Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Episodes of Overtreatment during the First Six Months in Children with Congenital Hypothyroidism and Their Relationships with Sustained Attention and Inhibitory Control at School Age

Background/Aims: Contradictory results regarding the optimal initial dose of levothyroxine in children with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) hamper the clinical management of these children during their early infancy. We explore the relationships between the initial dose of levothyroxine and endocrine control during the first 6 months and cognition at school age. Subjects and Methods: Fifty children with CH, 14 boys (10 ± 3.1 years) and 36 girls (9.7 ± 2.6 years), at the Pediatric Endocrine Unit of the Hospital Gregorio Marañón in Madrid were studied. Neurocognitive evaluation was carried out exploring alertness and inhibitory control. The number of episodes of overtreatment during the first 6 months, the initial dose of levothyroxine, etiology and sex were the predictor variables. Results: Inhibitory control was significantly lower in children with CH than in controls. An interaction with gender and etiology was obtained. Alertness had an inverse relationship with the number of episodes of overtreatment with no interaction with gender or etiology. Conclusion: Episodes of overtreatment and not the initial dose of levothyroxine are a risk factor for deficit in alertness whereas subtle inhibitory control deficit seems to be a permanent problem with the current therapeutic approach.
Comparación de la técnica de sutura supracondilar con la técnica modificada de deangelis para la corrección de ruptura de ligamento cruzado anterior en perros

Se realizo un estudio comparativo de dos tecnicas quirurgicas para corregir la ruptura de ligamento cruzado craneal (LCA). Fueron intervenidos 20 perros, machos y hembras de raza mestiza, peso entre 20-35 kilos y edad aproximada entre 2 y 6 anos. Estos fueron elegidos entre los perros que llegaron a la perrera de la Universidad de Antioquia, que presentaban ruptura del LCA aguda (menos de 15 dias), comprobada clinicamente. Esta poblacion canina fue dividida al azar en dos grupos (10 perros en cada uno) de la siguiente manera: En el grupo 1 se realizo la tecnica extracapsular de DeAngelis, modificada por Olmstead. En el grupo 2 se empleo la tecnica intracapsular “over-the-top” utilizando un colgajo tomado del ligamento patelar. Los perros fueron observados durante 56 dias postquirurgico y se evaluaron las siguientes variables: temperatura, grado de cojera al caminar, correr y saltar, prueba de cajon, grado de dolor, flexo-extension, chasquido articular, posicion varo/valgo. Las complicaciones que se presentaron fueron: ruptura del alambre en 3 perros (30%) del grupo I, luxacion medial de patela, en 2 perros del grupo I (20%) y en 3 perros del grupo II (30%). El grupo I presento mayor porcentaje de inflamacion postquirurgica (30%) comparativamente con el grupo II (10%). La persistencia del cajon positivo fue mayor en el grupo II (4 perros con cajon grado III, 40%) que en el grupo I (1 perro con cajon grado II, 10%; y 1 perro con cajon grado III, 10%). La prueba de cajon no presento correlacion directa con el grado de cojera, el cual no tuvo diferencia estadisticamente significativa (p menor que 0.05). Se pudo obtener un exito global del 85, determinado por ausencia de cojera o cojera grado IV al final del estudio. El porcentaje de exito para la tecnica extracapsular fue de un 90%, comparada con un 80% para la intracapsular.
Episodic memory and visuospatial ability in detecting and staging dementia in a community-based sample of very old adults.

BACKGROUND This study examined the efficacy of a cognitive test battery in detecting and staging dementia in a community-based sample of very old adults. METHOD The sample consisted of 398 nondemented and 108 demented adults taken from all the inhabitants in the Kungsholmen parish of Stockholm, Sweden (2,368 individuals), aged 75 years and older, who were part of a large-scale epidemiological study on aging and dementia. Participants received a cognitive test battery that consisted of specialized episodic memory tasks, as well as standardized psychometric measures of visuospatial ability and primary memory. RESULTS A discriminant analysis revealed that highly supported episodic memory tasks (recognition, cued recall) were primarily responsible for correctly classifying normal old adults (94.5%) from those with the diagnosis of dementia (66.7%). Using the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) as the criterion of dementia severity, a correct classification of 88.9% was achieved for mildly demented subjects and 77.8% for moderately demented subjects. Visuospatial tasks made the greatest contribution in distinguishing those at different levels of dementia severity. CONCLUSION The results of this investigation indicate that cognitively supported measures assessing episodic memory may be particularly useful in the detection of dementia, whereas visuospatial measures are more effective in staging the disease. Consistent with biological models of the progression of dementia, this suggests that visuospatial abilities may deteriorate later and/or at a slower rate than episodic memory skills in the early stages of dementia. It is noteworthy that these conclusions are based on samples of very old adults taken from the general population.
Linguistic profiles on microblogging platforms to characterize political leaders: The Ecuadorian case on Twitter

Social interaction on microblogging platforms is becoming a reliable instrument for studying political communication characteristics. Microblogging platforms, such as Twitter, let citizens to engage in the political debate generating well-defined profiles in the platform. Using publicly available tweets it is possible to build a linguistic profile to compare leaders and average citizens. We describe the linguistic analysis of 330,000 tweets collected from 221 Ecuadorian tweeters classified into three different profiles: political leaders, leaders' followers, and average local users. We build a feature vector for each user's tweets using 12 psychological dimensions included in the LIWC (Linguistic Inquiry Word Count) text analysis software and compare users with different profiles using those vectors. Our findings show that the leaders group exhibits a different linguistic profile from the others two groups: around 30% of leader followers are similar to at least one leader while just 19% of average local users are similar to at least one leader. Furthermore, the results of our analysis allows to determine whether local users have some similar characteristics of language uses on social networks of political leaders' followers without relying on critical discourse analysis.
Influence of ozone gas and ozonated water application to dentin and bonded interfaces on resin-dentin bond strength.

PURPOSE To assess the influence of ozone gas and ozonated water application to prepared cavity and bonded interfaces on the resin/dentin bond strength of two-step etch-and-rinse adhesive systems (Adper Single Bond 2 [SB2] and XP-Bond [XP]). MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixty extracted human third molars were sectioned perpendicularly to their long axes to expose flat occlusal dentin surfaces. In experiment 1, dentin was treated with ozone before the bonding procedure, while in experiment 2, ozone was applied to resin/dentin bonded interfaces. In experiment 1, dentin surfaces were treated either with ozone gas (2100 ppm), ozonated water (3.5 ppm), or distilled water for 120 s, and then bonded with SB2 or XP according to manufacturers' instructions. Hybrid composite buildups were incrementally constructed and the teeth were sectioned into resin-dentin sticks (0.8 mm2). In experiment 2, dentin surfaces were first bonded with SB2 or XP, composite buildups were constructed, and bonded sticks obtained. The sticks were treated with ozone as previously described. Bonded sticks were tested under tensile stress at 1 mm/min. Silver nitrate impregnation along the resin/dentin interfaces was also evaluated under SEM. RESULTS Two-way ANOVA (adhesive and ozone treatment) detected no significant effect for the cross-product interaction and the main factors in the two experiments (p > 0.05), which was confirmed by the photomicrographs. CONCLUSION Ozone gas and ozonated water used before the bonding procedure or on resin/dentin bonded interfaces have no deleterious effects on the bond strengths and interfaces.
Amnestic Concentrations of Sevoflurane Inhibit Synaptic Plasticity of Hippocampal CA1 Neurons through γ-Aminobutyric Acid–mediated Mechanisms

Background:The cellular mechanisms of anesthetic-induced amnesia are still poorly understood. The current study examined sevoflurane at various concentrations in the CA1 region of rat hippocampal slices for effects on excitatory synaptic transmission and on long-term potentiation (LTP), as a possible mechanism contributing to anesthetic-induced loss of recall. Methods:Population spikes and field excitatory postsynaptic potentials were recorded using extracellular electrodes after electrical stimulation of Schaffer-collateral-commissural fiber inputs. Paired pulse facilitation was used as a measure of presynaptic effects of the anesthetic. LTP was induced using tetanic stimulation (100 Hz, 1 s). Sevoflurane at concentrations from amnestic (0.04 mm) to clinical concentrations (0.23–0.41 mm) were added to the perfusion solution. Results:In the presence of 0.04 mm sevoflurane, the amplitude of population spikes was significantly depressed, and tetanic stimulation induced only posttetanic potentiation and then failure of LTP. These inhibitory effects were antagonized by bicuculline (10 &mgr;m), a γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor antagonist. Sevoflurane at 0.23–0.41 mm further depressed the amplitude of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials in a dose-dependent manner and completely blocked LTP. Bicuculline only partially antagonized 0.41 mm sevoflurane–induced profound inhibition of LTP. Sevoflurane at 0.23–0.41 mm, but not at 0.04 mm, significantly increased paired pulse facilitation, suggesting that sevoflurane has presynaptic actions to reduce glutamate release from nerve terminals. Conclusions:The current study provides evidence that amnestic concentrations of sevoflurane inhibit LTP of hippocampal CA1 neurons through γ-aminobutyric acid–mediated mechanisms, and these actions seem to account for the effects of amnestic sevoflurane on synaptic plasticity.
The effect of non-differential measurement error on bias, precision and power in Mendelian randomization studies.

BACKGROUND Mendelian randomization (MR) studies assess the causality of associations between exposures and disease outcomes using data on genetic determinants of the exposure. In this work, we explore the effect of exposure and outcome measurement error in MR studies. METHODS For continuous traits, we describe measurement error in terms of a theoretical regression of the measured variable on the true variable. We quantify error in terms of the slope (calibration) and the R(2) values (discrimination or classical measurement error). We simulated cohort data sets under realistic parameters and used two-stage least squares regression to assess the effect of measurement error for continuous exposures and outcomes on bias, precision and power. For simulations of binary outcomes, we varied sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS Discrimination error in continuous exposures and outcomes did not bias the MR estimate, and only outcome discrimination error substantially reduced power. Calibration error biased the MR estimate when the exposure and the outcome measures were not calibrated in a similar fashion, but power was not affected. For binary outcomes, exposure calibration error introduced substantial bias (with negligible impact on power), but exposure discrimination error did not. Reduced outcome specificity and, to a lesser degree, reduced sensitivity biased MR estimates towards the null. CONCLUSIONS Understanding the potential effects of measurement error is an important consideration when interpreting estimates from MR analyses. Based on these results, future MR studies should consider methods for accounting for such error and minimizing its impact on inferences derived from MR analyses.
Laminar Analysis of Human Neocortical Interictal Spike Generation and Propagation: Current Source Density and Multiunit Analysis In Vivo

Summary: Multicontact microelectrodes were chronically implanted in epilepsy patients undergoing subdural grid implantation for seizure localization. Current source density and multiple unit activity of interictal spikes (IISs) were sampled every ∼150 μm in a line traversing all layers of a cortical column. Our data suggest that interictal epileptiform events in humans are initiated by large postsynaptic depolarizations, consistent with the hypothesis that human IISs correspond to animal paroxysmal depolarization shifts. Furthermore, the cortical layer where the initial depolarization occurs may differ according to whether the IIS is locally generated or propagated from a distant location, and among the propagated IISs, whether the IIS is in the direct path of propagation or on the periphery of that path.
CHARACTERISTICS AND MANAGEMENT OF FEEDING PROBLEMS OF YOUNG CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY

The nature and extent of feeding difficulties associated with cerebral palsy was assessed in 12 infants with moderate to severe oral‐motor dysfunction, compared with a control group. Data were gathered at the infants' homes by interview and by direct observation of mealtimes. The results revealed a range of long‐standing problems, for which little management advice had been given. Most case infants were poorly positioned; specially designed seats were not used. The mean duration of mealtimes for case and comparison infants did not differ significantly. Case infants ate and were offered less food than the control infants. Feeding problems usually had persisted since birth and were associated with marked failure to thrive. Multidisciplinary assessments of the severe feeding difficulties of these children are indicated.
Genomic dissection of variation in clutch size and egg mass in a wild great tit (Parus major) population

Clutch size and egg mass are life history traits that have been extensively studied in wild bird populations, as life history theory predicts a negative trade‐off between them, either at the phenotypic or at the genetic level. Here, we analyse the genomic architecture of these heritable traits in a wild great tit (Parus major) population, using three marker‐based approaches – chromosome partitioning, quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and a genome‐wide association study (GWAS). The variance explained by each great tit chromosome scales with predicted chromosome size, no location in the genome contains genome‐wide significant QTL, and no individual SNPs are associated with a large proportion of phenotypic variation, all of which may suggest that variation in both traits is due to many loci of small effect, located across the genome. There is no evidence that any regions of the genome contribute significantly to both traits, which combined with a small, nonsignificant negative genetic covariance between the traits, suggests the absence of genetic constraints on the independent evolution of these traits. Our findings support the hypothesis that variation in life history traits in natural populations is likely to be determined by many loci of small effect spread throughout the genome, which are subject to continued input of variation by mutation and migration, although we cannot exclude the possibility of an additional input of major effect genes influencing either trait.
The Cdc4/34/53 pathway targets Cdc6p for proteolysis in budding yeast

The budding yeast Cdc6 protein (Cdc6p) is essential for formation of pre‐replicative complexes (pre‐RCs) at origins of DNA replication. Regulation of pre‐RC assembly plays a key role in making initiation of DNA synthesis dependent upon passage through mitosis and in limiting DNA replication to once per cell cycle. Cdc6p is normally only present at high levels during the G1 phase of the cell cycle. This is partly because the CDC6 gene is only transcribed during G1. In this article we show that rapid degradation of Cdc6p also contributes to this periodicity. Cdc6p degradation rates are regulated during the cell cycle, reaching a peak during late G1/early S phase. Removal of a 47‐amino‐acid domain near the N‐terminus of Cdc6p prevents degradation of Cdc6p. Likewise, mutations in the Cdc4/34/53 pathway involved in ubiquitin‐mediated degradation block proteolysis and genetic evidence is presented indicating that the N‐terminus of Cdc6p interacts with the Cdc4/34/53 pathway, probably through Cdc4p. A stable Cdc6p mutant which is no longer degraded by the Cdc4/34/53 pathway is, none the less, fully functional. Constitutive overexpression of either wild‐type or stable Cdc6p does not induce re‐replication and does not induce assembly of pre‐replicative complexes after DNA replication is complete.
Diversity analyses of Aeschynomene symbionts in Tropical Africa and Central America reveal that nod-independent stem nodulation is not restricted to photosynthetic bradyrhizobia.

Tropical aquatic legumes of the genus Aeschynomene are unique in that they can be stem-nodulated by photosynthetic bradyrhizobia. Moreover, a recent study demonstrated that two Aeschynomene indica symbionts lack canonical nod genes, thereby raising questions about the distribution of such atypical symbioses among rhizobial-legume interactions. Population structure and genomic diversity were compared among stem-nodulating bradyrhizobia isolated from various Aeschynomene species of Central America and Tropical Africa. Phylogenetic analyses based on the recA gene and whole-genome amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprints on 110 bacterial strains highlighted that all the photosynthetic strains form a separate cluster among bradyrhizobia, with no obvious structuring according to their geographical or plant origins. Nod-independent symbiosis was present in all sampling areas and seemed to be linked to Aeschynomene host species. However, it was not strictly dependent on photosynthetic ability, as exemplified by a newly identified cluster of strains that lacked canonical nod genes and efficiently stem-nodulated A. indica, but were not photosynthetic. Interestingly, the phenotypic properties of this new cluster of bacteria were reflected by their phylogenetical position, as being intermediate in distance between classical root-nodulatingBradyrhizobium spp. and photosynthetic ones. This result opens new prospects about stem-nodulating bradyrhizobial evolution.
Manualized therapy for PTSD: flexing the structure of cognitive processing therapy.

OBJECTIVE This study tested a modified cognitive processing therapy (MCPT) intervention designed as a more flexible administration of the protocol. Number of sessions was determined by client progress toward a priori defined end-state criteria, "stressor sessions" were inserted when necessary, and therapy was conducted by novice CPT clinicians. METHOD A randomized, controlled, repeated measures, semicrossover design was utilized (a) to test the relative efficacy of the MCPT intervention compared with a symptom-monitoring delayed treatment (SMDT) condition and (b) to assess within-group variation in change with a sample of 100 male and female interpersonal trauma survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). RESULTS Hierarchical linear modeling analyses revealed that MCPT evidenced greater improvement on all primary (PTSD and depression) and secondary (guilt, quality of life, general mental health, social functioning, and health perceptions) outcomes compared with SMDT. After the conclusion of SMDT, participants crossed over to MCPT, resulting in a combined MCPT sample (n = 69). Of the 50 participants who completed MCPT, 58% reached end-state criteria prior to the 12th session, 8% at Session 12, and 34% between Sessions 12 and 18. Maintenance of treatment gains was found at the 3-month follow-up, with only 2 of the treated sample meeting criteria for PTSD. Use of stressor sessions did not result in poorer treatment outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that individuals respond at a variable rate to CPT, with significant benefit from additional therapy when indicated and excellent maintenance of gains. Insertion of stressor sessions did not alter the efficacy of the therapy.
How effective are cognitive behavior therapies for major depression and anxiety disorders? A meta‐analytic update of the evidence

We report the current best estimate of the effects of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) in the treatment of major depression (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder (PAD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD), taking into account publication bias, the quality of trials, and the influence of waiting list control groups on the outcomes. In our meta‐analyses, we included randomized trials comparing CBT with a control condition (waiting list, care‐as‐usual or pill placebo) in the acute treatment of MDD, GAD, PAD or SAD, diagnosed on the basis of a structured interview. We found that the overall effects in the 144 included trials (184 comparisons) for all four disorders were large, ranging from g=0.75 for MDD to g=0.80 for GAD, g=0.81 for PAD, and g=0.88 for SAD. Publication bias mostly affected the outcomes of CBT in GAD (adjusted g=0.59) and MDD (adjusted g=0.65), but not those in PAD and SAD. Only 17.4% of the included trials were considered to be high‐quality, and this mostly affected the outcomes for PAD (g=0.61) and SAD (g=0.76). More than 80% of trials in anxiety disorders used waiting list control groups, and the few studies using other control groups pointed at much smaller effect sizes for CBT. We conclude that CBT is probably effective in the treatment of MDD, GAD, PAD and SAD; that the effects are large when the control condition is waiting list, but small to moderate when it is care‐as‐usual or pill placebo; and that, because of the small number of high‐quality trials, these effects are still uncertain and should be considered with caution.
Cost-effectiveness of ancrod treatment of acute ischaemic stroke: results from the Stroke Treatment with Ancrod Trial (STAT).

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This paper describes a recent randomized controlled trial in which 42% of patients receiving ancrod attained a favourable outcome in comparison with 34% of controls. Although the above effect size corresponds to a number needed to treat (to achieve a favourable outcome) of approximately 13, intuition does not necessarily suggest what would be the overall impact of a treatment with this level of efficacy. METHODS The objective was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of ancrod. Cost-effectiveness analysis of data from the Stroke Treatment with Ancrod Trial (STAT) trial was carried out. The participants were 495 patients with data on functional status at the conclusion of follow-up. Short-term results were based upon utilization and quality of life observed during the trial; these were merged with expected long-term results obtained through simulation using the Stroke Policy Model. The main outcome measure was incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. RESULTS Ancrod treatment resulted in both better quality-adjusted life expectancy and lower medical costs than placebo as supported by sensitivity analysis. The cost differential was primarily attributable to the long-term implications of ancrod's role in reducing disability. CONCLUSIONS If ancrod is even modestly effective, it will probably be cost-effective (and, indeed, cost-saving) as well. The net population-level impact of even modestly effective stroke treatments can be substantial.