Accidental Association Research Articles

Iris cyst and myelinated retinal nerve fibers about a case: Real or accidental association?

Iris cysts are rare conditions whose differentiation between primary and secondary involvement depends essentially on clinical presentation. According to the classification, primary cysts are those developed at the expense of the pigment iris epithelium, stroma or free-floating cyst

One Case of Acute Fluid Pericarditis and Hyperthyroidism at Teaching Hospital of Bouake (Ivory Coast): Cause-Effect Relationship or Accidental Association?

One Case of Acute Fluid Pericarditis and Hyperthyroidism at Teaching Hospital of Bouake (Ivory Coast): Cause-Effect Relationship or Accidental Association?

Bat fly (Diptera: Streblidae) and common vampire bat (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) association in Honduras: prevalence, mean intensity, infracommunities and influence of the biological characteristics of the host

Bat species present a series of attributes that makes them prone to being parasitized. Bat flies (Streblidae) are hematophagous ectoparasites exclusive to bats. Our study aimed to investigate the association of bat flies with the Common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus (É. Geoffroy, 1810), in Honduras. We analyzed the effect of sex and age of the host on parasitism. Eight localities belonging to six departments were sampled in an altitudinal range between 50 and 995 m. Field data were obtained between May 2018 to November 2019 and 80 individuals were captured, from which 395 bat flies were extracted. Four species of bat flies were registered: Strebla wiedemanni Kolenati, 1856, Trichobius parasiticus Gervais, 1844, T. joblingi Wenzel, 1966 and T. caecus Edwards, 1948. Trichobius parasiticus presented the highest prevalence and mean intensity, followed by S. wiedemanni. Trichobius joblingi and T. caecus are new records of parasitism on D. rotundus for Honduras, although we consider as an accidental association. We recorded six types of infracommunities that parasitized 85% of the hosts. The prevalence and mean intensity was not affected by age and sex of the host for any bat fly species.

Spillover Effects of Brand Safety Violations in Social Media

This research examines how a brand’s ad adjacency to offensive content influences consumers’ perceptions, emotions, and behavioral intentions toward the brand. Varying the type of offensive content, we conduct two experiments to demonstrate how offensive association (OA) between social media content and the brand’s ad increases negative word-of-mouth (NWOM) intentions. The two studies show that the seemingly accidental association with offensive content leads NWOM intentions via heightened blame attribution and negative emotions. The results suggest that even a brand’s inadvertent association with offensive content can induce consumers to believe that the brand implicitly approved or overlooked its ad placement. Furthermore, the negative spillover effects of brand safety violations are found only when the perceived ad intrusiveness is high. The present research provides advertisers with the rationale behind their need for being vigilant in safeguarding their ads and sponsorship.

Central precocious puberty in a girl with LEGIUS syndrome: an accidental association?

BackgroundCentral precocious puberty is a condition characterized by precocious activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. It may be idiopathic or secondary to organic causes, including syndromes such as Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).Case presentationWe presented a girl of 6 years and 10 months with almost 11 café-au-lait skin macules, without other clinical or radiological signs typical of NF1, and with a central precocious puberty. Genetic analysis evidenced the new variant NM-152594.2:c.304delAp. (Thr102Argfs*19) in SPRED1 gene, which allowed to diagnose Legius syndrome.ConclusionsWe report for the first time a case of central precocious puberty in a girl with Legius syndrome. The presence of central precocious puberty in a child with characteristic café-au-lait macules should suggest pediatricians to perform genetic analysis in order to reach a definitive diagnosis. Further studies on timing of puberty in patients with RASopathies are needed to better elucidate if this clinical association is casual or secondary to their clinical condition.

Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia or Accidental Association?

Parathyroid hyperplasia, primary hyperparathyroidism and papillary thyroid carcinoma individually are common conditions, but association with each other, although possibly incidental, should trigger genetic testing.Further research is needed to reliably explain the relationship between primary hyperparathyroidism and non-medullary thyroid cancer.

Mixed Hyperlipidemia Associated with Triple X Syndrome (A Case Report)

Abstract Lipid metabolism abnormalities in children may be hereditary or secondary to certain diseases (obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus). Often elevated triglycerides values are associated with high cholesterol values, playing a major role on atherosclerosis. The triple X syndrome also called “the superfemale syndrome” is not a rare condition, but it is usually undiagnosed or occasionally diagnosed when other investigations are done. The authors present the case of a child admitted in the 3rd Clinic of Pediatrics -“Sf. Maria” Children’s Emergency Hospital, Iaşi -Romania for the continuation of her lipid metabolism investigations, being diagnosed on this occasion with the triple X syndrome. We conclude that the investigation of lipid metabolism, early identification of lipid abnormalities and proper treatment significantly reduce the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in adults. We cannot specify the impact of the presence of the chromosomal anomaly, as it is an accidental association

Invasive crayfish and their symbionts in the Greater London area: new data and the fate of Astacus leptodactylus in the Serpentine and Long Water Lakes

The branchial cavities of four non-indigenous crayfish species resident in the Greater London area were examined for crustacean symbionts. Pacifastacus leniusculus from Cripsey Brook, Chipping Ongar, Essex, and the Serpentine Lake, Central London, both carried the symbiotic ostracod Uncinocythere occidentalis, which is indigenous to the western USA. Analysis of covariance showed that crayfish carapace length did have an effect on the abundance of entocytherid associates, whereas intensity did not seem to be dependent on whether the host was female or male. Another invasive entocytherid, Ankylocythere sinuosa, was found on the gills of Procambarus clarkii in Hampstead Heath, representing the first record of the species for northwestern Europe. Contrary to recent model-based predictions, A. sinuosa appears to survive British winters. Examination of the gills of Astacus leptodactylus from the Serpentine revealed the presence of two symbiotic copepods, Nitocra hibernica and Acanthocyclops sp., and a common but accidental association with the cladoceran Bosmina longirostris. The observation of N. hibernica on all three P. leniusculus specimens collected in 2010 suggests that the copepod switched crayfish hosts in the Serpentine following the decimation of the Turkish crayfish population after 2008. This is the first record of an indigenous copepod becoming associated with a non-indigenous crayfish, a case of unusual host switching having previously been reported only for branchiobdellidans. The deliberate introduction of signal crayfish in the Serpentine can probably be attributed to aquarists, ‘well intentioned’ individuals and/or people who have animal release as part of their religious practice. Serpentine signal crayfish that were tested for Aphanomyces astaci (crayfish plague) produced inconclusive results. The sudden collapse of the Turkish crayfish population in the Serpentine between 2008 and 2010 remains unexplained although a number of potentially causative factors are discussed. No crustacean symbionts were obtained from Orconectes virilis in the River Lee at Enfield, Middlesex.

Blastocystis sp. in splenic cysts: causative agent or accidental association? A unique case report

BackgroundBlastocystis sp. is one of the most prevalent parasites found in human stool and has been recently considered an opportunistic emerging pathogen in immunocompromised individuals. However, cases of invasive intestinal infections and skin rashes have been attributed to infection by Blastocystis sp in immunocompetent individuals, suggesting that it is an emerging parasite with pathogenic potential.FindingsWe present a case of a 22 year old female patient who complained of pain in the left hypochondrium. Ultrasonography and abdominal computed tomography scans showed two splenic cysts. The cyst fluid analysis demonstrated numerous Blastocystis sp.; PCR and DNA sequencing analyses confirmed the presence of Blastocystis subtype 3.ConclusionsThis is, to our knowledge, the first case report of the presence of Blastocystis subtype 3 in extra-intestinal organs and is strong evidence that Blastocystis sp. is potentially pathogenic and invasive. However, further studies are required to determine the pathogenicity of the parasite.

Congenital Hypothyroidism Presenting with Seizures and Pseudo-Hirschsprung’s Disease in Newborn

To the Editor: Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH) is one of the most common preventable causes of mental retardation. Thyroid screening is done in an infant with post maturity, macrosomia, wide open posterior fontanel, prolonged unconjugate jaundice, constipation, poor feeding, hypotonia, hoarse cry, umbilical hernia, macroglossia and dry or edematous skin and in a child with growth delay and thyroid swelling [1]. In this report, we describe a rare association of seizures and pseudoHirschsprung’s disease with hypothyroidism in a neonate. A male newborn, 3 kg at birth presented on day 4 of life with abdominal distension and bilious vomiting. On abdominal examination, there was divarication of recti, prominent veins; visible bowel loops and bowel sounds were present on auscultation. C-reactive protein was negative, serum electrolytes, kidney and liver function tests were normal. Plain abdominal radiograph and USG abdomen revealed dilated gas filled bowel loops. Barium enema revealed faint opacification of rectum and descending colon with air distended proximal colon. At the 2nd hour of admission, the infant was noted to have recurrent seizures that got controlled with Phenobarbital. Seizure workup was normal. As the infant had persistent unexplained abdominal distension, thyroid function tests done on day 4 showed low T3 (0.10 ng/mL), low T4 (0.8 μg/dL) and high Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH >150 μIU/mL). Maternal thyroid profile was normal. Baby responded well to thyroxin started at 15 μg/kg/day on the 6th day. Thyroid nuclear scan showed non visualization of thyroid gland consistent with congenital Athyrogenesis. Persistent clinical features with sluggish bowel motility on the ultrasound, abnormal thyroid profile, and good clinical response to oral thyroxin are suggestive of an association of congenital hypothyroidism with pseudo intestinal obstruction [2] Transient neonatal seizures have previously been reported to be associated with congenital hypothyroidism [3]. The likelihood of an accidental association between hypothyroidism and seizures in this infant was low as metabolic parameters, sepsis screen, blood cultures and neuroimaging were all normal. The purpose of this case report is to encourage pediatrician to investigate for hypothyroidism in clinically suspected pseudo intestinal obstruction and as a routine screening in all sick newborns.

A Novel Technique to Protect Wireless Network against accidental Association

With increasing numbers of corporate and organizations deploying wireless network and allowing the company personnel to access the internet or the wired backbone through wireless access points are increasingly getting exposed to hacking attacks. Due to easy hacking tools and less concerns about the security threats of the deployed, various crucial data of the private network is hacked. One of the important forms of a security loophole in the wireless network is accidental association. In this paper we propose a novel technique to secure the wireless signal to prevent accidental association. Layer 2 of each device is assigned with a unique time bound key and non time bound primary key. As soon as a new device is detected in the proximity by any node, it requests for the time independent primary key from the device. If the device fails to respond with the key then the network connection is withdrawn with immediate effect after the node propagates an alert message encrypted with time bound session key through which it is communicating securely with other wireless peers. A periodic search for checking new devices which may get associated with the existing network accidently is avoided with utmost efficiency. The protocol is tested with Omnet++ simulator and results shows that the proposed technique performs much better than basic protection against such an attack offered by WEP.

<p><strong>Mites associated with the ruddy ground dove, </strong><strong><em>Columbina talpacoti </em></strong><strong>(Temminck, 1810), in São Paulo State, Brazil</strong></p>

Mites associated with birds have different relationships with their hosts, ranging from accidental association to true ecto- and endoparasitism. A total of 51 samples of the ruddy ground dove, Columbina talpacoti (Temminck, 1810) (Columbiformes), from São Paulo State, Brazil, were examined for mites. Five of the samples were nests.Mites belonging to the following taxa were found:Astigmata—Analgidae (three species), Falculiferidae (four species) and an unidentified Pyroglyphidae species; Mesostigmata—a single species of Macronyssidae; Prostigmata—a single species each of Cheyletidae, Ereynetidae, Harpirhynchidae and Syringophilidae. Diplaegidia columbigallinae Cerny´, 1975 and Byersalges talpacoti Cerny´, 1975 were the most frequent species. Known associations of each mite species to other columbiform birds are reported.

Restless legs syndrome and diabetes mellitus: an accidental association?

Although limited in number, several studies have documented an increased prevalence of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) in type 2 diabetes. Polyneuropathy only partially explains the relation between the two disorders. This association could be due to the effects of a prolonged sleep loss: in increasing the probability of developing insulin-resistance and metabolic disturbances.

Econometric methods for causal evaluation of education policies and practices: a non‐technical guide

Education policy‐makers and practitioners want to know which policies and practices can best achieve their goals. But research that can inform evidence‐based policy often requires complex methods to distinguish causation from accidental association. Avoiding econometric jargon and technical detail, this paper explains the main idea and intuition of leading empirical strategies devised to identify causal impacts and illustrates their use with real‐world examples. It covers six evaluation methods: controlled experiments, lotteries of oversubscribed programs, instrumental variables, regression discontinuities, differences‐in‐differences approach, and panel data techniques. Illustrating applications include evaluations of early childhood interventions, voucher lotteries, funding programs for disadvantaged students, and compulsory school and tracking reforms.

Upper‐Bounding the Incidence Rate of Associations Between Camouflage Uniforms and Surveillance Images*

Camouflage garments can be associated with surveillance images of a crime scene even in the absence of unique wear marks or very high-quality images. However, the probability of an accidental association, or incidence rate, is significant. The present work describes and validates a method for estimating the incidence rate based on a statistical model of the garment manufacturing process. The model was developed primarily for use with the current U.S. Army Combat Uniform (ACU), but can be applied to any camouflage garment. Eight garment manufacturers were studied, and all sources of variation in the manufacturing process were characterized. The marking and spreading procedures were found to be dominant and consistent sources of variation. However, some sources of variation, in particular those because of human operators, were not consistent enough to accurately characterize. Sources of variation that could not be well-characterized were ignored in the statistical model, yielding a worst-case estimate that is an upper-bound to the true incidence rate. The model was evaluated for a variety of cases. Depending on the quality of the surveillance image, the manufacturing parameters, and the local population, incidence rates range from about 3% to negligibly small. The model was validated by returning to one manufacturer, and sampling a large number of completed garments and estimating empirical match probabilities. The empirical probabilities validated the estimates of the worst-case incidence rate and also demonstrated that typical incidence rates are significantly lower.

Association d’une maladie coeliaque à une achalasie: une association clinique exceptionnelle

IntroductionDigestive motor disorders are commonly associated with coeliac disease, but the association of coeliac disease with achalasia has rarely been described.ObservationWe report the case of a young man aged 20, following a gluten-free diet and presenting with coeliac disease and dysphagia, showing radiological, endoscopic and manometric signs of achalasia. Endoscopic treatment by pneumatic dilation, followed by Heller’s myotomy, led to a remission of symptoms.ConclusionIt is probably an accidental association, but it raises the possibility of a predisposing terrain common to both diseases.

Econometric Methods for Causal Evaluation of Education Policies and Practices: A Non-Technical Guide

Education policy-makers and practitioners want to know which policies and practices can best achieve their goals. But research that can inform evidence-based policy often requires complex methods to distinguish causation from accidental association. Avoiding econometric jargon and technical detail, this paper explains the main idea and intuition of leading empirical strategies devised to identify causal impacts and illustrates their use with real-world examples. It covers six evaluation methods: controlled experiments, lotteries of oversubscribed programs, instrumental variables, regression discontinuities, differences-indifferences, and panel-data techniques. Illustrating applications include evaluations of early-childhood interventions, voucher lotteries, funding programs for disadvantaged, and compulsory-school and tracking reforms.

The occurrence of Brugada syndrome and isolated cardiac conductive disease in the same family could be due to a single SCN5A mutation or to the accidental association of both diseases

The distinct cardiac arrhythmia diseases, Brugada syndrome (BS) and isolated cardiac conduction disease (ICCD) are caused by heterozygous mutations in the SCN5A gene. Previous studies have demonstrated an intriguing association between ICCD and BS with the same mutation in the SCN5A gene. The proband of a multigenerational family presented BS and a familial history of sudden death. We performed clinical evaluations in family members including drug testing and screening for SCN5A mutations. Based on electrocardiogram features, we identified four individuals with BS, two with ICCD and one compatible with both. For five individuals, one with BS and ICCD, three with BS and one with ICCD, we characterized a heterozygous C- to T- mutation at position 4313 (P1438L) in the SCN5A gene. Expression studies of the P1438L mutation showed non-functional channels. The proband's father with the BS phenotype was not a carrier of the new SCN5A mutation. We report the case of a family with BS and/or ICCD and describe a novel mutation, the P1438L SCN5A mutation. In this family, the occurrence of BS and ICCD could be due to this single mutation but also to the accidental association of both diseases.

Some accretions to genealogical material in a manuscript boxed with the Book of Leinster

It is well known that several pages of manuscript boxed with the Book of Leinster (Trinity College, Dublin, MS 1339 [H. 2. 18]; hereafter LL) do not belong to the Book proper, but were left unbound by Edward Lhuyd and later placed with LL in Trinity College Library merely on the grounds of their large size. Despite the fact that these pages have only an accidental association with the rest of MS 1339, they were reproduced in the lithographic facsimile of LL, edited by Robert Atkinson, where they make up sections Q, R and S (pp. 377–96, 397–408 and 409–10 respectively). In contrast to Atkinson, Anne O'Sullivan, editor of the final volume of the diplomatic edition of LL undertaken by the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies, took a strict view of what constituted the ‘Book of Leinster’, and did not include the items which have no original connection to the main manuscript.

Cleft Palate and Keratoconus in a Child Affected by Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: An Accidental Association?

This report describes the case of a 9-year-old girl affected by fetal alcohol syndrome who presented at birth with blepharophimosis and a cleft palate, which was submitted to surgery. She was referred to our hospital for a visual acuity reduction, where a diagnosis of keratoconus was made. This case highlights the rarity of the association between fetal alcohol syndrome and cleft palate and the previously unreported association involving fetal alcohol syndrome-keratoconus and cleft palate-keratoconus.