Sleep disorders in children with chronic kidney disease

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesThis case-control study assessed the prevalence of sleep disorders among Egyptian children with chronic kidney disease (CKD), either maintained or not maintained on hemodialysis (HD), and compared them with healthy age and sex-matched children.Patients and methodsThe total study population included 95 children, 54 of whom were CKD patients, 22 maintained on HD and 32 not maintained on HD; 41 healthy children of matched age and sex composed the control group.Subjective impairment of sleep quality was assessed using the Arabic version of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). Daytime sleepiness and restless leg syndrome (RLS) were assessed using a pediatric modification of the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) and RLS Questionnaire, respectively.ResultsSleep disturbances were detected in 75.9% of the studied children with CKD: 81.8% in children with CKD undergoing dialysis, and 71.8% in children with CKD not on dialysis. Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and RLS symptoms were reported in 22% and 20.4% of the studied children with CKD, respectively.ConclusionsSleep disturbances are very common among children with CKD. Sleep disturbances in patients with CKD include restless legs syndrome (RLS), excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), behavioral insomnias, and parasomnias

Effect of emotion and articulation of speech on the Uncanny Valley in virtual characters

This paper presents a study of how exaggerated facial expression in the lower face region affects perception of emotion and the Uncanny Valley phenomenon in realistic, human-like, virtual characters. Characters communicated the six basic emotions, anger, disgust, fear, sadness and surprise with normal and exaggerated mouth movements. Measures were taken for perceived familiarity and human-likeness. The results showed that: an increased intensity of articulation significantly reduced the uncanny for anger; yet increased perception of the uncanny for characters expressing happiness with an exaggeration of mouth movement. The practical implications of these findings are considered when controlling the uncanny in virtual characters

The Counselor Brent Scowcroft and his Role in Achieving the Requirements of the American National Security

      Despite the multiplicity of institutions contributing to the decision-making process in the United States of America, they interact to crystallize positions regarding international and strategic situations. The formulation of the national security policy depends on a number of institutions that complement each other in order to achieve an advanced security situation. Thus, the decision reflects the process of interaction of the existing regulatory institutions. This is because the essence of the national security and achieving its requirements also stems from the existence of a coherent system of shared beliefs and principles in the American society. Besides, these elements are the bases for achieving security. Researching about Brent Scowcroft’s role in meeting the requirements of the united States’ national security, it has been found necessary to include two pivots to the study. The first pivot discusses the requirements of achieving the national security of the United States of America, whereas the second pivot tackles Brent Scowcroft’s role, through the mechanisms of the national security council, in achieving the national security requirements in particular within the decision-making process in the history of the contemporary American political system. As for the type of the study, it is a historical study within the axis of contemporary American politics, while the methodology of the study came within the scientific analysis and according to the narrative and descriptive historical approach. This is because the research problem emphasizes the identification of the security and military requirements in order to achieve the integration of the national security of the United States. Finally, the conclusions have verified the National Security Adviser’s prominent role of during the Scowcroft era, in conducting partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the decision-making process. The latter has said to affect the overall foreign policy and achieve the national security requirements of the United States of America at the end of the last century

Effekte einer akuten Dosis Ethanol auf bestimmte Aminosäuren und verwandte Verbindungen in Plasma, Aorta, Herz, Pancreas und Bronchus von Ratten

Effekte einer akuten Dosis Ethanol (2g/kg, IP) auf bestimmte Aminosäuren und verwandte Verbindungen wurden untersucht. Die Aminosäurespiegel bzw. deren Verteilung ist ähnlich, aber nicht gleich, in den verschiedenen Geweben. In den verschiedenen Geweben fanden wir teilweise erniedrigte Spiegel, teilweise aber auch erhöhte Spiegel nach Ethanol-Gabe. Diese Veränderungen bezogen sich 1. auf die einzelnen Aminosäuren oder 2. auf die unterschiedlich- en Gewebe. Eine Anzahl Korrelationen einiger Aminoverbindungen in Plasma oder Geweben wurde gefunden, waren aber oft unterschiedlich zwischen Kontroll- und Ethanolratten. Ethanol-induzierte Veränderungen in den Geweben korrelieren im Allgemeinen nicht mit den Veränderungen im Plasma und sind meistens für die untersuchten Gewebe spezifisch

Effekte einer akuten Dosis Ethanol auf bestimmte Aminosäuren und verwandte Verbindungen in Plasma, Aorta, Herz, Pancreas und Bronchus von Ratten

Effekte einer akuten Dosis Ethanol (2g/kg, IP) auf bestimmte Aminosäuren und verwandte Verbindungen wurden untersucht. Die Aminosäurespiegel bzw. deren Verteilung ist ähnlich, aber nicht gleich, in den verschiedenen Geweben. In den verschiedenen Geweben fanden wir teilweise erniedrigte Spiegel, teilweise aber auch erhöhte Spiegel nach Ethanol-Gabe. Diese Veränderungen bezogen sich 1. auf die einzelnen Aminosäuren oder 2. auf die unterschiedlich- en Gewebe. Eine Anzahl Korrelationen einiger Aminoverbindungen in Plasma oder Geweben wurde gefunden, waren aber oft unterschiedlich zwischen Kontroll- und Ethanolratten. Ethanol-induzierte Veränderungen in den Geweben korrelieren im Allgemeinen nicht mit den Veränderungen im Plasma und sind meistens für die untersuchten Gewebe spezifisch