Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Convulsive status epilepticus in Thai children at Ramathibodi Hospital.

BACKGROUND Convulsive Status Epilepticus (SE) is an emergency neurological condition with high morbidity and mortality. The outcome of this condition in children depends on the etiology and the duration of convulsion. There is no report of this condition in Thai children. OBJECTIVE To study the etiology, clinical course and outcome in children with convulsive SE in a referral hospital in Thailand. MATERIAL AND METHOD The medical records of infants and children aged between one month and 15 years with the diagnosis of SE who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok from January 1st, 1981 to December 31st, 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. The demographic data, types of seizure, duration of seizure, underlying diseases, precipitating factors, laboratory results, treatment, clinical course and outcomes were collected for descriptive analysis. RESULTS Thirty-two patients (15 boys, 17 girls) whose ages ranged from 2 months to 14.4 years (mean 6.5 years) were included Twenty-four patients had underlying epilepsy. Twelve patients had prior diagnosis of symptomatic and idiopathic/cryptogenic epilepsy. Seven patients had acute insults to the central nervous system leading to SE. One patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia presented with SE without association to either the underlying disease or the treatment. Fever with or without specific infection was the most common precipitating factor observed in these patients. The mean duration of SE was 64.4 minutes. The mean duration from initiation of treatment to the cessation of seizure was 41.4 minutes. Twelve patients were lost to follow up. Of the two patients who died, one had severe infection and the other had renal failure. Twelve patients had severe neurological deficits and six had mild neurological deficits. Among the thirteen patients who had > or = 1 hour of convulsion, eleven had severe neurological deficits or died. CONCLUSION Infantile SE occurred more frequently in children with pre-existing epilepsy or neurological disorder Acute febrile illness and infection were the most common precipitating causes in the present study. Early recognition and treatment of fever and infection in conjunction with prompt and appropriate termination of seizure in epileptic children may prevent the occurrence of SE and its morbidity.
Body size, extinction events, and the early Cenozoic record of veneroid bivalves: a new role for recoveries?

Abstract Mass extinctions can play a role in shaping macroevolutionary trends through time, but the contribution of recoveries to this process has yet to be examined in detail. This study focuses on the effects of three extinction events, the end-Cretaceous (K/T), mid-Eocene (mid-E), and end-Eocene (E/O), on long-term patterns of body size in veneroid bivalves. Systematic data were collected for 719 species and 140 subgenera of veneroids from the Late Cretaceous through Oligocene of North America and Europe. Centroid size measures were calculated for 101 subgenera and global stratigraphic ranges were used to assess extinction selectivity and preferential recovery. Veneroids underwent a substantial extinction at the K/T boundary, although diversity recovered to pre-extinction levels by the early Eocene. The mid-E and E/O events were considerably smaller and their recovery intervals much shorter. None of these events were characterized by significant extinction selectivity according to body size at the subgenus level; however, all three recoveries were strongly size biased. The K/T recovery was biased toward smaller veneroids, whereas both the mid-E and E/O recoveries were biased toward larger ones. The decrease in veneroid size across the K/T recovery actually reinforced a Late Cretaceous trend toward smaller sizes, whereas the increase in size resulting from the Eocene recoveries was relatively short-lived. Early Cenozoic changes in predation, temperature, and/or productivity may explain these shifts.
Isoflavones in breastfed infants after mothers consume soy.

BACKGROUND The bioavailability of isoflavones in children after soy exposure is uncertain. OBJECTIVE We aimed to compare isoflavone patterns in infants exposed to isoflavone-containing breast milk (BF), in tofu-fed (TF) infants, and in mothers consuming a soy beverage. DESIGN Eighteen nursing mothers who were not feeding soy foods to their infants consumed one daily serving of a soy protein beverage for 2-4 d and collected their own milk and urine and infant urine. Plasma was collected from infants if venous blood draws were ordered by pediatricians. Blood and urine were collected from additional children after they consumed tofu. Isoflavones were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS In 7 subjects, isoflavone values increased significantly from baseline after mothers ate soy: in maternal urine (x +/- SEM) from 18.4 +/- 13.0 to 135.1 +/- 26.0 nmol/mg creatinine, in breast milk from 5.1 +/- 2.2 to 70.7 +/- 19.2 nmol/L, and in infant urine from 29.8 +/- 11.6 to 111.6 +/- 18.9 nmol/mg creatinine. The mean isoflavone concentration in plasma obtained from 11 BF infants was 19.7 +/- 13.2 nmol/L. TF infants had much higher mean isoflavone values (urine, 229 +/- 129 nmol/mg creatinine; plasma, 1049 +/- 403 nmol/L). Statistically significant correlations were observed between the types of fluids investigated within mothers, between mothers and infants, and within infants. Urinary isoflavone excretion per hour adjusted for dose per body weight was 81% lower for BF infants and 24% higher for TF infants than for their mothers after eating soy. CONCLUSIONS More isoflavones appear in children than in adults after adjustment for isoflavone intake. Systemic isoflavone exposure in infants can be determined by urinary analysis.
Safety and pharmacokinetics of purified soy isoflavones: single-dose administration to postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND Soy isoflavones are being evaluated as chemopreventive agents for breast and other cancers. OBJECTIVE The objective was to perform safety and pharmacokinetic studies of purified unconjugated isoflavone preparations containing genistein, daidzein, and glycitein in postmenopausal women. DESIGN Twenty-four healthy postmenopausal women ingested a single dose of 1 of 2 purified (from soybeans) isoflavone preparations that delivered a genistein dose of 2, 4, 8, or 16 mg/kg body wt. These doses were higher than those previously administered to human females. Toxicity studies were performed 24 h and 3, 6, 14, and 30 d after isoflavone administration. Kinetic studies were performed during the first 24 h. RESULTS We observed a 7% decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and a 32% decrease in the neutrophil count 24 h after treatment with formulation A. Isolated episodes of nausea, pedal edema, and breast tenderness were judged to be possibly related to the study treatment. The terminal plasma half-lives for free genistein, daidzein, and glycitein averaged 3.8, 7.7, and 3.4 h, respectively. The terminal pseudo half-lives for total genistein and total daidzein in plasma averaged 10.1 and 10.8 h, respectively. The estimated bioavailabilities of both total genistein and total daidzein from each of the 2 formulations were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS A single-dose administration of purified unconjugated isoflavones at amounts that exceed normal dietary intakes had minimal clinical toxicity in healthy postmenopausal women. The pharmacokinetic data suggest that chronic dosing at 12-24-h intervals would not lead to progressive accumulation of these isoflavones.
Caspase-3 expression in tumorigenesis and prognosis of buccal mucosa squamous cell carcinoma

Buccal mucosa squamous cell carcinoma (BMSCC) is the most common oral cancer in Southeast Asia. Caspase-3, a key molecule in regulating apoptosis, promotes the malignancy of various cancers. However, its role in BMSCC is unknown. Herein, we evaluated the association of caspase-3 expression with tumorigenesis and prognosis in BMSCC patients. Immunohistochemical staining indicated that the expression levels of cleaved caspase-3 (p<0.001) and caspase-3 (p<0.001) in 185 BMSCC tissues were significantly higher compared to those in the tumor adjacent normal tissues. Moreover, the high expression of caspase-3 was associated with poor pathological outcomes [advanced pathological stage (p=0.029) and larger tumor size (p=0.002)] and poor disease-free survival in patients receiving postoperative radiotherapy (p=0.030). Moreover, the low co-expression of cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-3 was associated with better disease-specific survival in patients with early pathological stage (I + II, p=0.018) or without lymph node invasion (p=0.043) compared to the positive/high expression of either or both cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-3. Taken together, cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-3 could be biomarkers for tumorigenesis in BMSCC patients. Cleaved caspase-3 and/or caspase-3 might be prognostic biomarkers for certain stages of BMSCC.
Biochemical and Molecular Roles of Nutrients Colostrum Enhances the Nutritional Stimulation of Vital Organ Protein Synthesis in Neonatal Pigs

Our objective was to determine the relative importance of the macronutrient components of colostrum in the stimulation of vital organ protein synthesis in neonatal pigs. We studied colostrum-deprived newborn pigs within 4–6 h after birth (unfed) and three groups fed for 24 h mature milk, colostrum, or a formula containing a macronutrient composition comparable to that of colostrum. We measured protein synthesis in vivo using a flooding dose of H-phenylalanine. The fractional rates of protein synthesis (Ks) in the brain, heart, lung, kidney and spleen were significantly higher in all fed groups than in the unfed newborns. Among the three fed groups, brain and heart protein synthesis rates were greater in colostrum-fed than in either milkor formula-fed pigs. Kidney and spleen protein synthesis rates in colostrumand formula-fed pigs were not significantly different, but both were higher than in milk-fed pigs. The stimulation of kidney protein synthesis in response to feeding was primarily a consequence of greater protein synthetic efficiency; however, protein synthetic capacity in the heart, lung and spleen was generally greater in colostrumand formula-fed pigs than in unfed newborns. Our results suggest that the predominant stimulus for vital organ protein synthesis in colostrum-fed neonatal pigs is nutrient intake. However, there was a specific stimulation of both brain and heart protein synthesis in colostrum-fed pigs that cannot be attributed to macronutrients. J.Nutr. 127: 1284–1289, 1997
Effect of Occupational Silica Exposure on Kidney with Emphasis on Urinary Amino Acids as Indicator for Tubular Dysfunction.

The aim of the current study was to investigate the association between occupational silica exposure and renal dysfunction. The study included 21silicotic and 26 non-silicotic workers from cement industry and 25 male with no history of occupational exposure to silica or solvents (as a control group). All subjects filled a questionnaire sheet and underwent clinical examinations. Urinary level of microalbumin,α1-microglobulin, NAG, zinc, copper, and analysis of 17 amino-acids were done for all subjects. A high significant increase in the urinary excretion of amino acids and all measured urinary parameters in the group of silica-exposed workers were found, compared with the control subjects. The occurrence of amino aciduria would be an important investigation for the toxic effects of the silica exposure.
Disentangling deficits in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

CONTEXT A lack of inhibitory control has been suggested to be the core deficit in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), especially in adults. This means that a primary deficit in inhibition mediates a cascade of secondary deficits in other executive functions, such as attention. Impaired stopping has been claimed to support the inhibition hypothesis. However, executive functions such as inhibition and attention are hard to disentangle. OBJECTIVE To use event-related potentials in adult patients with ADHD to show that impaired stopping is associated with abnormalities of attention. DESIGN The stop signal task was presented to 24 adults with ADHD combined subtype and 24 controls. Stop event-related potentials are distorted by overlap from event-related potentials to other stimuli in close temporal proximity, but we applied a method (Adjar level 2) to effectively remove this overlap. RESULTS In line with an inhibitory control deficit, the stop signal reaction time was longer in adults with ADHD (F(1,46) = 7.12, P<. 01) whereas there was no significant difference for go stimulus reaction time. Overlap-free stop event-related potentials revealed smaller stop P3s in adults with ADHD (F(1,44) = 4.20, P<. 05). In children with ADHD, this has been interpreted to reflect deficient inhibitory control. However, controls were also found to have larger early responses in the auditory cortex (N1) when stop signals resulted in successful stops, relative to failed stops, signifying increased attention (F(1,23) = 11.88, P<. 01). This difference was completely absent in adults with ADHD. CONCLUSIONS Disturbed attentional processing of the stop signal contributed to impaired stopping in adults with ADHD. This finding may have implications for treatment.
Micronized Zaleplon Delivery via Orodispersible Film and Orodispersible Tablets

The following research study focuses on improving the solubility of zaleplon (BCS class II drug) via micronization technique in order to enhance its oral delivery in orodispersible formulations. Zaleplon along with a surfactant solution was micronized by ultrasonication. The micronization process reduced the particle size of the crystalline drug about six-fold from its original size of 155.5 μm. The micronized zalepon dispersion was lyophilized to allow for a change in the state of matter (to a powder). The superior dissolution parameters (Q5, Q30, IDR, MDR, MDT, DE, and RDR) of zaleplon in microcrystalline form over the original crystalline form in in vitro dissolution studies had unraveled that micronization technique is an efficient tool in enhancing drug solubility. The micronized zaleplon solid dispersion (after lyophilization) was loaded into orodispersible tablet (ODT) and orodispersible film (ODF) formulations. The positive quality of ODT with adequate hardness and smooth texture was attributing to the presence of Pearlitol Flash® as a ready to use ODT platform. On the other hand, the ODF loaded with micronized zaleplon and prepared with Lycoat® RS 720 (as a film former) ensured adequate tensile strength. The disintegration time of ODT and ODF was 30 ± 5 and 35 ± 5 s, respectively. Thus, the orodispersible formulations containing micronized zaleplon have a strong potential for rapid disintegration following superior absorption in solution state through oral cavity into the blood stream, envisaging better oral delivery.
Muscular and Aerobic Fitness, Working Memory, and Academic Achievement in Children

Purpose This study investigated the relationship between aerobic and muscular fitness with working memory and academic achievement in preadolescent children. Methods Seventy-nine 9- to 11-yr-old children completed an aerobic fitness assessment using a graded exercise test; a muscular fitness assessment consisting of upper body, lower body, and core exercises; a serial n-back task to assess working memory; and an academic achievement test of mathematics and reading. Results Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that after controlling for demographic variables (age, sex, grade, IQ, socioeconomic status), aerobic fitness was associated with greater response accuracy and d′ in the 2-back condition and increased mathematic performance in algebraic functions. Muscular fitness was associated with increased response accuracy and d′, and longer reaction time in the 2-back condition. Further, the associations of muscular fitness with response accuracy and d′ in the 2-back condition were independent of aerobic fitness. Conclusion The current findings suggest the differential relationships between the aerobic and the muscular aspects of physical fitness with working memory and academic achievement. With the majority of research focusing on childhood health benefits of aerobic fitness, this study suggests the importance of muscular fitness to cognitive health during preadolescence.
Corneal and Retinal Neuronal Degeneration in Early Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy.

Purpose To examine the neuronal structural integrity of cornea and retina as markers for neuronal degeneration in nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR). Methods Participants were recruited from the broader Brisbane community, Queensland, Australia. Two hundred forty-one participants (187 with diabetes and 54 nondiabetic controls) were examined. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) was graded according to the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) scale. Corneal nerve fiber length (CNFL), corneal nerve branch density (CNBD), corneal nerve fiber tortuosity (CNFT), full retinal thickness, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell complex (GCC), focal (FLV) and global loss volumes (GLV), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), nephropathy, neuropathy, and cardiovascular measures were examined. Results The central zone (P = 0.174), parafoveal thickness (P = 0.090), perifovea (P = 0.592), RNFL (P = 0.866), GCC (P = 0.798), and GCC GLV (P = 0.338) did not differ significantly between the groups. In comparison to the control group, those with very mild NPDR and those with mild NPDR had significantly higher focal loss in GCC volume (P = 0.036). CNFL was significantly lower in those with mild NPDR (P = 0.004) in comparison to the control group and those with no DR. The CNBD (P = 0.094) and CNFT (P = 0.458) did not differ between the groups. Conclusions Both corneal and retinal neuronal degeneration may occur in early stages of diabetic retinopathy. Further studies are required to examine these potential markers for neuronal degeneration in the absence of clinical signs of DR.
Expression differences of programmed death ligand 1 in de-novo and recurrent glioblastoma multiforme

The biology of recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a dynamic process influenced by selection pressure induced by different antitumoural therapies. The poor clinical outcome of tumours in the recurrent stage necessitates the development of effective therapeutic strategies. Checkpoint-inhibition (PD1/PD-L1 Inhibition) is a hallmark of immunotherapy being investigated in ongoing clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to analyse the PD-L1 expression in de-novo and recurrent glioblastoma multiforme and to explore associated genetic alterations and clinical traits. We show that PD-L1 expression was reduced in recurrent GBM in comparison to de-novo GBM. Additionally, patients who received an extended dose of temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy showed a significantly reduced level of PD-L1 expression in the recurrence stage compared to the corresponding de-novo tumour. Our findings may provide an explanation for potentially lower response to immunotherapy in the recurrent stage due to the reduced expression of the therapeutic target PD-L1.
Class of Recursive Wideband Digital Differentiators and Integrators

New designs of recursive digital differentiators are obtained by optimizing a general fourth-order recursive digital filter over different Nyquist bands. In addition, another design of recursive digital differentiators is also obtained by optimizing the specified pole-zero locations of existing recursive digital differentiator of second-order system. Further, new designs of recursive digital integrators are obtained by inverting the transfer functions of designed recursive digital differentiators with suitable modifications. Thereafter, the zero-reflection approach is discussed and then applied to improve the phase responses of the designed recursive digital differentiators and integrators. The beauty of finally obtained recursive digital differentiators and integrators is that they have nearly linear phase responses over wideband and also provide the choice of suitable recursive digital differentiator and integrator according to the importance of accuracy, bandwidth and the system simplicity.
Dietary Persimmon Improves Lipid Metabolism in Rats Fed Diets Containing Cholesterol 1

The effect of dietary persimmon (Pers, 7.0%) on lipid metabolism and antioxidant activity was investigated in 40 male Wistar rats adapted to cholesterol-free or 1% cholesterol diets. The rats were divided in four groups of 10. The basal diet contained wheat starch, casein, soybean oil, and mineral and vitamin mixtures. The control group (C) consumed the basal diet. To the basal diet were added 7 g/100 g dry persimmon (Pers), 1 g/100 g cholesterol (Chol), or both (Chol/Pers). The experiment lasted 4 wk. Plasma total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), total phospholipids (TPH), HDL phospholipids (HDL-PH), lipid peroxides (LP) and liver TC concentrations were measured. Groups did not differ before the experiment. In the Chol/Pers vs. Chol group, the persimmon-supplemented diet signiﬁcantly ( P (cid:44) 0.05) lessened the rise in plasma lipids due to dietary cholesterol: TC (3.88 vs. 4.88 mmol/L; (cid:50) 20%), LDL-C (2.24 vs. 3.27 mmol/L; (cid:50) 31%), TG (0.72 vs. 0.89 mmol/L; (cid:50) 19%), LP (2.20 vs. 3.25 mmol/L; (cid:50) 32%) and TC in liver (32.8 vs. 49.9 (cid:109) mol/g; (cid:50) 34%), ( P (cid:44) 0.001). The Chol/Pers diet signiﬁcantly reduced the decrease in HDL-PH due to dietary cholesterol (0.73 vs. 0.58 mmol/L; (cid:50) 25.8%, P (cid:44) 0.001) and decreased the level of TPH (1.32 vs. 1.73 mmol/L; (cid:50) 23%, P (cid:44) 0.001). Persimmon in rats fed the basal diet without cholesterol did not signiﬁcantly affect the variables measured. These results demonstrate that persimmon possesses hypolipidemic and antioxidant properties that are evident when persimmon is added to the diet of rats fed cholesterol. These properties are attributed to its water-soluble dietary ﬁber, carotenoids and polyphenols. J. Nutr. 128: 2023–2027, 1998.
Persistent Navigation and Mapping using a Biologically Inspired SLAM System

The challenge of persistent navigation and mapping is to develop an autonomous robot system that can simultaneously localize, map and navigate over the lifetime of the robot with little or no human intervention. Most solutions to the simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) problem aim to produce highly accurate maps of areas that are assumed to be static. In contrast, solutions for persistent navigation and mapping must produce reliable goal-directed navigation outcomes in an environment that is assumed to be in constant flux. We investigate the persistent navigation and mapping problem in the context of an autonomous robot that performs mock deliveries in a working office environment over a two-week period. The solution was based on the biologically inspired visual SLAM system, RatSLAM. RatSLAM performed SLAM continuously while interacting with global and local navigation systems, and a task selection module that selected between exploration, delivery, and recharging modes. The robot performed 1,143 delivery tasks to 11 different locations with only one delivery failure (from which it recovered), traveled a total distance of more than 40 km over 37 hours of active operation, and recharged autonomously a total of 23 times.