Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oseltamivir Shortens Hospital Stays of Critically Ill Children Hospitalized With Seasonal Influenza: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: Antiviral therapy reduces symptom duration and hospitalization risk among previously healthy and chronically ill children infected with seasonal influenza. The effect of oseltamivir on outcomes of hospitalized children is unknown. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether oseltamivir improves outcomes of critically ill children hospitalized with influenza. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of children with influenza infection admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit during 6 consecutive winter seasons (2001–2007). We used the Pediatric Health Information System database, which contains resource utilization data from 41 children's hospitals. We matched oseltamivir-treated patients with oseltamivir-nontreated patients by the probability of oseltamivir exposure using a propensity score we derived from patient and hospital characteristics. We subsequently compared the outcomes of critically ill children treated with oseltamivir within 24 hours of admission with propensity score matched children who were not treated with oseltamivir. Results: We identified 1257 children with influenza infection, 264 of whom were treated with oseltamivir within 24 hours of hospital admission. Multivariable analysis of 252 oseltamivir-treated patients and 252 propensity score-matched untreated patients demonstrated that patients treated with oseltamivir experienced an 18% reduction in total hospital days (time ratio: 0.82, P = 0.02), whereas intensive care unit stay, in-hospital mortality, and readmission rates did not differ. Conclusion: For critically ill children infected with seasonal influenza, treatment with oseltamivir within 24 hours of hospitalization was associated with a shorter duration of hospital stay. Additional study is needed to determine the effect of delayed initiation of oseltamivir on clinical outcomes.
Nonlinearity and noise at the rod—rod bipolar cell synapse

Abstract In the retina, rod bipolar (RBP) cells synapse with many rods, and suppression of rod outer segment and synaptic noise is necessary for their detection of rod single-photon responses (SPRs). Depending on the rods’ signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the suppression mechanism will likely eliminate some SPRs as well, resulting in decreased quantum efficiency. We examined this synapse in rabbit, where 100 rods converge onto each RBP. Suction electrode recordings showed that rabbit rod SPRs were difficult to distinguish from noise (independent SNR estimates were 2.3 and 2.8). Nonlinear transmission from rods to RBPs improved response detection (SNR = 8.7), but a large portion of the rod SPRs was discarded. For the dimmest flashes, the loss approached 90%. Despite the high rejection ratio, noise of two distinct types was apparent in the RBP traces: low-amplitude rumblings and discrete events that resembled the SPR. The SPR-like event frequency suggests that they result from thermal isomerizations of rhodopsin, which occurred at the rate 0.033/s/rod. The presence of low-amplitude noise is explained by a sigmoidal input–output relationship at the rod—RBP synapse and the input of noisy rods. The rabbit rod SNR and RBP quantum efficiency are the lowest yet reported, suggesting that the quantum efficiency of the rod—RBP synapse may depend on the SNR in rods. These results point to the possibility that fewer photoisomerizations are discarded for species such as primate, which has a higher rod SNR.
IoT based energy management for residential area

One of the major challenges in today's electric grid is the ability to meet the rising energy demands. This work presents a conceptual model that closes the cycle between the electric utility and residential consumers through defining rules and objectives that govern the behavior of the planning and distribution in the electric grid. Each home appliance, utility server, homeowner, and operator is considered as an object with a unique address. A prototype is implemented and tested to proof the concept.
Both Subcutaneously and Intravenously Administered Glucagon-Like Peptide I Are Rapidly Degraded From the NH2-Terminus in Type II Diabetic Patients and in Healthy Subjects

To fate of exogenous glucagon-like peptide I (GLP-I)(7–36) amide was studied in nondiabetic and type II diabetic subjects using a combination of high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), specific radioimmunoassays (RIAs), and a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), whereby intact biologically active GLP-I and its metabolites could be determined. After GLP-I administration, the intact peptide could be measured using an NH2-terminally directed RIA or ELISA,while the difference in concentration between these assays and a COOH-terminal–specific RIA allowed determination of NH2-terminally truncated metabolites. Subcutaneous GLP-I was rapidlydegraded in a time-dependent manner, forming a metabolite, which co-eluted on HPLC with GLP-I(9–36) amide and had the same immunoreactive profile. Thirty minutes after subcutaneous GLP-I administration to diabetic patients (n = 8), the metabolite accounted for 88.5 ± 1.9% of the increase in plasma immunoreactivity determined by the COOH-terminal RIA, which was higher than the levels measured in healthy subjects (78.4 ± 3.2%; n = 8; P < 0.05). Intravenously infused GLP-I was also extensively degraded, but no significant differences were seen between the two groups. Intact GLP-I accounted for only 19.9 ± 3.4% of the increase in immunoreactivity measured with the COOH-terminal RIA in normal subjects (n = 8), and 25.0 ± 4.8% of the increase in diabetic subjects (n = 8), the remainder being the NH2-terminally truncated metabolite.
Morphology of the nasopalatine canal and dental implant surgery: a radiographic analysis of 100 consecutive patients using limited cone-beam computed tomography.

OBJECTIVES To analyze the dimensions and anatomic characteristics of the nasopalatine canal and the corresponding buccal bone plate of the alveolar process, using limited cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging. MATERIAL AND METHODS Partially edentulous patients scheduled for CBCT imaging for further radiographic evaluation of a prospective implant recipient site in the anterior maxilla were consecutively enrolled in this study. For all CBCT images, a limited field of view (FOV) of 4 × 4 cm, 6 × 6 cm or 8 × 8 cm was selected. Reformatted sagittal and coronal slices were analyzed with regard to dimensions and anatomic characteristics of the nasopalatine canal as well as the dimensions of the buccal bone wall. Factors influencing these parameters were evaluated using univariate and multivariate linear regression models. RESULTS The study population comprised 44 men and 56 women with a mean age of 43.09 years. Gender of the included patients had a statistically significant influence on the dimensions of the buccal bone plate, the mean values being generally higher for male subjects. In the multivariate linear regression model, the status of the central maxillary incisors (both present, one missing, and both missing) and the time elapsed since loss of the central incisors (<1 year vs. >1 year) were independently associated with buccal bone wall measurements, adjusted for age and sex. CONCLUSION The present study demonstrates decreasing values for the coronal width of the buccal bone wall in patients with missing central incisors and a time span since tooth loss of over 1 year. The age of the patients had a significant influence only on the length of the nasopalatine canal, with the mean values generally decreasing with an increasing age. The limited CBCT scans with FOVs varying between 4 × 4 and 8 × 8 cm are a valid diagnostic alternative to cross-sectional imaging in the anterior maxilla for dental implant treatment planning.
Effects of ACE inhibition and AT1-receptor blockade on haemodynamic responses to L-arginine in Type 1 diabetes

Introduction Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have been shown to improve endothelial function in Type 1 diabetes. However, the potential of ACE inhibitors (ACE-I) to enhance the haemodynamic effects of L-arginine (L-arg), the precursor of nitric oxide (NO), has not been evaluated. Furthermore, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), another group of inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), have not been studied in this context. Methods Using a randomised, crossover design, the acute effects of L-arg (200 mg/kg) on blood pressure (BP) and renal haemodynamics were determined in uncomplicated Type 1 diabetic patients before and after three weeks of treatment with the ACE-I ramipril (5 mg/day) or the ARB losartan (50 mg/day). Results L-arg alone did not influence BP or renal haemodynamics. BP responses to L-arg were not modulated by ACE-I or ARB. In contrast to the systemic responses, L-arg induced significant renal vasodilation after treatment with ramipril (p<0.05). Unlike ramipril, losartan did not modulate renal haemodynamic responses to L-arg. L-arg administration was paralleled by increments in plasma L-citrulline levels, determined as a measure of L-arg-induced systemic NO production. These responses were not influenced by RAS inhibitors. No changes in other indicators of the systemic and renal NO production, such as plasma and urinary nitrates/nitrites, were detected in response to L-arg alone or after treatment with RAS inhibitors. Conclusions ACE-Is have greater potential than ARBs to enhance L-arg effects in the kidney in uncomplicated Type 1 diabetes. Neither RAS inhibitor influenced the systemic effects of L-arg. The lack of changes in renal NO indicators parallelling the haemodynamic responses, suggests that the effects of ACE-I on L-arg-induced renal haemodynamic changes could be also attributable to NO-independent mechanisms.
Opportunism, Threats, and the Evolution of Systematic Conservation Planning

Systematic conservation planning (Margules & Pressey 2000) is approaching its 25th birthday (Pressey 2002). The field has produced many hundreds of scientific publications. More important, its science is increasingly influencing the decisions of organizations (Groves et al. 2002), shaping legislation and policy (Environment Australia 2001; Reyers et al. 2007), and achieving results on the ground and in the water (Finkel 1998; Pressey 1998; Airame 2005; Fernandes et al. 2005). There is, of course, much room for improvement, but systematic conservation planning is progressively expanding its scope and perspectives and becoming more effective at synthesizing lines of thought that were previously poorly connected.
Neuropsychological status of French children with developmental dyslexia and/or developmental coordination disorder: Are both necessarily worse than one?

ABSTRACT Developmental dyslexia (DD) and developmental coordination disorder (DCD) co-occur frequently, raising the underlying question of shared etiological bases. We investigated the cognitive profile of children with DD, children with DCD, and children with the dual association (DD + DCD) to determine the inherent characteristics of each disorder and explore the possible additional impact of co-morbidity on intellectual, attentional, and psychosocial functioning. The participants were 8- to 12-year-olds (20 DD, 22 DCD, and 23 DD + DCD). Cognitive abilities were assessed by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) and the Continuous Performance Test – Second Edition (CPT-II) and behavioral impairments were evaluated by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). No differences were found between the three groups on attention testing (CPT-II) or psychosocial characteristics (CBCL), but a higher percentage of DD + DCD children had pathological scores on psychosocial scales. Significant between-group differences were observed on Processing Speed Index scores and the block design and symbol search subtests, where DD children fared better than DCD children. No significant differences were evident between the co-morbid vs. the pure groups. Our results clearly show significant differences between children with DD only and children with DCD only. In particular, visuo-spatial disabilities and heterogeneity of intellectual profile seem to be good markers of DCD. However, it should be noted that despite these distinct and separate characteristics, a common cognitive profile (weaknesses and strengths) is likely shared by both neurodevelopmental disorders. Surprisingly, concerning co-morbidity, DD + DCD association is not associated with a decrease in intellectual or attentional capacities.
Novel factors as therapeutic targets to treat diabetes. Focus on leptin and ghrelin

Background: Obesity is the major cause of type 2 diabetes. In the mid 1990s interest in adipose tissue was revived by the discovery of leptin. The association of obesity and diabetes emphasizes their shared physiopathological features. At the end of the 1990s, ghrelin, a potent gastric orexigenic factor, was found to be involved in obesity. Leptin and ghrelin have opposite actions in several tissues including the regulation of feeding in the brain. Objective/methods: To survey the role of leptin and ghrelin in glucose metabolism. We summarize the current state of research and discuss the roles of ghrelin and leptin in glucose homeostases and the potential application of drugs targeting leptin and ghrelin signalling to prevent and treat diabetes. Results/conclusions: A pressing challenge is to determine how leptin, ghrelin and other adipokines or gastric factors are involved in metabolic disorders. Answering these questions will require the development of new pharmacological tools that target specific adipokine systems. Hopefully, new therapeutic targets will be identified.
Multiple-goal pursuit and its relation to cognitive, self-regulatory, and motivational strategies.

BACKGROUND The topic of academic goals has provided very important information about students' motivation. Traditional research has described several mutually exclusive goals that elicit different motivational patterns. Nevertheless, goal-orientation research has reported the possibility that more than one goal may operate simultaneously. AIM The purpose of this study was to characterise multiple-goal groups of students, who use various types of cognitive, self-regulatory, and motivational strategies. SAMPLE Participants were 595 Spanish-speaking university students at the University of A Coruña. METHOD In order to examine the relationships between goal orientations and strategies, a Pearson correlational analysis was performed. Then, a cluster analysis was performed to identify potential subgroups of students with more than one simultaneously operative goal. Finally, a one-way test was conducted to determine whether the multiple-goal clusters differed in any of the nine strategies. RESULTS Only those students who reported high task orientation tended to exhibit more frequent use of cognitive and self-regulatory strategies. Nevertheless, this does not mean that learning processes are only optimised by task orientation. When multiple-goal adoption was considered, students who developed the most positive self-regulation were characterised by their focus on learning, but also by their desire to avoid being judged negatively by others. CONCLUSIONS Students should not adopt only task goals, which are sometimes overvalued, but also other kinds of goals that allow them to manage their learning and make it more flexible in each situation. This aspect characterises self-regulated learning, which is defined not only by cognitive and behavioural regulation but also by motivational regulation.
Renal nerve ablation

### Learning objectives Five years have passed since the first study on percutaneous renal denervation (RDN) to treat resistant hypertension was published.1 During its short life this technique has demonstrated its safety and efficacy in reducing blood pressure (BP), and also its appreciable indirect effects on cardiovascular remodelling and pleiotropic effects on other pathologies characterised by high sympathetic activity. Some questions about renal nerve distribution, predictors of BP response, and indices of effective denervation still remain unanswered. Moreover, the results of the Symplicity HTN-3 study are in contrast with previous findings and have raised many questions. Over time, new devices have been developed that permit a faster and more complete ablation. Sympathetic fibres to the kidneys descend the spinal cord from the brain until they reach the lower thoracic and upper lumbar spinal nerves. Fibres then pass to the adjacent ganglia in the sympathetic trunks, continuing in the postganglionic fibres which form a circumferential ‘basket-weave plexus’w1 in the adventitia of the renal artery (RA). Afferent fibres from the kidneys follow similar routes in the reverse direction. There is still debate regarding the location and distribution of renal nerves …
Analysis of the C9orf72 Gene in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Spain and Different Populations Worldwide

A hexanucleotide repeat expansion in chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72) can cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and/or frontotemporal dementia (FTD). We assessed its frequency in 781 sporadic ALS (sALS) and 155 familial ALS (fALS) cases, and in 248 Spanish controls. We tested the presence of the reported founder haplotype among mutation carriers and in 171 Ceph Europeans from Utah (CEU), 170 Yoruba Africans, 81 Han Chinese, and 85 Japanese subjects. The C9orf72 expansion was present in 27.1% of fALS and 3.2% of sALS. Mutation carriers showed lower age at onset (P = 0.04), shorter survival (P = 0.02), greater co‐occurrence of FTD (P = 8.2 × 10−5), and more family history of ALS (P = 1.4 × 10−20), than noncarriers. No association between alleles within the normal range and the risk of ALS was found (P = 0.12). All 61 of the mutation carriers were tested and a patient carrying 28 hexanucleotide repeats presented with the founder haplotype. This haplotype was found in 5.6% Yoruba Africans, 8.9% CEU, 3.9% Japanese, and 1.6% Han Chinese chromosomes.
Distribution of nigrothalamic projections in the dog

The distribution of nigrothalamic projections was studied in the dog by using the autoradiographic tracing method. On the basis of a systematic series of tritiated amino acid injections into different portions of the substantia nigra, we found that the rostral three‐fourths of the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) gives rise to widespread thalamic projections. The nigrothalamic label, occupied a longitudinal band extending from rostral ventral anterior nucleus (VA) through to caudal mediodorsal nucleus (MD). In the dog, VA is histochemically identified as an acetylthiocholinesterase (AChE)‐negative region and is distinct from the adjacent ventral lateral nuclei which stain positively for AChE. In rostral thalamus, the dense autoradiographic label was observed in rostral VA within the AchE‐negative region lying alongside the mammillothalamic tract (MT). The adjacent AChE‐positive ventral lateral nuclei did not contain autoradiographic label. In addition, homogeneously distributed silver grains were observed throughout the ventromedial nucleus (VM) bilaterally. More caudally, as the ventral lateral thalamic compartment emerges, label was also observed within the internal medullary lamina region, including the paralaminar portion of VA, the central lateral nucleus (CL), and the paralaminar portion of MD. Finally, in caudal thalamus, the central portion of MD, as well as the parafascicular nucleus (Pf), contained autoradiographic label. The overall nigrothalamic distribution observed in the dog was similar to the distribution of nigrothalamic projections in monkeys with one exception. Unlike that of primates, the distribution of nigral efferents is to the whole extent of VM in the dog as in other non‐primate species. Overall, we found that nigral efferents primarily project to three main thalamic targets: the VA/MD region, VM, and the internal medullary lamina region, which includes dorsal CL and paralaminar VA and MD. We propose that these three nigrothalamic territories may constitute critical links subserving different functional channels.
QRS duration and mortality in patients with congestive heart failure.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES It has been suggested that prolongation of the QRS duration (>120 ms) is an independent risk factor for mortality in patients with cardiomyopathy. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between QRS duration and survival in patients with heart failure. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis to examine the association between QRS prolongation (> or =120 ms) and mortality. The study population included 669 patients with heart failure. Two groups, on the basis of baseline QRS duration <120 milliseconds or > or =120 milliseconds, were identified. The groups were compared with respect to total mortality and sudden death. Subgroups were also stratified by right bundle branch block and left bundle branch block, ejection fraction (EF) <30% and > or =30% to 40%, ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathy, amiodarone and placebo. RESULTS Prolonged QRS was associated with a significant increase in mortality (49.3% vs 34.0%, P =.0001) and sudden death (24.8% vs 17.4%, P =.0004). Left bundle branch block was associated with worse survival (P =.006) but not sudden death. In patients with an EF <30%, QRS prolongation continued to be associated with a significant increase in mortality (51.6% vs 41.1%, P =.01) and sudden death (28.8% vs 21.1%, P =.02). In those with an EF of 30% to 40%, QRS prolongation was associated with a significant increase in mortality (42.7% vs 23.3%, P =.0036) but not in sudden death (13.3% vs 12.0%, P =.625). After adjustment for baseline variables, independent predictors of mortality were found to be prolongation of QRS (P =.0028, risk ratio 1.46) and depressed EF (P =.0001, risk ratio 0.965). Age, type of cardiomyopathy, and drug treatment group were not predictive of mortality. CONCLUSION QRS prolongation is an independent predictor of both increased total mortality and sudden death in patients with heart failure.