling and evaporation processes along the Western Ghats orography

The water isotopic composition (delta O-18 and delta H-2) of humid tropical mountain belts is influenced by the limited isotopic elevation effect due to the narrow temperature gradient, high relative humidity, and the moisture feedback processes. The Western Ghats mountain forest ecosystem, recognized as a biological hotspot, contributes significantly to characterizing the hydrological and weather patterns over its windward and leeward sides. The Indian Summer Monsoon southwesterly winds advancing towards the Indian subcontinent through the Arabian Sea between June to September are obstructed by this mountain belt and get orographically uplifted, producing heavy rainfall. The present study intends to improve understanding of the variation of precipitation isotopic composition along multiple stations located at different elevations of the heavily regulated Periyar river basin (PRB), southern Western Ghats, and a coastal station (TRV). The delta O-18 variation with elevation across PRB reveals an abrupt depletion at the highland station and a pseudo-elevation effect due to the supply of evaporated local moisture from reservoirs and lakes. The contribution of recycled precipitation estimated using back trajectories suggests a maximum of 8.5% of locally recycled rainfall over midland station towards the September month, the daily contribution reaching a maximum of 50.7%. Though this approach did not show any signatures of moisture recycling in the highland station, the surface water (reservoirs and lakes) lc-excess (line-conditioned excess), and the d-excess (deuterium excess) values of precipitation suggest the higher rates of evaporation from large water bodies and their successive role in generating local rainfall. Statistically significant amount effects visible only along coastal stations with lower rates of precipitation and higher temperature indicate that precipitation along the Ghats region (midland and highland) is significantly controlled by orographic uplift of air moisture and the contribution from locally recycled moisture. This is further supported by the significant correlation of delta O-18 with regional convective processes along the Arabian Sea till midland station and further decrease towards the highland. The present study provides important information on the moisture feedback mechanism in the Western Ghats and the factors controlling the isotopic signatures over the region.11Nsciescopu

Stable isotopic investigation of <i>Porites</i> coral from the Minicoy Island

1465-1470Stable isotope analysis has been performed on a coral collected from the Minicoy Island to investigate its potential as a proxy for southwest monsoonal variability. The X-Ray picture of the porites coral collected revealed about 24 annual bands (1989-2013). The mean annual extension over this period is ca. 7.7mm/year. Stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen isotope (δ18O) analysis of these bands reveal that the isotopic composition is controlled by kinetic fractionation. There is a drop of δ18O, ca 1‰ relative to the mean value -during -1998 indicating anomalous warming of the sea surface warming

Role of Mycobacterium indicus pranii in clinical outcomes in patients with sepsis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Background and Aims: Sepsis-induced immunosuppression appears to be reversible with immunomodulatory drugs. Mycobacterium indicus pranii (MIP) stimulates the Th1 type of immune response. This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was aimed to find out if MIP is effective at improving clinical outcomes in sepsis patients. Methods: The databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library), along with preprint servers until June 2023, were searched. The methodology was evaluated using the 'Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias-2 tool' for RCT. The study included patients more than 18 years of age with sepsis within 48 h of first organ dysfunction. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality, and secondary outcomes were the length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), days on vasopressor support, ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), secondary infections, catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI), and the delta sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score. Results: The meta-analysis included two studies with 252 participants. In a pooled analysis, mortality in the MIP group was 43% lower than in the control (RR: 0.57, 95%CI: 0.33–1); however, this difference was statistically not significant. We observed the days on a vasopressor day (standardised mean difference [SMD]: 0.38; 95%CI: −1.20 to 0.44), length of ICU stay (SMD: 0.46; 95%CI: −1.44 to 0.51), secondary infection (RR: 0.75; 95%CI: 0.19–3.01), VAP (RR: 0.6; 95%CI: 0.28–1.56), CRBSI (RR: 0.97, 95%CI: 0.14–6.98), delta SOFA score (SMD: 0.88, 95%CI: −1.66 to − 0.10) between the two groups. Conclusions: Our findings observed preliminary evidence in the trends for a positive association of MIP with better outcomes in sepsis patients